The facts:
USAID and democracy and governance
Getting local citizens more effectively involved in community decision making
and oversight of local matters is key to improving governance and building democracy.
It helps ensure that needed services reach the people and that natural, financial,
and human resources are used in a sustainable way to benefit future generations.
USAID and its partners encourage local governments and community-based organizations
(CBOs) to use transparent financial management and investment planning for future
development. At the national level, USAID provides policy analysis to strengthen
decentralization policies in critical areas such as local government finance and
management of civil registries.
As a result of its eight-year, $36.5 million assistance program for democracy
and governance, which ends in 2006, more than 100 local communities were able
to develop realistic budgets that help them plan investments and expenditure,
collect increased tax revenues, run better solid waste and water services, and
manage local agricultural and natural resources in ways that protect their environment
and foster economic development. Customer satisfaction surveys found that a much
higher percentage of citizens in USAID-supported local governments (54%) were
satisfied with the management and quality of local government services than were
their fellow citizens in non-USAID-supported local governments (38%). Areas of
support include:
Improving local governance
USAID activities provided technical assistance and training for improved management
and planning to 109 local governments and about 1,000 CBOs across the country
to help them improve their planning, implementation and management of local development
activities. As a result, local elected leaders and citizens have carried out numerous
activities to improve provision of basic health services, reduce conflict over
and protect forests and pasture lands, and improve solid waste collection and
disposal. Best practices among local governments are shared at governance fairs
that feature results of activities and provide copies of manuals and training
modules. USAID also funded small-scale infrastructure projects such as solid waste
collection systems and basic health facilities that have been prioritized by local
governments and CBOs.
Enhancing women’s participation in local governance
To improve democracy and governance at the local level, USAID supported women
in carrying out their political responsibilities. This program is a follow up
to the training and awareness campaign implemented during local elections in 2002
to increase the number of women councilors. At that time, 2,300 women were trained
in the role and responsibilities of a local government and civil society organization
leader. After these elections, USAID and its partners are continuing their support
towards women with a series of training in public affairs management, local development
and literacy in order to help councilors better represent their constituencies
while improving women political leadership.
Democracy and governance as part of new strategy
Under its new strategy starting in 2006, USAID/Senegal will support the Government's
objectives by addressing transparency and accountability issues across all of
the sectors in which USAID intervenes: economic growth, health, education, and
peace-building in the southern Casamance region.
Partners
USAID's partners who carried out democracy and governance activities include:
Associates in Rural Development (ARD), Environmental Development Action in the
Third World (ENDA-Graf), Gorée Institute, International Resources Group
(IRG) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
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