Context and Justification
Trajectory 5 of the Pro-ARIDES program aims to create a favorable socio-political and economic environment for the restoration of the social contract between institutions and populations.
The main desired outcome of this trajectory is to ensure that “the capacities of local authorities are strengthened and supported to enable them to create favorable environments for the restoration or reestablishment of the social contract.
Hypothesis 1: If local authorities responsible for decision-making and local development have access to capacity-building support and financial resources to implement their mandates autonomously, they will create the favorable environment necessary for effective service delivery and good governance. As a result, they will be considered legitimate in the eyes of the citizens they govern.
Hypothesis 2: If farmers’, herders’, women’s, and youth organizations (FOs) have access to capacity-building support, they can influence policies autonomously, participate in local democratic decision-making, become more accountable and responsive to their members, and effectively monitor the performance of local leaders. This will allow their needs to be better taken into account.
Challenges
- Improving governance within communities
- Restoring the social contract between those who govern and those who are governed