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Topics Governance Good Governance Practices Pro-Poor Service Delivery
Improving Local Government Service Delivery in Rural AreasTo get a healthy balance of perspectives and experiences in local governance and pro-poor service delivery, rural cases formed a major segment of the presentations. The Cambodia, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Uganda cases were contributed by UNCDF partners working in these countries.
Service delivery issues and the types of services that people want and need are different in rural areas. There is more need for primary education, primary health, and water supply. Rural service delivery is a critical area that tends to be neglected. It is qualitatively different and, in many ways, improving it is very challenging. The good news is that innovations are still possible. Innovations in financing, planning, and overall accountability measures can be introduced to good effect, to positive poverty outcomes, and be mainstreamed into policy. Local governments can greatly improve performance even without drastic personnel changes, given the right enabling factors, for example, flexible financing and support for more transparent planning, budgeting, and monitoring. The four countries operate in different contexts. There are differences and variations in the structure and size of local government, the level of decentralization and autonomy, and the political drive for reform. These have determined the way innovations have been implemented. The cases on Cambodia, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Uganda focused on three major points:
Decentralization Reforms and Commune-Level Services Delivery (Cambodia)This study documents the effectiveness of pilot innovations in the financing, planning, and management of decentralized service delivery, which have now been mainstreamed as national policy in Cambodia, and have led to establishment of elected commune authorities in rural areas, with legally mandated service functions.
Local Governance and Service Delivery to the Poor (Bangladesh)This study outlines lessons on the scope for piloting innovations in financing, participatory planning, and implementing of basic infrastructure and service delivery by rural union parishad authorities in one district of Bangladesh. It documents their effectiveness, even within a national policy context, which is not at the moment especially conducive for decentralization.
Local Government Infrastructure and Service Delivery: A Case Study of the Decentralized Financing and Development Program (Nepal)This study outlines issues and challenges in promoting innovations for more effective and equitable financing, planning, and management of basic infrastructure and services by authorities at district and village level in Nepal and for feeding these into the national policy framework, within the limits imposed by the Maoist insurgency and the current suspension of local elected bodies.
Lessons from Experiences in Decentralizing Infrastructure and Service Delivery in Rural Areas (Uganda)This study outlines the radical and comprehensive policy and institutional framework for devolution and local service delivery in Uganda and, within this, the role played by such innovations as performance-linked funding to district and sub-county governments in rural areas.
Summary of the Synthesis Paper on UNCDF Case Studies
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