What part should civil society play in protecting the planet? How have recent political crises put the environment at risk? How can civil society hold government institutions accountable to alleviate the resource curse? These are the kinds of questions that environmental protection and democracy and governance experts will tackle at the International Civil Society Week…
With the signing of Colombia’s peace accord in 2016, new challenges have emerged regarding the country’s human rights agenda. The 2016 United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights annual report highlighted an increasing concern regarding the killings and attacks on Colombian human rights defenders and other social leaders. According to the Colombian NGO Somos Defensores, in…
Joshua Leland is a development professional with more than two decades of progressive experience managing teams and driving growth. His expertise spans strategic leadership, entrepreneurial initiatives, and executive management in both headquarters and overseas roles. As vice president for corporate development, he leads execution of Chemonics’ inorganic growth strategy through strategic partnerships, investment, and acquisition.…
We partner with governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), independent media, and local communities to strengthen democratic governance systems. Our programs encourage transparency and accountability of leaders and institutions, and protect and promote universal human rights. For example, our work takes us to Sri Lanka, where we are improving the performance of core justice institutions and…
Enrique Betancourt is the director of the Citizens Security Initiative at Chemonics, where he contributes to a portfolio of citizen security and justice projects implemented across Latin America and the Caribbean. His work focuses on establishing collaborative mechanisms that bridge the gap between the design and implementation of evidence-based citizen security policies at the national…
Todd Diamond is a development practitioner and analyst with more than 25 years of technical and management experience helping countries in transition build capacity among public sector, non-governmental, and private sector organizations. Working on behalf of various U.S. and U.K. government agencies, his experience includes designing and implementing projects that help strengthen the legitimacy of…
Sharon Van Pelt is the former lead for Chemonics’ Democracy and Governance Practice.
Rhett Gurian is Chemonics’ Senior Vice President, Global Health Division. He previously served as chief of party on a number of assignments, including the USAID/Lebanon Community Support Program (CSP) from 2018-2024, the USAID/Syria Essential Services (SES) project based out of Jordan from 2015-2016, and the USAID/OTI Haiti earthquake recovery initiative from 2010-2013. Since joining Chemonics…
In 2011, the Jordanian government committed to a wide range of decentralization reforms so citizens could become more directly involved in the plans and programs of their local governments. Decentralizing government operations also empowered municipalities and other local government bodies to provide for and respond to Jordanian citizens. The USAID Jordan Cities Implementing Transparent, Innovative,…
Local governments can be particularly influential in increasing the public’s trust in governmental systems and services and motivating civic engagement. USAID’s Local Government Support Project (LGSP) assisted local governments in Moldova with designing and implementing policies that contribute to good governance. Project activities focused on improving service delivery, identifying and using financial resources, and strengthening…
With better partnerships across the government and civil society organizations, Mexico can improve the way it targets crime and violence in vulnerable communities.
Provincial governments in Iraq must further develop their skills, resources, and processes so that they can deliver municipal services to their citizens and meet community needs.