Citizenship

Citizenship can be perceived as a de-facto situation or an active role vis-à-vis the state and its institutions as well as the wider community. PDCI members engage citizens, expanding their civic competences and offering means and opportunities to engage in decision-making processes. 

Election monitoring

Preparing for elections and critically evaluating them helps raise people’s awareness about the importance of civil rights and public involvement. Election monitoring activities do more than judge fairness: an informed electorate brings more legitimacy to a fairly-elected body politic.

• Spotlight:

Partners-Albania and its Activities during Local Elections

Within its ‘Democracy and Governance in Albania’ (DGA) programme, Partners-Albania organised events leading up to the Albanian local elections. These aimed to increase transparency and public trust, as well as to strengthen the capacities of Albanian NGOs to promote activities such as open debates and forums with candidates during the course of the local campaigns. Partners-Albania planned numerous activities to enhance civil society and local government relations. It also registered its staff to serve among the official national observers of the local elections.

• Spotlight:

Partners-Peru and Training of Local Leaders

Socios Perú organised a training workshop entitled “Essential skills for efficient communal management” in Huancabamba, Andahuaylas, and Apurímac.  The training addressed communal organisation leaders, local authorities and health promoters, and falls under the project “Communities and Small Scale Mining Program” - Window 2 DGF, financed by the World Bank. The goal of the project is to strengthen the communal leaders’ capacities to engage in appropriate conflict management and negotiation opportunities with organisations and companies.  

Good governance

International standards of accountability, transparency and legitimacy are important at national, regional and local levels if citizens are to trust and support their public authorities. PDCI members work with community groups to pressure authorities into improving levels of accountability and transparency, and with officials to recognize and fulfill their responsibilities towards citizens. 

• Spotlight:

Partners-Georgia brings Deliberative Democracy approach to Georgian Citizens

Partners-Georgia’s 16-month ‘Preventing and combating corruption through reinforcement of civil society pressure and promotion of citizens’ political processes’ project was the first time a Deliberative Democracy approach was applied in Georgia. NGO members from 8 Georgian cities moderated 15 public deliberation forums among a representative sample of citizens.

Besides conducting trainings, T4Ts (trainings for trainers) and educating the public about the deliberative democracy approach, Partners-Georgia developed a website to present information on the project, including applied methodologies and manuals. The results of the public deliberations were also published in a book, “Society Free of Corruption - Which Way to Choose?” in Georgian and English.

The results were not only a survey of public opinions about fighting corruption: ordinary citizens were excited to be involved in the civic dialogue process.