Structure Of Local Government Research Articles

Assessing Demographics, Perceptions, and Participation: A Study on Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Effectiveness and Improvement Suggestions

The Sangguniang Kabataan is an important institution in the Philippines that represents the interests of youth and engages them in local governance. This study examines the perceptions of young Filipinos regarding the Sangguniang Kabataan’s (SK) participation in local government, focusing on understanding how youth perspectives influence the efficacy of SK initiatives. The research integrated a descriptive quantitative research design. A total of 32 participants were involved in the study, providing insights into their demographic profiles, perceptions of SK duties and functions, levels of participation in SK activities, and suggestions for improving SK officials and their activities. The findings reveal that while respondents generally recognize the importance of the SK in representing youth in local government, there are areas where its effectiveness can be enhanced, such as in implementing youth-focused programs and initiatives. The study also highlights barriers to youth participation in SK activities, including lack of awareness and time constraints. Recommendations for improving youth engagement in the SK include prioritizing advocacy for youth-related issues, enhancing communication with young individuals, and focusing on initiatives that address critical issues like poverty, education, and mental health. By implementing these recommendations, the SK can better serve the needs and aspirations of the youth population and create a more responsive and inclusive local governance structure.

Fiscal Devolution and Healthcare Accessibility A Case Study of Homa Bay County

Fiscal devolution has gained prominence as a policy approach in many developing countries, aiming to enhance healthcare accessibility. This study focused on the influence of Fiscal devolution on healthcare accessibility in Homabay County. The study employed a mixed-methods approach to assess the impact of fiscal devolution on public sector efficiency, combining quantitative data analysis and qualitative observations. With an emphasis on metrics like service quality, punctuality, and accessibility, quantitative data were gathered via questionnaires and administrative records. Key stakeholders, such as representatives of the local government, prominent members of the community, and recipients of services, were interviewed in-depth and participated in focus groups to get qualitative data. The data were analyzed using appropriate SPSS version 27 statistical techniques and thematic analysis to identify patterns and relationships. Results showed that fiscal devolution had both positive as well as negative effects on healthcare accessibility in Homabay County, underlining the importance of effective local government and resource allocation processes. Preliminary data indicate that fiscal devolution in Homabay County has had a mixed effect on healthcare accessibility. On one hand, decentralization has empowered local authorities to make decisions tailored to local needs, resulting in improved service responsiveness and community engagement. On the other hand, challenges related to inadequate financial resources, capacity constraints, and intergovernmental coordination have hindered the efficient delivery of public services. Effectiveness of fiscal devolution largely depends on the presence of effective local governance structures, transparent resource allocation mechanisms, and capacity building initiatives.

How does tax revenue sharing affect local government governance? Empirical evidence from Chinese cities

High-level government governance is the support and guarantee for achieving high-quality economic and social development. This study identifies the impact and mechanisms of tax revenue sharing on local government governance from theoretical and empirical perspectives. It is found that the increase of tax sharing ratio of city and county governments can trigger financial incentives and effectively improve the level of local government governance. At the same time, the increase of tax sharing ratio can also improve the public expenditure structure of local governments to enhance the level of local digital infrastructure construction so as to strengthen governance efficiency.

IMPACT OF PROVINCIAL LIVESTOCK PROGRAM ON MOUNTAIN PROVINCE LIVELIHOODS: REVIEW

This literature review examines the role of livelihood projects, particularly focusing on small-scale poultry production and livelihood diversification initiatives, in promoting poverty alleviation and enhancing food security in Sub-Saharan Africa and Mountain Province, Philippines. Various studies have highlighted the potential of small-scale poultry farming to uplift rural communities by providing alternative sources of income and nutrition. However, challenges such as disease control and market access must be addressed to maximize the impact of these projects. Similarly, livelihood diversification efforts in Uganda offer opportunities for income generation and poverty reduction but require supportive policies and resources. Additionally, the enactment of Provincial Ordinance No. 264, known as the Barangay Muna Program, by the Provincial Government of Mountain Province underscores a proactive approach to addressing socio-economic needs at the grassroots level. By leveraging local resources and governance structures, these initiatives aim to promote equitable development, social cohesion, and inclusive growth within their respective contexts. Overall, this review underscores the potential of livelihood projects to foster sustainable development and improve the well-being of communities in diverse geographical settings.

