long-term

In transitioning societies with the control and accountability mechanisms under development having tangible assets delivered, strategic position-holders interested, and locally recognized agents of change with multiplication potential involved are important to ensure the target population’s immediate interest, as well as the longer-term sense of ownership to be developed and the sustainability of the project to be achieved. Whenever possible, adding the beneficiary financial contribution element, such as community funds, can help in enhancing the sense of ownership and accountability for public expenditures and improving processes for public consultation in development planning.

This project, as designed and presented had the potential to develop into a forward-looking program with a far-reaching positive impact on increasing the target population’s participation in elections as voters and as candidates. Though most of the expected outputs were successfully delivered, their impact was rather limited. LAG put efforts into producing the outputs in quantity, but due to the lack of programmatic approach and appropriate followup missed an opportunity to ensure their long-term applicability. In some cases, especially as regards the two main assets developed within the project’s framework – the Trainers’ Pool and the capacitated CSOs, this resulted in insufficient performance. Applying the mechanisms and capacity developed within the project’s framework during the 2021 municipal and subsequent elections would be instrumental in increasing the sustainability of the project’s results and its longer-term impact.