Decentralisation and citizen participation – topics discussed by public authorities and civil society in Telenești and Orhei
From 17 to 28 June 2013, experts of the Institute for Urban Development held a series of training seminars in Orhei and Telenești on “Decentralisation of public services”, “Project cycle management and project writing methodology” and “Development and promotion of policy documents”. The trainings were delivered within the project “Promoting participatory planning and implementation as an effective mechanism for community empowerment and sustainable local development”, funded by the European Union.
The project aims to strengthen the sustainable development capacity of local public authorities and non-governmental representatives in Orhei and Telenești, and to apply mechanisms of cooperation and community empowerment for participation in local development. The trainings sought to transfer knowledge and build participants’ skills in project cycle management and project writing, policy document development, and in understanding the role of decentralisation in strengthening local public administration.
The seminars focused on the following topics:
- conceptual aspects of the decentralisation process and reform;
- a comprehensive approach to decentralisation and its components;
- decentralisation in the Republic of Moldova and the existing legal framework;
- decentralisation of services and competences, fiscal decentralisation and decentralisation of public property;
- decentralisation models: the European experience;
- general aspects of the administrative capacity of local public administration;
- inclusion of socially vulnerable groups in decision-making in the context of decentralisation;
- the project management cycle;
- project writing methodology;
- types, structure, procedures and process of developing policy documents;
- the role and importance of policy documents in decentralisation and in improving the administrative capacity to deliver public services.
The teaching method was based on informative and interactive discussions. More than 140 people took part in the seminars, including civil servants from first- and second-tier local public administrations, local councillors, civil society representatives from Orhei and Telenești, the private sector and members of socially vulnerable groups.
Capacity building for local authorities and the non-governmental sector will continue with the development of participatory organisational capacities in other aspects of local participatory development, focusing on:
- public service management;
- participatory monitoring and evaluation;
- methods and techniques of interaction between local public administration and citizens.
For further information, please contact the Institute for Urban Development, tel./fax (+373 22) 211 467, e-mail: office@idu-moldova.org.