Governance and Democratisation Grantees
Objective:
To support the creation of appropriate space and opportunity for non state actors to engage and participate effectively in institutional governance at local and national level, including involvement in policy processes. This lot aimed to improve democratic and economic governance through reinforcing the demand side of government accountability.
To support the creation of appropriate space and opportunity for non state actors to engage and participate effectively in institutional governance at local and national level, including involvement in policy processes. This lot aimed to improve democratic and economic governance through reinforcing the demand side of government accountability.
Thematic Criteria:
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"Local institution strengthening and capacity building" ADWAC worked to enhance the role of local institutions in contributing to good governance through capacity building of twenty-two Village and Ward Development Committees, establishing benchmarks on the status of local institutions in NBR, and harmonising local, regional and ward level plans into a regional North Bank Region development plan. The expected results were for fifteen Village and six Ward Development Committees and the Kerewan Area Council to develop independent action plans; reduced non-payment of rates and taxes; increased women representation in local institutions. |
"Strengthening freedom of expression protection" Article 19 worked in collaboration with the Gambian Press Union to promote transparent and accountable government through the strengthening and protection of freedom of expression in The Gambia. Specific objectives included the enhancement of journalists' and media houses' capacity to self-protect against censorship and persecution; engage government and other key development actors in dialogue focused on freedom of expression' increase the quality of national and international awareness on the state of freedom of expression in The Gambia. |
"Promoting gender empowerment and women's representation in LGAs" The specific objectives of Concerns Universal’s (CU) Grant activities were the establishment of Gender Action Teams in the four national Local Government Administrative Regions of Gambia; the promotion of gender mainstreaming in regional programme development and implementation; advocacy for the inclusion of a quota for women’s representation in councils; the promotion of women’s participation in regional decision making processes. CU worked with WASDA, AVISU, FFHC and NATC, targeting 63 ward committees, Local Government Administrative regions, women councillors and district authorities. Study tours were conducted, 28 District authorities and other opinion leaders sensitized on gender policy and the Local Government Authority Act, an advocacy network of Community Based Organisations established and sensitization conducted through radio and television programmes. |
"Training and information campaign to eliminate harmful traditional practices" GAMCOTRAP’s activities focused on a training and information campaign to eliminate harmful traditional practices through ‘Rights Education’. This included raising awareness amongst communities and within institutions on the human, sexual and reproductive rights of women and children as enshrined by current legislation. GAMCOTRAP also aimed to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity through empowering communities to eliminate harmful traditional practices and to influence attitudinal change and the enactment of a law against female circumcision. Village Alkalos (chiefs), community elders and Imams were specifically targeted. |
"Establishment of a participatory budget formulation process" Pro-PAG worked to engage communities and partners in contributing towards an effective budget formulation process. It worked with communities, assisting in their identification of local needs and providing training on public finance management and social accountability tools. Pro-PAG worked to mainstream participatory approaches in development delivery, targeting communities and stakeholder and member organisations as a means of promoting budget and poverty monitoring and tracking capacities. |
"Promotion of human rights and international humanitarian standards" SRC worked in partnership with the Gambian Red Cross Society to promote human rights and international humanitarian standards in The Gambia. Its specific objective was to enhance the promotion of human rights in development projects implemented by local and international NGOs. Activities aimed at achieving this objective included training on international protocols on human rights principles and international humanitarian standards for twenty local and international NGOs; sensitising Village Development Committees and Council’s of Elders; training on communication tools and strategy guidelines; facilitating a workshop on human rights and the media. SRC also developed a comprehensive training manual on human rights and humanitarian principles, aimed as Gambian CSOs. |
"Empowering duty bearers in the promotion of human rights and good governance" TANGO’s objective was to inform and empower citizens to claim their rights in public services and to participate in local and national affairs, through the empowerment of duty bearers in promoting human rights and good governance. TANGO assessed the readiness of institutions to adopt a rights-based approach in their work, engaging and training national and local government, civil society officials and other development actors on human rights, rights-based approaches to development and governance. This included awareness creation seminars and workshops on civil-military relations and the production and dissemination of information and training materials. |
"Effective local governance for peace building and sustainable development" WANEP aimed to promote a culture of peace and non-violence through assisting in the establishment of informed, accountable and vibrant local government and communities with equal gender representation. It aimed to make local authorities and communities aware of potential causes of local conflict through identifying the capacity gaps of Local Government Authorities 2002 Ammendment. Community members would be made aware of rights and responsibilities stipulated in the Local Government Authority Act, in addition to developing skills on peace building, conflict resolution and mediation. WANEP aimed to promote information sharing and to train Local Government Authorities on relevant legislation and peace keeping. |