Power dynamics and participation within humanitarian coordination groups: A case study of the MHPSS Taskforce in Lebanon.

The humanitarian sector has often been criticised for its hierarchical power dynamics. Such dynamics often centre the priorities of 'international' actors, thereby marginalising the knowledge and expertise of those closest to the setting and play out in various fora, including coordination mechanisms. While guidance emphasises the importance of supporting local systems and government structures rather than creating parallel humanitarian structures, this approach is not consistently applied, creating challenges. We used a case study approach to explore how power relations influence the practice of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Taskforce in Lebanon, a nationally-led coordination mechanism chaired by the Ministry of Public Health with UN agencies as co-chairs. We conducted 34 semi-structured interviews with Taskforce members and other stakeholders coordinating with the Taskforce, including local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international NGOs, United Nations agencies and government ministries. Interview transcripts were collaboratively analysed using Dedoose. We conducted feedback workshops with participants and integrated their feedback into analysis. We found that UN agencies and international NGOs are perceived as holding more decision-making power due to their access to funding and credibility-both shaped by the humanitarian system. Our findings also suggest that power dynamics arising mainly from differences in seniority, relations between 'local' and 'expat' staff, and language used in meetings may affect, to varying degrees, decision-making power and members' voices. We also show how the agenda/focus of meetings, meeting format, language, and existing relationships with Taskforce leaders can influence levels of participation and decision-making in Taskforce meetings, ranging from lack of participation through being informed or consulted about decisions to decisions made in partnership. Our findings have broader implications for coordinating service delivery within the humanitarian sector, emphasising the need to reflect upon power imbalances critically and continually and to ensure a shared understanding of decision-making processes.

Exploring Factors Influencing Family's Enrollment in Community-Based Health Insurance in the City of Gondar Peri-Urban Community, Northwest Ethiopia: A Health Belief Model Approach.

A research gap exists in finding practical solutions to provide affordable and accessible health insurance coverage to improve CBHI enrollment and sustainability to people in resource-poor settings and contribute to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) in Ethiopia. This research was initiated to analyze the role of community trust in scheme management and health choice to identify significant factors based on the health belief model (HBM). This psychological framework explains and predicts health behavior by considering individual perceptions. Cross-sectional information was gathered from 358 families, and original facts were utilized. Descriptive data and the Binary logistics in the econometric model were applied for data analysis. The descriptive findings demonstrated that other variables were established to possess a significant consequence except for job and occupation variables. The results of the logistic regression model showed that the distance of the nearest health station from the family's home in a minute [AOR (95% CI) =0.177 (0.015, -0.399)], being a member of the families having an official position in local government or cultural structure [AOR (95% CI) =0.574 (0.355, 0.793)], having an experience of visiting health facilities [AOR (95% CI) =0.281 (0.166, 0.396)], and perceiving the local CBHI scheme management as trustworthy [AOR (95% CI) =0.404 (0.233, 0.575)] were positively associated with family enrollment in the CBHI scheme. On the other hand, being a member of the "rotating saving and credit association" (ROSCA) [AOR (95% CI) =-.299 (-.478, -0.120)] was negatively associated with the family's enrollment in the CBHI scheme. Trust in CBHI scheme management, family's experience of visiting health facilities, and distance from the nearest health station were essential factors influencing enrollment in CBHI schemes. "Rotating saving and credit association" (ROSCA) ° negatively and statistically significantly impacted the family's CBHI enrolment status. Income level was not associated with enrollment.

