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Governance and Peace

The Governance and Peace team provides advisory services to HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation programmes and external clients. Our thematic fields focus on municipal development, strengthening of civil society, decentralization as a means towards local democratic governance, strengthening institutions and inclusive processes, and involving citizens in decision-making to promote local development.

We offer particular competence in conflict prevention and transformation through the development and the application of instruments and tools. We have experienced in adapting programmes to fragile and conflict affected situations.

Our competence in migration is closely linked to human rights of migrants and gender issues. We have expertise in the use of artistic expressions to create space for dialogue and contribute to social inclusion. We strongly believe that the relationship between the state and its citizens is crucial for development, where the state offers basic services and security to its citizens as clients and partners, and active citizens are able to claim their rights and influence policies in their interest. We want to pursue the idea that «active citizens and effective states» can jointly make a difference. Interrelated topics of the
team are the promotion of good governance and democratic
principles, human rights, justice, and peace.

THEMATIC COMPETENCES

  • Decentralisation (planning, finance, services)
  • Public administration
  • Municipal development and management
  • Citizen engagement and participation
  • Strengthening of councils
  • Strengthening of civil society
  • Accountability
  • Lobbying and advocacy
  • Gender and governance
  • Human rights and social inclusion
  • Civil peace building and conflict sensitivity
  • Land management and irrigation
  • Culture, space for dialogue
  • Migration, human rights, and gender

  • WHAT WE OFFER

    open
    Design & Planning Project and programme planning; strategic planning; feasibility studies; assessments
    Capacity Development & Backstopping Project and programme backstopping; development of training manuals and material; development of innovative tools; facilitation of thematic workshops; coaching; trainings; capitalisation of experiences; knowledge management tools and platforms
    Monitoring & Evaluation Monitoring systems; mid-term reviews; end evaluations; impact assessments  

  • EXAMPLES OF SERVICES RENDERED

    open
    SDC: Thematic backstopping of the Decentralisation and Local Governance Network (DLGN). Planning of a local governance and water project in Mozambique.
    GTZ: Evaluation of decentralisation programme in Georgia.
    IFAD: Advisory services for including the local governance dimension in rural development, Madagascar.
    International Land Coalition (ILC): Capitalisation of the role of civil society in the land reform in Madagascar. F. Ebert Stiftung and PA IV: Baseline study and evaluation of the peace building programme in Aceh, Indonesia.
    HELVETAS: End-evaluation of a governance project in Vietnam; Backstopping of a local governance project in Ethiopia; Backstopping of a cultural diversity project in Bhutan.
    INTERCOOPERATION: Backstopping of the SDC project on Supporting Local Government in Kosovo, Bosnia and Serbia; Gender Responsive Budgeting training.

See our publications on

Handbooks & Tool Kits

Keystone Mandates

Kosovo

International Alliances


ALLIANCES SWITZERLAND


Team leaders

  • Esther Marthaler

    Senior Advisor Conflict Transformation To profile

  • Benjamin Blumenthal

    Team Leader Governance & Peace / Senior Advisor Governance To profile