participation

The project was implemented by Transparency International – Defense and Security (as Implementing Agency) and the Cercle de Réflexion et d’Information pour la Consolidation de la Démocratie au Mali (CRI-2002, as Implementing Partner), from April 2018 to December 2019. The project benefited from a UNDEF grant of USD 187,000 and sought to reduce the risk of corruption in the Malian defense and security sector. It included a mix of capacity-building, advocacy and research work in order to build civil society’s ability to advocate for accountability and transparency in the defense sector, and to open a space for them to do so. Strengthening links between civil society and defense institutions and the democratic bodies charged with oversight of defense was an integral part of the approach.

The project’s objective was to strengthen the political leadership capacity of 1,500 young women from 10 public and private universities based in five districts of Uganda. The grantee aimed to increase awareness among the project’s target group and to provide them with access to information about women’s political life, as well as civic, voting, electoral and democratic processes. This was expected to enhance the leadership capacities of the young women to participate in the March 2016 general elections. Following these elections, an additional component was included in order to create a platform for leadership development of young women in Uganda. Although women’s political advancement at the time of project implementation was a national priority, the actual implementation of related international, regional and national legal and policy commitments remained an important challenge. This was due to persisting socio-cultural factors, such as the high illiteracy rate among youth and girls, lack of access to appropriate information related to political, human and civic rights, early marriage and sexual and gender based violence. While highly relevant in this respect, the project did not address the significant risk of SGBV that young women are exposed to because of their interest in political participation.

The project’s overall objective was to strengthen local democratic governance in mining regions in northern Upper Guinea in order to promote socio-economic development. Specifically the project aimed to enhance civic participation and transparency in public administration in the three urban municipalities of Dabola, inguiraye and Kouroussa. The grantee set out to create transparent spaces for civic participation and consultation; as well to strengthen drafting skills and to promote local governance such as Local Development Plans, an Annual Investment Plan and municipal budgets. The activities aimed to empower the most vulnerable groups, women and young people. The project was relevant since it addressed the main problems facing public administrations - a lack of knowledge and skills within local government and the reluctance of citizens to get involved and to participate in managing public affairs.

The goal of the project was the objective was to build a strong coalition to ensure the efficient management, conservation and protection of the Lake Lanao Watershed Reservation – through democratic processes involving community integration and the introduction of partnerships, pre-consultation, capacity building, the promotion of micro-projects, and monitoring of policy implementation. The design of the project’s training methodology was appropriate to introduce the basic concept of ecology, best management practices, and to raise awareness of applicable environmental laws, rules and regulations. The project contributed to the joint elaboration and adoption of environmental action plans, as well as supporting policies and ordinances on watershed, fisheries and solid waste management. Print and radio media outputs also facilitated the wider public’s key role in the protection of the environment and to empower individual citizens to participate in the enforcement of environmental laws. The grantee managed to work with the full range of different political, religious and social leaders in the Lanao Lake Watershed Reservation. This was reported by the beneficiaries as an unparalleled achievement.

Working with women’s community-based organizations and municipal authorities the project aimed to enhance the social and economic rights of women in Niger by supporting Gender Responsive Budgeting. Integrating a gender perspective into all steps of the municipal budget process, the project focused on improving the capacity of women to advocate municipalities to shape local budgetary policies which consider their health, education and water sanitation concerns. The project’s strategy of working directly with women community based organization members and municipal officials brought activities closer to beneficiaries in the five targeted municipalities of Niger. This approach was highly relevant to women as a beneficiary group, which for most part, rarely has a voice in public affairs and limited access to political decision-making processes.

The project aimed to protect and promote women´s rights using the arts to communicate messages and to raise awareness of the challenges women are facing in protecting and promoting their rights, in spite of the existence of the Law on Violence Against Women (Law 779). The strategy of the project was built around two components: capacity building and awareness raising measures including theatre production and artistic expression; and preventive actions to solve key problems linked to the implementation of Law 779. The project was relevant, as it was carried out at a time of polarization and controversy over the passing of Law no. 779 on Violence against Women (2012) and the reform of this law in 2013. With the aim of making the issue visible, the project relied on promoting collaboration and alliances and mobilizing women’s organizations, civil society actors and local authorities.

The project’s objective was to support the involvement of youth in public policy debates. The project activities included training and organizational support for local civil society projects. It aimed to help civil society organisations and youth to identify problems and propose solutions to decision makers, develop effective leadership and advocacy skills to articulate their positions. It also hoped to establish a sustainable regional network of policy advocates to share information, best practices and lessons learned. Weaknesses in the grantee’s initial problem analysis and a lack of hands-on support undermined the project’s effectiveness. Training on leadership and advocacy skills could have been delivered by experienced civil society members instead of professional educators. It would have also been appropriate to include and seek involvement from political decision-makers to ultimately obtain support for the project’s objective and outcomes.

The project’s objective was to support the involvement of youth in public policy debates. The project activities included training and organizational support for local civil society projects. It aimed to help civil society organisations and youth to identify problems and propose solutions to decision makers, develop effective leadership and advocacy skills to articulate their positions. It also hoped to establish a sustainable regional network of policy advocates to share information, best practices and lessons learned. Weaknesses in the grantee’s initial problem analysis and a lack of hands-on support undermined the project’s effectiveness. Training on leadership and advocacy skills could have been delivered by experienced civil society members instead of professional educators. It would have also been appropriate to include and seek involvement from political decision-makers to ultimately obtain support for the project’s objective and outcomes.

Within the broader context of advancing good governance at local level, the project objective was to enhance the involvement of civil society in local governance through: local assembly monitoring; policy analysis and policy dialogues with public officials; and advocacy campaigns. The grantee sought to promote two-way communications between local officials and citizens in 14 selected municipalities and to support the strengthening of the capacities of locally-based CSOs to monitor the performance of municipal assemblies and municipal government in order to improve accountability. The emphasis of the project on transparency and accountability in municipal government while also reinforcing the position and capacities of civil society at local level was entirely appropriate. The project took place in a difficult context. Yet, despite having to deal with public passivity and indifference about politics, along with a political establishment under little direct pressure to change, it did succeed in highlighting the importance of democratic processes and in engaging citizens in the public sphere. It also made some progress in pressing local government institutions to think differently about their responsibilities.

Within the broader context of advancing good governance at local level, the project objective was to enhance the involvement of civil society in local governance through: local assembly monitoring; policy analysis and policy dialogues with public officials; and advocacy campaigns. The grantee sought to promote two-way communications between local officials and citizens in 14 selected municipalities and to support the strengthening of the capacities of locally-based CSOs to monitor the performance of municipal assemblies and municipal government in order to improve accountability. The emphasis of the project on transparency and accountability in municipal government while also reinforcing the position and capacities of civil society at local level was entirely appropriate. The project took place in a difficult context. Yet, despite having to deal with public passivity and indifference about politics, along with a political establishment under little direct pressure to change, it did succeed in highlighting the importance of democratic processes and in engaging citizens in the public sphere. It also made some progress in pressing local government institutions to think differently about their responsibilities.