Examining the Nexus Between Local Governance Structures and College Students’ Cultural Identity and Confidence-Take Zhejiang as an Example

In order to give full play to the advantages of local governance structure, it is necessary to explore the influence of governance structure on college students' cultural identity and self-confidence. In this paper, a questionnaire survey was conducted on four college students in Zhejiang Province, and the regression analysis method was used to analyze the survey data. Based on the results, from the perspective of local governance structure, the relationship between local governance structure and college students' cultural identity and self-confidence is demonstrated. This paper puts forward the following hypotheses: first, whether the structure of local autonomy has an impact on the cultural identity of college students; second, whether the relationship between college students' identity and self-confidence is independent; thirdly, whether the local self-control structure can improve the self-confidence of college students; Finally, the influence and degree of local self-government structure and cultural identity of college students on college students' self-confidence. The results show that the local structure can improve the cultural level of college students, with an increase of about 10.5%, and the impact on the cultural self-confidence of college students is relatively small, indicating that there is a correlation between cultural identity and local governance structure, and the correlation between cultural self-confidence is small, and the relationship between cultural identity and self-confidence is independent. The reason for this is that the short-term effect of the local governance structure is significant, and the long-term effect is not good, so it is necessary to cooperate with social participation measures, university system and other measures to enhance students' cultural self-confidence.

Assessing the contributions of an urban population health initiative to shift political priority towards cardiovascular health: three case studies from Brazil, Mongolia and Senegal

BackgroundThe urban population health initiative was designed as a multidisciplinary, multisector programme to address cardiovascular (CV) disease, specifically hypertension and its underlying causes in the cities of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; Dakar, Senegal; and São Paulo, Brazil. This article aims to provide an overview of the history and dynamics of CV disease policy making in the three countries, to present the policy reform contributions of the initiative and its role in the policy agenda-setting framework/process in each country and to identify the enablers and challenges to the initiative for doing so.MethodsA qualitative case study was conducted for each setting from November 2020 to January 2021, comprised of a document review, semi-structured in-depth interviews and unstructured interviews with stakeholders involved in the initiative. The literature review included documents from the initiative and the peer-reviewed and grey literature with a total of 188 documents screened. Interviews were conducted with 21 stakeholders. Data collection and thematic analysis was guided by (i) the Kingdon multiple streams conceptual framework with the main themes being CV disease problems, policy, politics and the role of policy entrepreneurs; and (ii) the study question inquiring on the role of the urban population health initiative at the CV disease policy level and enabling and challenging factors to advancing CV disease policy. Data were thematically analysed using the Framework Method.ResultsEach setting was characterized by a high hypertension and CV disease burden combined with an aware and proactive political environment. Policy outcomes attributed to the initiative were updating the guidelines and/or algorithms of care for hypertension and including revised physical and nutritional education in school curricula, in each city. Overall, the urban health initiative’s effects in the policy arena, were most prominent in Mongolia and Senegal, where the team effectively acted as policy entrepreneur, promoting the solutions/policies in alignment with the most pressing local problems and in strong involvement with the political actors. The initiative was also involved in improving access to CV disease drugs at primary health levels. Its success was influenced by the local governance structures, the proximity of the initiative to the policy makers and the local needs. In Brazil, needs were expressed predominantly in the clinical practice.ConclusionsThis multi-country experience shows that, although the policy and political environment plays its role in shaping initiatives, often the local priority needs are the driving force behind wider change.

