Citizens Participation in Local Self-Governance in Eastern Partnership Countries

The Centre of Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) implemented the project "Promotion of Citizens Participation in Local Self-Governance in Eastern Partnership Countries" supported by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Human Rights, and Transition Policy.

The main goal of the project was the strengthening of local democracy and citizen participation in local governance in EaP countries, by means of improving practical implementation of national legislation.

Within the project a report on common challenges and needs of citizen participation in local governance in EaP countries was drafted. The study had the following objectives:

To determine common problems, needs, and elaborate recommendations for improvement of practices of citizen participation in local self-governance in EaP countries;
To identify and describe best practices among EaP countries in the area of citizen participation in local self-governance.

Project experts analysed national legislations of EaP countries and their application in practice in the regard of citizen participation at the local level in terms of the “European Charter of Local Self-government”, “Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the Right to Participate in the Affairs of a Local Authority”, “Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level”, “The Code of Good Practices of Citizens’ participation”.

The local government high officials and CSOs were interviewed in each of the EaP countries with two special questionnaires assessing: First, Legislation on citizens' participation and second, the quality of citizens’ participation in local governance in EaP Countries. All Main findings and recommendations were developed based on the processed data obtained by the survey.

Six organisations from thePublic Administration Reform sub-working group were involved in the work of the report: Center for Support for Economic Initiatives - Azerbaijan; Communities Finance Officers Association Ngo Armenia - Armenia; Foundation CCC Creative Centre- Ukraine; Institute for Urban Development - Moldova; Lev Sapieha Foundation – Belarus and Centre for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia – Georgia.

The report on the Citizens Participation in Local Self-Governance in the six EaP countries in English can be found here. The Russian version of the report can be found here.

For more information please, contact:

Centre of Strategic Research and Development of Georgia
Delisi 1-st lane # 5a
Tbilisi 0177, Georgia
Tel/Fax: 99532 2399018; 99532 2399019
E-mail: office@csrdg.ge
web: http://www.csrdg.ge