Albania hopes to join the European Union one day and reap the accompanying economic and political benefits, but first, the country must demonstrate that its judiciary is accountable and fair. To support Albania’s effort to join the EU, the USAID Justice Sector Strengthening Project (JuST) collaborated with the Albanian court leadership to improve the justice…
As the government of Mexico implements its National Human Rights Plan at the federal and state levels, it must address structural challenges to human rights and enhance its dialogue with civil society organizations.
Decades of authoritarian leadership in Nigeria have done little to promote good governance or collaboration between governmental institutions and nongovernmental organizations. To support the implementation of key democratic reforms in Nigeria, the USAID Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) program helped civil society organizations and citizens become more involved in reform processes. Encouraging citizens to…
President Daniel Ortega, who was elected to office in 2006, leads Nicaragua’s government. Since taking office, Ortega has engineered changes to the country’s constitution that may allow him to stay in power indefinitely. Given these changes, the government must become more transparent and accountable, which means citizens must have a stronger voice. The USAID Capacity…
Afghan women face a number of obstacles to working in the government, including widely held beliefs that women should stay at home and out of public workspaces. To counter these views, the USAID Promote: Women in Government project focused on increasing women’s participation in decision-making roles in Afghanistan’s government. One-year internship programs for female high…
The Capacity Development for Partners of Accountability Program, referred to as Pamoja Twajenga, meaning “Together We Build” in Kiswahili, supported select Tanzanian civil society organizations (CSOs) and government of Tanzania Institutions of Accountability (IOAs) with timely technical assistance enabling them to provide sustainable and significant impact as advocates in their respective sectors. With Pamoja Twajenga’s…
At its end, BLCD was a four-year, $4 million project that strengthened the capacity of 20 CSOs and two CSO resource centers. BLCD was implemented by prime contractor Chemonics International Inc. and its international subcontractor, the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law. The BCLD in Azerbaijan worked with 20 CSOs and resource centers to strengthen their…
Open government is critical to enhancing essential services, opening civic space, and making government more accountable to citizens. Sustainable Development Goal 16 asks the international community to aim toward building more effective, responsive, and inclusive institutions, which evidence shows lead to better development outcomes for citizens. Recently, at the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit…
Access to information is a fundamental right. More than 100 countries worldwide have adopted right to information (RTI) legislation, which are laws regulating public access to information, particularly from public institutions (sometimes referred to as access to information or freedom of information laws). These countries are increasingly recognizing the connection between good governance, accountability, and freedom of…
The Dominican Republic has one of the highest crime rates in the Caribbean. In your view, what is the most pressing challenge facing the country’s criminal justice system? The essence of the problem is our low prosecution rate. As you say, the Dominican Republic is the fourth most crime-prone country in the Caribbean. Over the…
How can development interventions effectively address the complex challenges facing communities grappling with violence? What lessons have we learned through our work in conflict and post-conflict settings? What are the tools and methods that best galvanize communities to work together to address violence and promote security and peace? The Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP) is holding…
Indonesia Program Representasi (ProRep) was a five-year initiative that supported a number of civil society organizations, think tanks, and the DPR (House of Representatives) to better research and understand, articulate, and respond to citizen needs and improve public policies. Beginning in 2014, ProRep initiated a new “policy community” phase, supporting civil society, research, and government…