Local Governance Structures and Their Role in Mobilising Community Action: A Case of Recreational Facilities in Mining Towns in the Copperbelt Province

This paper explores the role of local governance structures at community level in mobilising community action in the redevelopment of recreational facilities in former mine townships in the Copperbelt Province. These facilities are experiencing a management quandary resulting from the privatisation of the mining conglomerate, ZCCM, in the late 1990s. This paper argues that every society has a way of reorganising itself when such vacuums in management occur. Growing literature places this research agenda within “self-organising”, “co-production”, “self-managing”, etc. Underpinning these self-organising processes are local governance structures devised by communities themselves, which include various actors being involved in the decision making and management processes for community development. In modern societies, the role of these structures is often underplayed and only realised when a vacuum appears in the management as is the case for formerly mine-owned recreational facilities in Copperbelt towns. A multi-case study approach was adopted in this mixed method research to determine the communities’ ability to regenerate the dilapidated recreation centres. The research found that the communities had the social capital required to drive the regeneration process, exhibited by the benevolence shown to each other, the willingness to participate in activities at the recreation centres and the availability of self-organising associations. Additionally, the local structures were able to self-organise and participate in decision making and management required for successful community development.

Teachers Retention and Recruitment in Rural Areas in Tanzania: A Narrative Review Based on the Chinese Experience

A narrative review of the literature on the practices of teacher recruitment and retention in rural China, with an emphasis on identifying the tactics employed to do so, served as the basis for this qualitative study. It then showed Tanzania how similar strategies may be applied to guarantee the successful recruitment and retention of Math and Science teachers in rural areas. The study found that while China's position is not as dire as Tanzania's, especially for teachers of science and math, both countries struggle with teacher recruitment and retention in rural areas. This results from the several strategies China has implemented to ensure successful teacher recruitment and retention in both rural and urban areas. Nonetheless, the study has demonstrated that Tanzania, like other Sub-Saharan African nations, lacks a strong framework for teacher policies that connects teacher recruitment and retention. Additionally, Science and Math teachers in Tanzania are not motivated, which leads to a teacher shortage in rural and remote areas. The study, thus, recommends that Tanzania should learn from China through the following; - Firstly, development of policies related to rewards and incentives and, an increase in salary and promotions for science and mathematics teachers recruited in rural areas. Secondly, creating huge investments in urbanizing rural areas to attract and retain afresh employed science and mathematics teachers. Thirdly, the development of teacher exchange and rotation policy. Fourthly, encouraging more gifted form six graduates in science and mathematics to work as teachers in remote regions and providing them with free access to both online and offline higher education. In this regard Tanzania will be able to comprehend the 2030 World Education for Sustainable Development, the SDGs of the UN, the African Union objectives of 2063, and Tanzania Vision 2025. Ultimately, the study concludes that, despite Tanzania's potential to learn from China, several challenges and considerations must be taken into account. These include the need for robust data collection and monitoring systems to assess the impact of adaptive interventions, as well as the importance of engaging local communities and stakeholders in the design and implementation of relevant strategies. Additionally, is essential to recognize the cultural and contextual differences between China and Tanzania, and to adapt strategies in a way that aligns with the unique needs and realities of the Tanzanian education system. This may include considering factors such as community engagement, and local governance structures in the development of adaptive interventions. To carry out frequent orientations for recently employed science and math teachers in rural schools. To establish science and technology centers, agricultural research facilities and environmental conservation projects in rural areas that encourage teachers to engage and advance knowledge in their profession. Resources that are currently spent to train more arts teachers could instead be allocated to training more math and science teachers. Creation of an online learning environment for math and science teachers that links teachers in rural and urban schools for knowledge sharing.

Workshop on how persons with care needs participate in local health governance structures.

