Our Expertise and Services: Governance

Why governance matters

In recent years, nations worldwide have made considerable progress in good governance by establishing democratic and often decentralized systems of governance, developing government capacities, and empowering citizens to partake in policy processes. Also SDG 16 calls for inclusive societies and effective and accountable governments. Despite this positive development, access to quality public services still remains a mirage for millions of poor and marginalized women and men. Poverty is increasingly located in states where government capacity is low and state institutions are only partly accepted. Governance structures are further challenged by increased urbanization and exodus from rural areas, high youth unemployment rates, climate change and the scramble for scarce natural resources, as well as latent and armed conflicts.

In addition, in many of the contexts Helvetas works in, there are increasing limitations on the space and enabling environment for civil society to organize collective action, enter into dialogue with governments, propose policy changes, implement development initiatives and speak out on behalf of poor and disadvantaged women and men.

What we do

Local Governance

For many poor and disadvantaged women and men, political participation at the local level is the most important means for influencing decisions and developing their communities. Helvetas aims to improve interactions at the local level between citizens, local civil society, the private sector and the state by raising awareness of rights and responsibilities, strengthening civil society organizations to become partners and mediators, and supporting public institutions in delivering quality public services.

Decentralized public service provision

Democratic decentralization is a necessary and complementary process to strengthening local governance. Helvetas concentrates on decentralized public services and focus on national policy that sets the framework conditions, the allocation of service delivery responsibilities at different levels of government, and the distribution of functions, finances and human resources. Our interventions support processes that aim to improve inclusive public services and democratic oversight mechanisms, ensure the sustainable funding and management of such services, and improve legal and institutional frameworks that specify the conditions of their delivery.

Sectoral Governance

Governance in its broadest definition looks at how decisions are being made, and how these decisions are being implemented. It therefore also affects all Helvetas activities. We build on existing principles of good governance and a rights-based approach to ensure all our country programs approach governance in a consistent and coherent manner.

What we offer

• Expertise in strengthening local governance to empower people as citizens, raising awareness of rights and responsibilities and strengthening confidence and capacities to effectively participate in local decision-making processes.
• Supporting public institutions on all state levels to fulfill their responsibilities, to find political responses to existing challenges, deliver quality public services and respond to citizens needs while adhering to good governance principles.
• Experience of working with local public administrations and executives (mayors), as well as local councils and elected representatives.
• Mobilizing and strengthening local collective action, civil society organizations and networks, in particular their relationship with their constituencies and their capacities to engage in evidence-based advocacy.
• Supporting participatory and inclusive decision-making processes about the use and distribution of local public resources, with a particular focus on local development planning and monitoring.
• Project development in assisting clients in planning and designing governance interventions and projects, and in integrating good governance principles into sectoral projects and interventions.
• Geographical coverage: Our advisors based in the Global South and in Switzerland provide technical support to projects in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Our quarterly newsletter “Highlights”

Further information

Download and read our publications on different governance related topics.

Partnerships, alliances and networks

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