Governance

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Governance concerns the state’s ability to serve her citizens. It refers to the rules, processes and behavior by which interests are articulated, resources are managed, and power is exercised in society. GRADIF-K believes that the government, organizations and other agencies make better decisions and have greater positive impact on the communities/citizens when they increase the frequency, range, and level of engagement of communities.

Governance concerns the state’s ability to serve her citizens. It refers to the rules, processes and behavior by which interests are articulated, resources are managed, and power is exercised in society. GRADIF-K believes that the government, organizations and other agencies make better decisions and have greater positive impact on the communities/citizens when they increase the frequency, range, and level of engagement of communities. GRADIF-K recognizes that communities can only be said to play an effective role in decision-making if they are actively involved in defining the issues, identifying solutions, and developing priorities for action and resources. Significant gaps and barriers exist to effective citizen engagement. In many rural communities in Kenya where GRADIF-K works, there is limited citizens’ participation and engagement on crucial decisions that affect their daily lives, and there is often a lack of trust between them and government officials and or other policy makers. GRADIF-K acknowledges that a crucial bridge over this gap is the use of appropriate strategies and tools to encourage citizens and government officers/other policy makers to interact and engage regularly. This has an inherent capacity to greater participation by citizens in decision-making processes and involves consensus-building and civic awareness. GRADIF-K governance program does this through increasing citizens’ knowledge about an issue of concern to them and creating opportunities for engagement with relevant organs. Key components of this Programme include:

  • Civic education and awareness

  • Participating and or organizing relevant policy advocacy forums

  • Development and dissemination of popular versions of relevant policy documents for ease of conceptuialisation by targeted citizens.