Southern Africa \ Local democracy
This section contains information relating to all aspects of lcoal democracy and good governance at the local level. The Commonwealth principles on good practice for local democracy and good governance - known as the Aberdeen Agenda - which have been adopted by all CLGF members and are incorporated in the Commonwealth Charter, set the framework for the promotion of local democracy in the Commonwealth. The materials in this section relate to the constitutional and legal provisions for local government and include a range of studies, policy and training materials on local elections, leadership, community participation, representative local government, local government management and partnerships between local government and other key stakeholders such as traditional authorities.
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Developmental Local Government in South Africa: Institutional fault lines
This paper provides a brief introduction to the recent history of, as well as the legal and policy framework for, local government in South Africa. It discusses the transformation of local government from a racially configured, illegitimate arm of the apartheid government into a system designed to produce developmentally oriented municipalities. The progress made by South African municipalities towards realising the vision of developmental local government is remarkable and unprecedented. Over the last 13 years, municipalities have embarked on the extension of infrastructure and development, whilst absorbing fundamental changes to their internal governance and management arrangements, financial management systems and intergovernmental responsibilities. The new local government system offers great potential for the realisation of a better life for all citizens, facilitated by a new generation of municipalities. However, the challenges remain huge and some of these can be attributed to institutional fault lines. These include challenges that come with large, inclusive municipalities, new executive systems and the political appointment of senior officials. The paper also identifies the downside of overzealous institutionalisation of community participation. With regard to intergovernmental relations, the paper highlights the need for a clearer definition of local government mandates and a greater recognition of the role of big cities. The current insistence on comprehensive intergovernmental alignment of policies and budgets is questioned, and suggestions are made to substitute this with an approach of selective alignment around key national priorities.
Author: Jaap de Visser Publisher: University of Technology, Sydney Publication year: January 2009
Regional organizations, gender equality and the political empowerment of women
Global and regional organizations play an important role in the development of legal and policy frameworks, as well as in the design of effective action plans to better support the advancement of the gender equality agenda at the global, regional and national levels. This report presents key instruments for promoting gender equality and political empowerment of women that are currently in place at the global and regional levels, highlighting the challenges, opportunities and successes that each organization has encounter in the implementation within their respective regions.
Author: Stephanie Chaban, Luis J. Consuegra, Hannah Elten, Karin Gardes, Olivia Greymond, Olga Martin Gonzalez, Mona Lena Krook, Liri Kopaci-Di Michele, Hien Thi Nguyen, Nika Saeedi, Safi Trabelsi, Catherine Woolard Publisher: International IDEA, Community of Democracies and UNDP Publication year: 2019
Handbook of Research on Sub-National Governance and Development
The Handbook of Research on Sub-National Governance and Development is a pivotal reference source for the latest scholarly material on the intersection between local and national politics, analysing how this relationship affects nations’ economy and administration. The new book aims to expand the knowledge-base of alternative approaches to local, regional, and national governance and development, and fills the void in current research and policy literature by exposing theoretical and practical ideas about the contribution that subnational political institutions can make to national development.
Author: http://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/our-research/public-policy-and-governance/news/new-book-sub-national-0 Publisher: Eris D. Schoburgh, Roberta Ryan Publication year: 2017
The Constitution of Zimbabwe 2013 as a basis for local government transformation
The implications of local government constitutional provisions have not been fully debated hence the gap that MSU and CLGF sought to close through debate leading to this edited volume. The debate recognised limited progress in implementing relevant provisions of the Constitution particularly the core ideals of devolution which remain contentious suggesting need for an implementation framework and plan. Such a framework would guide reforms of relevant administrative structures and relations. Currently these remain unchanged and thus constitute an implementation drag. The ‘dragging’ is seen in re-centralisation of local authority functions and spaces suggesting that the devolution agenda is not yet fully institutionalised. Changes in local government now require a constitutional rather than legislative changes and policy directives. The right to govern, the right to services and space for citizen participation are provided for in ways that usher a new dispensation for both national and local governance. Local government constitutionalisation is accompanied by a guaranteed sharing of national resources (at least 5%) between the national and sub-national tiers of government. Contributions in this volume provide an in-depth understanding on the constitutional provisions on local government and search for trajectories critical for entrenching the mechanisms needed to implement and optimise those provisions. Much of the discussion on local government constitutionalisation has hitherto been limited to realignment of laws. It did not engage with deeper governance transformations anticipated in the constitution. As such, this paper teases out key questions and reflects on possible avenues for making the constitution live. The paper generates preliminary yet foundational knowledge to guide further debate and practical processes needed for local-national constitutionalism post 2013. Important governance issues need not continue to be usurped by party political actors and interests.
Author: Kudzai Chatiza, Kadmiel Wekwet, July Moyo, Angeline Sithole, Stephen Chakaipa, Vincent Chakunda, Edson Mutema, Naome Rajah, Kudzai Matsika, Virginia Makanza and Patrick Banga Publisher: CLGF Publication year: 2016