Participation of citizens in health policy and health care organization has been recognized as cardinal since Alma Ata health care for all declaration. Yet, the width and breadth remain contested and implementation difficult. Movements to involving and empowering communities in decision making for health priorities and interventions varied from instrumentalizes community health worker approaches to bottom-up health policy planning. Especially in countries where professional health systems were weak these strategies received much attention and support, less so in professionally dominated health systems in Europe.
 Yet the shift from an individual care-oriented system towards a population based approach has opened opportunities to rethink health governance at local levels, and the voice of the population. Population-based health management implies the defining and addressing of health care needs of a specific population defined for instance by a geographic delineation. This allows decentralization of decision-making. However, especially in a highly professionalized health care system, such shifts are difficult. Implementation challenges relate to whom to involve, how to organize representation, and how to ensure equitable participation of different stakeholders. 
 In this working session, we aim to address the implementation challenge of how persons with care needs and informal care givers can take up and develop their role in governance of local health care planning. We will take a practice-based approach, exploring the role, organisation and effects of participation of citizens in the local care councils in the primary care zones in Flanders, Belgium. In part 1, persons with care needs and informal caregiver representatives in care councils will present their stories, implementation challenges and utility of instruments such as the participation toolbox. In part 2, session participants will assess tools and strategies for the challenges presented in a world café format. In part 3, the results of the café discussions will be presented to a panel of person and informal caregiver representatives, policy makers and researchers from different countries, to provide locally relevant and international perspectives on the problem and solutions. The session will be co-led by people with care needs, people from the implementation support organization VIVEL and by researchers from two higher education institutions. 
 Organisers: Josefien van Olmen (University of Antwerp), Christophe Wille (Artevelde University of Applied Sciences), Marlies De Clerck (VIVEL), Naomi De Bruyne (Coördinator Steunpunt Mantelzorg), Lieve Dossche, Annet Wauters (Vlaams Patiënten Platform), Lie Verryssen (VIVEL), Patricia De Vriendt (Vrije Universiteit Brussels, University of Applied Sciences)
 Procedures to ensure representation and inclusion: simultaneous translation in English and Dutch. 
 

Blockchain Technology in Lands Registration: A Systematic Literature Review

Blockchain technology (BT) is increasingly important in digital government as a means of efficient information management, decision making and an instrument for reform. This study presents a systematic review of BT's potential and application in land registration within low-income countries. The study uncovers diverse approaches to BT implementation that are influenced by local conditions and government structures. The study reveals that while there is a burgeoning interest in this field, actual implementations remain limited. The key barriers include resistance from government officials and a lack of local BT skills. Public blockchains have shown a high tendency for adoption, indicating a shift towards more transparent relationships between governments and citizens. The Hyperledger Fabric platform emerges as a popular choice due to its ability to provide secure, scalable, and robust solutions. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding the consensus mechanisms used, indicating a potential gap in current research practices. The study recommends an incremental approach to BT implementation, starting with non-threatening, transparent processes that could be expanded as part of broader government reform programs. Despite the potential of BT to revolutionize land registration systems and democratize tracking, it also poses a threat to existing power structures. Therefore, more robust empirical research is needed to evaluate the impacts and navigate the associated sociotechnical, legal, and institutional challenges. The study also proposes the establishment of a BT collaborative network among low-income countries to leverage shared experiences and develop a common framework for implementation. In the single instance where it was implemented in Georgia, public trust in government was restored. The study contributes to understanding how BT can be effectively harnessed to improve land registration systems in low-income countries.

Supporting municipalities in implementing participatory development initiatives: lessons learned from a decade of Poverty Stoplight implementations

Participatory initiatives in local governance, such as participatory budgeting and local assemblies, aim to involve communities at various levels of a development project. A key challenge remains in equipping government officials with tools to effectively understand and address community needs. This paper examines the efficacy of the Poverty Stoplight (Stoplight or PS), a participatory tool, in addressing this gap. This tool enables communities to self-assess their poverty status, identifying themselves as "red", "yellow", or "green" based on a range of indicators. Emphasizing self-assessment and mentoring, the Stoplight approach fosters community ownership and agency. This ensures members play a pivotal role in highlighting their needs and forming their development aspirations. This research adopts a case study approach, detailing experiences with the Poverty Stoplight across diverse contexts, such as in Paraguay and Ecuador. Results indicate that the Stoplight not only facilitates individual poverty elimination strategies but also promotes collective participation within local governmental structures.

UKRAINIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COUNCIL OF EUROPE’S STANDARDS: HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION AND DECENTRALISATION AT THE TIMES OF MILITARISATION

The subject of the study is the relationship between Ukrainian local government structures, municipal standards set by the Council of Europe, and their intersection with human rights and decentralisation policies, especially in the context of ongoing militarisation in certain regions of Ukraine. The study aims to analyse how these elements interact and influence each other in the Ukrainian governance system, exploring the legal, policy and practical aspects of this complex interaction. Methodology. The methodology of a study involves a combination of research methods and approaches in order to comprehensively investigate the subject matter. In addition to the legal analysis, the authors presented the results of the document analysis. Also, because the Ukrainian decentralisation reform has had a major impact on most spheres of local life, the authors have chosen an interdisciplinary approach: given the complexity of the issue, this approach helps to incorporate elements of law, economics and international relations to provide a holistic understanding of the issues at hand. The results of the study showed that: a) the Council of Europe currently lacks human rights standards that are integrated with its municipal standards. This is a significant gap that could be strategically addressed, given the potential of local government bodies in the field of human rights protection; b) Ukraine would benefit from the development of a comprehensive framework outlining actions to be taken by local government bodies to protect human rights and facilitate the implementation of European Court of Human Rights judgments. Despite the pervasive effects of militarisation throughout the country, post-conflict reconstruction will require the continuation of these policies. This is particularly important as Ukraine seeks to rebuild the nation and resume the reforms that were underway before the outbreak of conflict, including municipal reform with a focus on financial decentralisation and reform of the implementation of ECHR judgments. Conclusion. In summary, militarisation in certain regions of Ukraine has created a number of complex challenges for local governments, affecting security, governance, human rights and social services. The protracted nature of the conflict has made it even more difficult to address these issues. Finding sustainable solutions to these challenges requires a coordinated effort involving local authorities, the national government, international organisations and civil society to promote stability, protect human rights and rebuild affected communities.

Present Conditions and Ensuring Rule of Laws at Local Level: A Case Study on Village Court

This study examines, with particular attention to the Union Parishad in Bangladesh, what constitutes a critical role played by village courts when it comes to ensuring basic rule of law at grassroots level. Since there are no administrative units at village level, the rural local governance structure is driven by UPMs. The Village Court system established under the Gram Adalat (Village Court) Ordinance of 1976 and formalized through the Village Court Act of 2006, serves as a statutory formal court designed to alleviate the hardships faced by the rural poor within the formal judicial system. In order to increase justice delivery in rural areas and improve the resolution of disputes through Salish means, this research looks at how the village court has evolved since its inception in the late 1970s. The Bangladesh’s government has initiated a project called "Activating village courts" with support from the UNDP and the EU in order to reinforce its rural court system. The study, which was carried out in three unions at the Netrokona District, used a combination of methods on as approach to use both quantitative and Qualitative data obtained by Structured and Unstructured Surveys. The findings of the study are followed up by a set of recommendations and initiatives aiming to strengthen the ability of village courts to ensure rule of law at local level. The findings of this research show that village courts are playing a critical role in the Redemption of justice services effectively in rural Bangladesh, which emphasised their importance to broader efforts to encourage access to justice and democratic rights at grass roots level.

Promoting Women’s Political Participation in Tanzania: Assessing Voluntary Gender Quotas in CCM’s and CHADEMA’s Constitutions

In response to the low numbers of women in elected positions of power, Tanzania reserves special seats for women in parliament and local governance structures. Consequently, the special seats system remains one of the main pathways for women’s access to political seats. Despite political parties’ role in nominating women for special seats, concerns linger regarding their internal commitment to advancing women’s political participation. This article inspects the constitutions of Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM, the Revolutionary Party) and Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA, Party of Democracy and Development) to assess whether there are voluntary gender quotas for increasing women’s political participation in political parties’ leadership positions and elections. While the two parties’ constitutions include principles of gender equality and non-discrimination, they contain minimal and inconsistent measures for women to attain positions in the party leadership, its decision-making organs and candidate lists. Various constraints, including the competition caused by the First Past the Post electoral system, challenges associated with the implementation of the special seats system, loopholes in the legal framework, weaknesses of women’s political parties’ wings, lack of competition from other political parties, and gendered social norms account for CCM and CHADEMA’s reluctance to adopt voluntary gender quotas.

