Local Governance Project

Iraq Local Institutional Support and Development Program Local Governance Project* 30 September 2003 *Implemented by RTI International under contract with USAID Strategic Objective Iraqi citizens benefit from improved local governance: strengthened local governments and civil society organizations are able to respond to a broad range of issues in subnational administration, service delivery, and citizen participation in local administration Photo: Iraqi government council meeting 2 Expected Results Restoration of Basic Services (LocalServices and Administration) Efficient and Effective Local Administration and Effective Civil Society Organizations (Civil Society Strengthening) Services (Local Services and Administration) Transparent and Participatory Policy Processes (Civil Society Strengthening) Local Services and Administration Civil Society Strengthening Improved Services, Quality of Life, and Functioning Civil Society 3 What Is Happening Iraqis are achieving historic firsts at the Local Level in Iraq? Iraqis are helping to create and use new representative institutions to control their own lives Iraqis managing services are setting priorities locally and starting to allocate resources on an independent basis Iraqi nongovernmental groups at the local level are forming and influencing local government Photo: 4 What Is Happening at the Local Level City Councils and (in Baghdad District) Neighborhood Councils provide for an unprecedented degree of representation of citizens in Iraq? (continued) Iraqis are taking initiative on issues via representative institutions, and demonstrating willingness to assert their own priorities Conflict resolution in al-Sadr Conflict resolution in al-Mawsil and Kirkuk, areas of substantial ethnic and religious diversity 5 What Is Happening at the Local Level in Iraq? Iraqi service department heads for the first time are making their own decisions on priorities, resources allocation, and customer (citizen) service (continued) al-Basrah water system repair and treatment, electrical system repairs, restoration of sewage operations al-Najaf - repair of 4 major fire stations and firefighting equipment Kirkuk - rehab of municipal building, and building of first city council auditorium to encourage public participation in local governance meetings Photo: water treatment restoration 6 What Is Happening at the Local Level in Iraq? Iraqi service department heads for the first time are making their own decisions on priorities, resources allocation, and customer (citizen) service (continued) (continued) Kirkuk - new employment service office to identify broad categories of workers, create rosters for both public and private sector employers, and serve as a coordination point for national jobs program al-Hillah/Babil region - repair of ground water canals to prevent the annual massive flooding of low income residential areas Babil - provision of computer and technical support for the municipal treasury operations and town council offices 7 What Is Happening at the Local Level in Iraq? Previously excluded groups (nongovernmental, community-based organizations) are finding their voice and influencing the actions of councils and service departments. (continued) al-Basrah - working with the Association of Disabled Veterans on the rehab of a community facility used for physical therapy, training, and recreational and social activities Kirkuk - support for the Organization for Civil Society in Iraq's first conference "Toward Contemporary Civil Society in Iraq," focusing on key facets for the development of a strong civil society Karbala - training and capacity-building work with the Iraqi Human Rights Watch and Former Prisoners and Families of Victims Association, helping them to organize and facilitate workshops on key issues and information dissemination 8 What Is Happening at the Local Level in Iraq? Previously excluded groups (nongovernmental, community-based organizations) are finding their voice and influencing the actions of councils and service departments (continued) (continued) al-Hillah - LGP held regional workshop with groups from five cities in south central region on forming civil society organizations, including: creating business plans, project design and evaluation, and leadership and advocacy in participatory environments Baghdad - providing support for previously excluded groups: assisting a Kurdish women's NGO in rehabilitating and equipping a neighborhood primary health clinic al-Mawsil - support for the creation of the first nurses association to advocate for the rights of nurses and professional improvement of the profession Arbil - support for the Khatuzin Center for Social Action, 3 day conference on "Empowering Women," forum for women's NGO group in the north to share common experiences and develop strategies for the future Photo: women in council meeting 9 The Role of LGP Government Civil Society Two Sides of the Same Coin Community-based groups that have the capacity and desire to select political leaders and hold them accountable Institutions and systems that enable citizens to select political leaders and hold them accountable 10 Basic Facts about the LGP Program We are deployed in 16 of 18 Governorates We have approximately 120 international staff deployed in country We have approximately 265 Iraqi employees, most in professional positions International staff come from over 30 countries About 30% of the international staff have hands-on experience as local elected officials, city administrators, department heads, utility managers, etc. 11 LGP Activities 1 Working with Iraqis to Identify priorities and provide technical and financial resources for restoration of basic services (emergency conditions) Photo: Government officials Meeting in Iraq 12 LGP Activities 2 Assisting Iraqis to form neighborhood councils and other representative organizations, increasing the representativeness of existing councils Photo: Government officials meeting in Iraq 13 LGP Activities 3 Training technical department heads, council members, and governors in the “nuts and bolts” of city management (service cost analysis, expenditure requirements analysis, current and capital budget planning) Photo: Government officials meeting in Iraq 14 LGP Activities 4: Identifying existing civil society organizations, helping organize new CSOs, and providing technical and financial resources to help them influence and hold accountable local government Photo: Government office in Iraq 15 RTI Deployment Status Resident Staff in: al-Mawsil, Ninawa'; Arbil, Arbil; Kirkuk, at-Tamim; as-Sulaymaniyah, as-Sulaymaniyah; Ba'aqubah, Diyala'; Baghdad, Baghdad; Karbala', Karbala'; al-Hilla, Babil; al-Kut, Wasit; an-Najaf, an-Najaf; ad-Diwaniyah, al-Qadisiyah; Amarah, Maysan; Nasiriyah, Dhi Qar; Samawah, al-Muthanna'; al-Basrah, al-Basrah Staff working from Regional Hubs in: Ramadi, al-Anbar Staff not deployed yet to: Samarra, Salah ad-Din; Dahuk, Dahuk 16