The Civic Engagement in Local Governance (CELoG) Program is a five-year activity, aimed at increasing civic engagement in decentralization and local self-government reform processes. It provides citizens with reliable information and strengthens civil society’s capacity to promote effective, accountable and participatory local governance.
The Program is implemented by a Consortium of local organizations led by the Communities Finance Officers Association (CFOA) in cooperation with the Information Systems Development and Training Center (ISTDC), the Yerevan Press Club (YPC), the Asparez Journalists’ Club (AJC), the Eurasia Partnership Foundation (EPF), and the Caucasus Research Resource Centers-Armenia (CRRC). The Program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The Consortium brings together the expertise and resources of the partner civil society organizations (CSOs), as well as the quality relations that these CSOs have developed over the years working together in different settings.
CFOA, a recognized leader in the area of local self-governance, will lead the project. CFOA will develop procedures, policy papers and legislative proposals on improving the local government system; monitor the reform implementation process, and introduce participatory mechanisms in target communities.
ISDTC has developed software for local self-government bodies over the years and will be responsible for developing and upgrading the software further and making e-governance resources for local self-governments more user-friendly.
YPC, one of the leading media policy organizations in Armenia, will ensure the mainstream and new media outlets’ awareness, involvement and understanding of the local government reform.
AJC has extensive experience in the implementation of freedom of information. AJC will implement project activities in Gyumri, Shirak province. It will also work with the local authorities and empower citizens and community councils to more actively exercise mechanisms of public participation in local governance.
EPF has significant experience in working with rural communities and local self-government issues. EPF will be responsible for CSO capacity building and national public awareness campaigns and network-building through its networks of Infotuns and Youth Banks.
CRRC, a leading research organization, will be responsible for providing country-wide data on local self-government reform.
The project consists of big variety of activities aimed at raising public awareness, increasing civil society’s monitoring capacities, engaging community members in direct participation in government processes on local level as well as improving the overall environment for civil society’s activities on the local level.
While implementing the project, wide variety of project tools are applied which include talk shows and work with media, research on best practices and public participation, capacity building activities for local civil society actors, as well as development and promotion of legal and policy improvements on local and central levels.
EPF’s role in this process is to assist the lead organization in the process of consortium management and to use its networks and methodologies to ensure effective engagement of civil society actors. EPF is also in charge of quality assurance of project products as well as wide and targeted dissemination of these products.