Güney Kore Yerel Yönetiminin Halk Sağlığı ve Sağlıklı Kent Planlama Politikalarının COVID-19 ile Mücadelede Etkisi

COVID-19, which spread all over the world and hit economies hard, caused great damage to the global system. States have tried many ways to overcome the COVID-19 virus using cutting-edge technologies, including quantum computers and artificial intelligence. However, considering the rate of the spread of the COVID-19 virus in states, rather than new technologies, the effectiveness of local governments has emerged. Compared to central governments, local governments have the capacity to effectively manage major crises because they are shaped more in line with the wishes of the people and have the capacity to produce faster solutions. When the local government structure of South Korea is examined, it will be seen that the technological advantage of South Korea progresses in harmony with the local government style and helps to effectively fight against COVID-19. The article analyses the impact of the structural and historical background of local governments in South Korea in the fight against COVID-19, and the contributions of local governments to urban planning and public health, and their roles in combating COVID-19. A qualitative method is used in this study and the aim of the study is to investigate the contributions of local governments in terms of urban planning and public health in combating COVID-19, based on the example of the South Korean local government.

Dalit Women In Panchayati Raj Institutions: A Study Of Uttar Pradesh

This paper examines the role and experiences of Dalit women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It investigates the extent of Dalit women's participation, challenges they face, and the impact of their representation in local governance structures. The study draws upon qualitative research methods, including interviews, surveys, and case studies, to gather primary data. Secondary sources, such as academic literature and reports, are also utilized to provide a comprehensive analysis of the topic. The findings shed light on the nuanced dynamics of power, gender, caste, and socio-economic factors that shape Dalit women's engagement in PRIs. The research contributes to existing scholarship and offers recommendations for enhancing the meaningful participation and empowerment of Dalit women in Panchayati Raj institutions.

Gender and socially inclusive WASH in Nepal: moving beyond “technical fixes”

The enactment of a new Constitution in 2015 in Nepal marked a shift to a representative system of federal governance. Earlier in 2002, the country's Tenth Five Year Plan had committed to a core focus on gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) in national policies and governance. How do these two strategic shifts in policy align in the case of WASH projects in rural Nepal? Applying a feminist political lens, we review the implementation of WASH initiatives in two rural districts to show that deep-rooted intersectional complexities of caste, class, and gender prevent inclusive WASH outcomes. Our findings show that the policy framing for gender equitable and socially inclusive outcomes have not impacted the WASH sector, where interventions continue as essentially technical interventions. While there has been significant increase in the number of women representatives in local governance structures since 2017, systemic, informal power relationship by caste, ethnicity and gender entrenched across institutional structures and cultures persist and continue to shape unequal gender-power dynamics. This is yet another example that shows that transformative change requires more than just affirmative policies.

Filling the gaps in local governance: an analysis of the structure and process of informal community governance in Ibadan, Nigeria

The Nigerian local government system’s failure is widely documented, yet little is known about an alternative governance framework that communities have developed to tend to their needs. Using a case study methodology, this paper investigates the structure and process of informal community governance by which communities in Ibadan, Nigeria, fill in the gaps in local government. Documents and key informant interviews with community leaders provided qualitative data. The findings reveal that informal community governance systems are functioning well in Ibadan. Their governance process is open to all, participatory democracy is visible, and corruption is not tolerated. While Nigeria’s official local government structure lacks the governance and democratic culture essential for meaningful, long-term local development, this paper’s analysis shows that those features are being nurtured in the local community setting. The findings serve to draw attention to the need to institutionalise community governance as a form of local government capable of addressing a wide range of present and emerging community needs.