Implemented by Chemonics, USAID’s five-year Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) Program in Nigeria differed from most civil society organization (CSO) capacity development and governance projects by taking a different approach to the traditional formula of enhancing capacity development and strengthening government accountability. Rather than using grants to support CSOs to implement a linear project strategy focused…
This post was adapted from an interview between Elisabeth Dallas, Chemonics’ Peace, Stability and Transition Practice director, and Todd Diamond, a conflict, stability, and security director in Chemonics’ U.K. Division. For the full interview, watch the video below. How are violent extremism and gang violence — and the development community’s approaches to them — similar?…
When designing a new project, how often do we set out to strengthen a particular actor’s or institution’s ability to “hold government to account?” What does that mean exactly? Maybe the better question to ask is: what is the most effective way to strengthen accountability in our development work? And then, what does it look…
The Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) project was a five-year program funded by USAID and Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND). Implemented by Chemonics International with partner Root Change, SACE strengthened civil society’s ability to work with the government to influence the development and implementation of democratic reforms that improve transparency, accountability, and…
The conflict in Syria has decimated local governance, livelihoods, and access to education. With funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and other international donors, the Injaz II program assisted children and youth in Northeastern Syria with limited or no access to education since the start of ISIS occupation. Recognizing…
Since the collapse of the central government in 1991, Somali citizens have lived under statelessness and weak transitional governments. USAID’s Strengthening Somali Governance (SSG) Project supported the development of more effective and accountable Somali government institutions. Since October 2014, SSG greatly improved how the government provided essential services. Throughout the political process, the project systematized…
African governments have contested elections on a platform of ridding the country of corruption for many years. They berate predecessors for not doing enough, when they have no tangible plans for addressing corruption’s root cause, the lack of integrity. If a lack of integrity is the root cause of corruption, then it is important to…
Ghana’s criminal justice system faces a number of challenges: Cases are not handled in a timely manner and a lack of communication within the justice sector has weakened efficiency and effectiveness during criminal prosecutions. USAID/Ghana’s Case Tracking System Activity developed a criminal case tracking system to support the Ghanaian government in effectively investigating and prosecuting…
This post originally appeared on UrbanLinks. Quick infusions of public services are usually a surefire way for local officials to increase their political capital. But pushing through reforms that spur longer-term economic development and strengthen community cohesion is often much harder to accomplish amid competing priorities. In Jordan, USAID’s Cities Implementing Transparent Innovative and Effective…
In democratic countries where constituency project systems are practiced, they are implemented to bring needed infrastructure and development to communities. Constituency projects were created by the Nigerian National Assembly in response to demands by their constituents around development and the lack of federal presence in communities. Projects are nominated into the national budget by a legislator…
The USAID Kosovo Partnerships for Development (PFD) project recently won Chemonics’ Technology for Development (Tech4Dev) contest with a database and mobile app that lets citizens access all of Kosovo’s laws in one place. Deputy Chief of Party Kreshnik Kurtishi and Legal and Regulatory Specialist Liridon Shurdhani explain. How are you increasing transparency in Kosovo? A fundamental element of good…
With global shifts in how to effectively address environmental protection, citizen rights, and democratic values, civil society organizations (CSOs) are increasingly seen not only as advocates, but also as facilitators between the people and the government with the power to create meaningful change. CSOs have influenced inclusive and accountable development, transforming communities, landscapes, and institutions.…