Donor: US Embassy in Tirana
Project Description: IDM has started the implementation of a one year project focusing on efforts linking the community of citizens with the system of governance at the local level and building (self) sustainable structures that will struggle to fill in the communication gap between the local government units / agencies on one side and the citizens on the other. This initiative portrays the current trends and priorities of decentralization of power and bringing governance closer to the citizens.
In order to address these priorities IDM employs a genuine model of participatory governance – the community liaison (CL) structure that stands between the community and the local government.
Following a long experience with several projects aiming at promoting participatory governance at the local level IDM has developed the set of functional duties and guidelines on the role of CL-s in 2006.
The current project aims at institutionalizing the community liaison model and at providing capacity building assistance (training) which remains essential for the well-functioning of CL structures. The selection of the municipality of Durres follows a sensibilization campaign with the newly elected local government structures on the necessity of CL model and comes in response to the support of this municipality’s citizens for this structure which was expressed in our survey last year (more than 80% of respondents in Durres supported the implementation of CL model in their municipality).
The project focuses on four main aspects in Durres municipality, as follows:
- Institutionalizing the CL model by Durres local authorities based on community consultation and endorsement (approximately 40 CL-s);
- Promoting community mobilization and inclusion schemes as the main guiding tools for CL-s and local bodies/agencies;
- Capacity building activities on specific tools for participatory and transparent governance with community liaisons as well as with other local agencies and local government bodies;
- Providing direct assistance to the target institutions and structures on developing sustainable partnerships through community mobilization/organization tools.
The project will establish a best practice through proven results in the local governance system and improved interaction and communication between the community and the local authorities.