SKR inkluderande lokal demokrati MENA 2023-2025

As in accordance with the agreement, SALAR has presented a status report the 27th of September 2024. The report describes the steps taken to prepare for the regional capacity development programme in the MENA-region. That includes development of a programme document translated to English, French and Arabic; identification of channels and outreach to attract participants; thorough selection of participants; recruitment of two programme facilitators in Jordan and Tunisia and mentors in the five countries; recruitment of experts for the training courses etc. The training programme has had to adopt to the context and information along the road (well described in the status report) and was therefore initiated with a few months delay. The first physical regional meeting that was to take place in Jordan in the end of October, was cancelled as SALAR assessed it as to risky given the current developments in the region.

The programme focuses on strengthening the achievement of regional and national priorities enhancing local governance and local development in the MENA-region and to contribute to establishing an enabling environment for decentralisation policy reform. The overall objective of the programme is to support the capacity development of a critical mass of strategic change agents who can contribute to improved local practices and policy dialogue on decentralisation and local governance in the MENA region. The programme will engage around 50 strategically selected individuals from five targeted countries, expanding knowledge and enhancing capacities among key national and local stakeholders to drive local governance and development change during challenging circumstances and to foster a sustained regional community of practice and decentralisation advocacy. To achieve these outcomes, the program will support the capacity development to foster actor driven change through a regional platform for those having the tools, skills and commitment working towards decentralisation. Beyond, it will help establish effective collaborative links between civil society, local elected officials and technical services to ensure their participation in decision-making. As it will be better informed, civil society will be well prepared to negotiate the inclusion of its needs in development processes and exercise control over access to basic social services. The capacity development programme aims to contribute on two levels long term: Organisational level: i) Increased motivation and capacity for application of different instruments for more accountable local governance, participatory planning, fact- and evidence based decision-making, and improved local development. Individual level: i) Enhanced knowledge, skills and commitment to decentralisation, local governance and local development and services, and in areas such as gender equality, climate change and environment, and migration; ii) Strengthening of peer to peer collaborative learning skills, networking, change management and policy advocacy.