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Researcher : Dr. Mirza M Hassan
Institutionalizing good governance at the local level
has become a focal point in development and poverty
discourse since late 1990s. Professionals in the field
argue that establishing good governance will require
decentralization of power as well as reform in the local
government system. More importantly, the government
service-delivery organizations need to be made accountable
to the local people, especially the poor. Ensuring good
governance will thus require people's participation
as active stakeholders in the service delivery process
to influence outcome that are need-based and articulated
by citizens' voices and preferences. Several organizations
are working on different strategies to establish good
governance. The research aims at: 1) capacity building
of relevant organizations, members of the civil society
and field researchers belonging to the local community
to make local governance pro-poor; 2) training local
stakeholders in techniques to monitor and document the
level of current status, quality, strengths and weaknesses
of the government service-delivery system in the areas
of health and education, so that they are able to play
an advocacy role to ensure better governance; 3) animating
the local stakeholders to initiate dialogues and collaboration
with local public authorities; and 4) identifying ways
and means of collaboration and participation of the
poverty groups in the public delivery system. The research
will identify areas of participation, cooperation and
coordination among the NGOs and civil society groups
to ensure the establishment of pro-poor governance.
The capacity building of the local NGOs and civil society
would enhance their ability to mobilize the local community,
organize them to workout strategies that ensure accountability
and transparency of the government service-delivery
organizations. The research would generate guidelines
for effective action to establish pro-poor governance
and facilitate policy advocacy for establishing good
governance at the local level.
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