Background The post 2015 development agenda has been engaging one of the largest and longest multi-stakeholder deliberations starting from 2012. The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) estimates that almost two million individuals from all corners of the world have taken part in the global consultation process. The multi stakeholder dialogues were conducted in two phases.The first phase…
The Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments is a collective voice that has recently been advocating for the indispensable role of local and regional government leaders and their global organizations toward the realization of the SDGs, the post 2015 UN Development Agenda and the shaping of the “New Urban Agenda” of United Nations which will be…
I’ve just returned from having been invited to speak at a workshop “Local democracy today and tomorrow – Learning from global knowledge and practices” that the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) held at its premises in Stockholm, Sweden, on 5-6 November 2014. The purpose of the trip was to share our approach to participatory local democracy…
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”; this timeless saying embodies the sustainable poverty alleviation approaches few development organizations are currently implementing. The conventional, aid focused, top-down poverty alleviation strategy has not been able to deliver its promise.…
The rise of global inequality and the concentration of wealth is undermining democracy and citizen participation. The rise of urban elites in developing countries in Africa and Asia is affecting and slowing down the process of decentralization. Institutional spaces are becoming inadequate to foster citizen participation in decision making for mobilization and utilization of public…
The current pro-democracy protest in Hong Kong is yet another example of a push for good, local, democratic governance. China’s move to limit the electoral freedom of Hong Kong might have served as an immediate cause, the protest is a reflection of the growing consensus for accountable governance. A movement that was witnessed in the…
One could argue that citizens are more aware of local problems than are public officials. However, active citizenry that takes party in decision making on both locally concerning and national issues requires an enabling environment that empowers and incentivizes people. The very aspect of initiatives on local democracy or social accountability should be empowering enough…
The Advisory Committee for the Human Rights Council presented its progress report on the role of local government in the promotion and protection of human rights (A/HRC/27/59) for the 27th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, on September 4, 2014. Local Government is one of the seven thematic issues the Advisory Committee is…
September 15, 2014 marked the 7th International Day of Democracy. This years’ theme, Engaging Young People on Democracy, focuses on the challenges and opportunities young people face in engaging in democratic processes. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, called young people to contribute to building stronger democratic societies. He stated “I call on members of the largest generation of youth…
Recently decentralization has been surfacing in European and U.S media as a solution for the current conflict in Ukraine. The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the Vice Chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel, have openly endorsed decentralization as a means to curb the continuing destruction of human life and regain safety in the region. Could power sharing between the different regions and…
