Democratization & GovernanceUnjust systems of governance perpetrate inequality and poverty. The poor and disadvantaged, especially women and youth, have had little room to exercise their civil and political rights. Their participation in deciding who will lead them, how resources will be distributed and monitoring the performance of government institutions is low.
Through our democratization and governance program, we aim to support the strengthening of governance systems, structures, policies and practice that empower disadvantaged people to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
In this program we:
- Work directly with government agencies to help them better respond to the needs and uphold the rights of their citizens.
- Work with civil society agencies to build their capacity to effectively advocate for the rights of disadvantaged people.
- Contribute to government accountability at national and local level through development of budget tracking and monitoring mechanisms and through supporting community involvement in planning.
- Be part of social movements to influence change at local, national and international levels.
In context, Volunteers work with civil society agencies to build their capacity to effectively advocate for the rights of disadvantaged people. Volunteers also work directly with government agencies to help them better respond to the needs and uphold the rights of their citizens. All our work to support government agencies is concerned with improving their ability to respond to people's needs, and to be transparent and accountable to all their constituents, so that the services they deliver meet the needs and fulfill the rights of all people, including the most disadvantaged.
