We are a group of professionals from a wide range of organizations and perspectives who are dedicated to addressing challenges faced with respect to political, functional, administrative and financial decentralization, including sectoral decentralization and privatization of services.
The Decentralization Community is facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and is moderated by a Resource Team comprised of Dr. Joy Elamon, Resource Person and Ms. Tina Mathur, Research Associate. Click here for the welcome message from the Facilitator, and click here for the message from the Resource Team.
Warm greetings from your Resource Team! We wish all our members a very Happy New Year!
The Community remained vibrant in the last quarter of 2009. Membership of the Decentralization Community grew from 2802 in the beginning of October 2009 to 2934 in December 2009 (4.71%). Nine Consolidated Replies were posted during the period. These included Guidelines for Panchayats on using RTI, Database of Resource Persons on Local Government, Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and District Plans, Urban Local Bodies in Fifth Schedule Areas, Inputs to Committee on Roadmap for Panchayats (2009-14), Preparation of District Human Development Report, Review of BRGF (objectives, deficiencies, monitoring), Role of Local Governance System in implementation of Right to Education Act, Rural Electrification and Decentralized Distributed Generation. We posted 3 issues of monthly Community Update.
The Annual Forum of the Decentralization Community took place in Lucknow in October 2009. This event was attended by over 140 members. The Annual Forum brought into focus the theme of ‘Rights based local governance’ as an approach to local governance. The Resource Team also presented the activities of the Community and got suggestions on future initiatives such as launching ‘Outreach Groups’ in various parts of the country, spearheaded by member volunteers. The Action Group on Resource Mobilization by Gram Panchayats submitted a draft report while that on Wiki for Local Governance in South Asia made progress in submission of a draft way forward note. The Action Group on developing performance indicators for states started its work during the quarter as a follow up to a brainstorming held earlier in the year.
It was a period full of activities and we look forward to a vibrant 2010 with your support!
Queries, e-Consultations and e-Discussions
Below are the current topics being addressed. To participate you must be a member. Go to the Mailgroup page to log in or sign up. Queries
[se-gen][se-decn] QUERY: UNIFEM's Programme on Women's Political Leadership and Governance in India and South Asia - Examples, Advice. Reply by 17 February 2010
From Anne F Stenhammer, UNIFEM South Asia Regional Office, New Delhi
Seeks inputs to design a Programme on Women’s Political Leadership and Governance to empower elected women representatives at the grassroots and enable them to bring about ‘Gender Responsive Governance’
Gender Community and Decentralization Community
[se-decn] QUERY: Initiatives of Panchayat leaders in development and service delivery- Examples; Experiences. Reply by 08 February 2010
From Mahi Pal, Ministry of Rural Development, New Delhi
Seeks examples and experiences where Panchayat leaders have taken initiative/used innovative methods for development and service delivery in their jurisdiction
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How the Media Can Strengthen and Promote Panchayati Raj
“The Decentralization Community has grown into an active platform for experts and practitioners on decentralization to connect and share experiences and views on many important topics related to strengthening decentralized governance… I particularly like the concept of a Consolidated Reply, prepared as a tightly edited summary that concludes each discussion and captures its essentials"
