Democratic Republic of the Congo

The objective of the project was to involve grassroots communities with democratization processes across the Ituri District in the Province Orientale of the Democratic Republic of Congo. To achieve this, the grantee planned to strengthen the capacity of radio listeners’ clubs through training and practical support; to organize community debates using the radio listeners’ clubs; to produce radio broadcasts based on the community debates and on roundtable meetings between communities and officials; and to produce a range of news and educational broadcasts. The project provided local communities with knowledge they could use to convey their concerns to the authorities. It encouraged dialogue by inviting local political leaders to debate with communities and members of radio listeners’ clubs. The various elements of the project formed a well thought-out and organic whole, which was able to foster positive changes at community level. The focus on women’s participation in democratic debates was also relevant, and connected to the emphasis on access to broadcast news.

The objective of the project was to involve grassroots communities with democratization processes across the Ituri District in the Province Orientale of the Democratic Republic of Congo. To achieve this, the grantee planned to strengthen the capacity of radio listeners’ clubs through training and practical support; to organize community debates using the radio listeners’ clubs; to produce radio broadcasts based on the community debates and on roundtable meetings between communities and officials; and to produce a range of news and educational broadcasts. The project provided local communities with knowledge they could use to convey their concerns to the authorities. It encouraged dialogue by inviting local political leaders to debate with communities and members of radio listeners’ clubs. The various elements of the project formed a well thought-out and organic whole, which was able to foster positive changes at community level. The focus on women’s participation in democratic debates was also relevant, and connected to the emphasis on access to broadcast news.

The objective of the project was to enhance citizens’ access and involvement in local governance in 50 communities in Kinshasa and Maniema Provinces. According to the grantee’s analysis elections were a time of apparent democracy, because neither the administration nor elected officials were actually accountable to citizens for their actions. Therefore, the project aimed to raise awareness among grassroots communities about the importance of participating in local governance; to involve grassroots communities in identifying information, training and support needs for participatory governance; and to document and learn from local experience in relation to participatory governance. The project’s relevance, however, was limited as its scale of action was too small to enhance democratic culture at the level of entire communities, as suggested by the grantee; and it failed to highlight the need for women’s participation in governance.

The objective of the project was to enhance citizens’ access and involvement in local governance in 50 communities in Kinshasa and Maniema Provinces. According to the grantee’s analysis elections were a time of apparent democracy, because neither the administration nor elected officials were actually accountable to citizens for their actions. Therefore, the project aimed to raise awareness among grassroots communities about the importance of participating in local governance; to involve grassroots communities in identifying information, training and support needs for participatory governance; and to document and learn from local experience in relation to participatory governance. The project’s relevance, however, was limited as its scale of action was too small to enhance democratic culture at the level of entire communities, as suggested by the grantee; and it failed to highlight the need for women’s participation in governance.

The objective of the project was to enhance citizens’ access and involvement in local governance in 50 communities in Kinshasa and Maniema Provinces. According to the grantee’s analysis elections were a time of apparent democracy, because neither the administration nor elected officials were actually accountable to citizens for their actions. Therefore, the project aimed to raise awareness among grassroots communities about the importance of participating in local governance; to involve grassroots communities in identifying information, training and support needs for participatory governance; and to document and learn from local experience in relation to participatory governance. The project’s relevance, however, was limited as its scale of action was too small to enhance democratic culture at the level of entire communities, as suggested by the grantee; and it failed to highlight the need for women’s participation in governance.

The objective of the project was to enhance citizens’ access and involvement in local governance in 50 communities in Kinshasa and Maniema Provinces. According to the grantee’s analysis elections were a time of apparent democracy, because neither the administration nor elected officials were actually accountable to citizens for their actions. Therefore, the project aimed to raise awareness among grassroots communities about the importance of participating in local governance; to involve grassroots communities in identifying information, training and support needs for participatory governance; and to document and learn from local experience in relation to participatory governance. The project’s relevance, however, was limited as its scale of action was too small to enhance democratic culture at the level of entire communities, as suggested by the grantee; and it failed to highlight the need for women’s participation in governance.

The objective of the project was to enhance citizens’ access and involvement in local governance in 50 communities in Kinshasa and Maniema Provinces. According to the grantee’s analysis elections were a time of apparent democracy, because neither the administration nor elected officials were actually accountable to citizens for their actions. Therefore, the project aimed to raise awareness among grassroots communities about the importance of participating in local governance; to involve grassroots communities in identifying information, training and support needs for participatory governance; and to document and learn from local experience in relation to participatory governance. The project’s relevance, however, was limited as its scale of action was too small to enhance democratic culture at the level of entire communities, as suggested by the grantee; and it failed to highlight the need for women’s participation in governance.

The objective of the project was to enhance citizens’ access and involvement in local governance in 50 communities in Kinshasa and Maniema Provinces. According to the grantee’s analysis elections were a time of apparent democracy, because neither the administration nor elected officials were actually accountable to citizens for their actions. Therefore, the project aimed to raise awareness among grassroots communities about the importance of participating in local governance; to involve grassroots communities in identifying information, training and support needs for participatory governance; and to document and learn from local experience in relation to participatory governance. The project’s relevance, however, was limited as its scale of action was too small to enhance democratic culture at the level of entire communities, as suggested by the grantee; and it failed to highlight the need for women’s participation in governance.

The objective of the project was to enhance citizens’ access and involvement in local governance in 50 communities in Kinshasa and Maniema Provinces. According to the grantee’s analysis elections were a time of apparent democracy, because neither the administration nor elected officials were actually accountable to citizens for their actions. Therefore, the project aimed to raise awareness among grassroots communities about the importance of participating in local governance; to involve grassroots communities in identifying information, training and support needs for participatory governance; and to document and learn from local experience in relation to participatory governance. The project’s relevance, however, was limited as its scale of action was too small to enhance democratic culture at the level of entire communities, as suggested by the grantee; and it failed to highlight the need for women’s participation in governance.

The project aimed to enhance the legitimacy of the judicial system in order to reinforce democratic processes in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Specifically, the project was designed to improve the legal knowledge and sense of responsibility on the part of civil society actors by raising awareness of human rights among citizens and by improving trust between citizens and judicial institutions, as well as better liaison between judicial actors and civil society. The beneficiaries included the population of two municipalities in suburban Kinshasa, as well as families of military and police personnel housed in camps in the area; police officers, prosecutors and judges; and a group of trained NGO resource persons. The project was based on a sound strategy, which identified explicitly the institutional weaknesses that were to be addressed, and proposed realistic steps to address them. The training sessions for NGO resource persons and the seminars bringing together civil society, police and members of the judiciary were implemented to a particularly high standard, as they were both innovative in their field, and carried out with appropriate levels of skills and monitoring.