“WE BELIEVE THAT REAL DEVELOPMENT STARTS AT A LOCAL LEVEL.” “WE NEED MORE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS Colofon TO HELP US CHANGE THE TRADITIONAL Text: The Hague Academy Nouha Ghosseini WAY OF THINKING.” for local Governance
Photography: Professor at Lebanese University, Since refugees from Syria first arrived One of the initiatives to improve local Rebke Klokke Doctoral School of Sciences in Lebanon in 2011, municipalities had democracy is the establishment of & Technologies (EDST), Former Mayor of to shoulder an ever growing share of neighbourhood committees that the Concept and Design Baakline City and former President of responsibility in hosting them. municipalities of Chouf Souayjani are Studio Duel the Federation of municipalities of Chouf Nowadays, 1.5 million Syrian refugees live currently working on with support of the EU. Souayjani in Lebanon in a country of four million inhabitants. Printed at Opmeer bv, The Hague Needless to say that this poses huge Training and awareness raising is very challenges in delivering services for both important to change the mentality of residents and refugees. Think of housing, people and increase the impact of this education, water provision, sanitation and kind of initiatives. I am very glad that waste collection. Lebanese young and ambitious people had the chance to receive training from Another challenge that we face in our The Hague Academy for Local Governance country is a lack of real local democracy. on topics like service delivery, resilience Citizens are often not well-informed and inclusiveness. This gave them on the complexity of public issues and new ideas, examples from abroad and municipal councillors lack awareness practical skills to improve their work for on the importance and advantages of the communities. I wish for more people participatory governance. In my opinion, to become part of The Hague Academy’s the Lebanese people, both elected educational programme and therefore officials and citizens, still need more warmly invite you to read more about knowledge and tools to help us change the their training offer in this brochure. traditional way of thinking and adopt new sustainable development policies.
The Hague Academy for Local Governance WE BELIEVE THAT REAL DEVELOPMENT STARTS AT A LOCAL LEVEL
It is our vision that a strong local democracy, Beneficiaries in which governments and citizens work We aim to increase capacities of people and organisations constructively together, has a significant impact on involved in public service delivery, socio-economic stability, quality of services and socio-economic development, security and the rule of law. We train development. Moreover, we see a world of government staff, elected representatives, members of civil increasing decentralisation and urbanisation, in society, youth and professionals at donor and development which the role of local governments in tackling organisations. With our programmes we help them develop global issues is growing. With our programmes we their knowledge and skills to jointly promote inclusive and aim to promote practices of governance that are: sustainable development. participatory & responsive, accountable & transparent, equitable & inclusive, effective & Approach efficient, respecting the rule of law & human rights. Expertise, Experience and Exchange is what makes our programmes unique. Participants go on study visits, practice their skills in role play and simulations, discuss practical examples with internationally renowned experts, and reflect with them on their work back home. By doing this, we aim to create awareness, inspire and enhance reflection. To increase the impact of our activities, we help in planning follow-up activities and provide coaching in implementation.
Innovation The Hague Academy for Local Governance was rated the second “Expertise, Experience and most innovative start-up by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs in 2008. Since then, we have been investing continuously Exchange is what makes in new tools, trends and topics that matter to local governments, citizens and development workers worldwide. our programmes unique.”
4 The Hague Academy for Local Governance EXPERTISE
Our international network of trainers and experts guarantees state of the art knowledge in a wide variety of fields related to local governance. Smart Human rights Local service Decentralisation & & resilient cities & the rule of law delivery inter-administrative relations Use smart data for innovative Promote access to justice, Enhance eective cooperation between Increase the quality of and access solutions to urban issues protect minorities to services for all citizens dierent levels of government Migration & cities and vulnerable groups Fiscal decentralisation Develop strategies to deal with the positive & local finance and negative impact of migration in cities Increase local financial capacities by fiscal arrangements and local revenue generation
Lobby & advocacy Gender responsive Increase capacities to inence decision making governance Work on gender mainstreaming and participation OUR EX PERTISE of women in local policies and service delivery Local economic development Leadership & Develop a LED-strategy and improve municipal management conditions for entrepreneurship and job creation Improve skills to create a shared vision, communicate with stakeholders andmanage the municipal organisation Multilevel Social aairs & employment Learn how economic growth can go hand water governance in hand with social security reforms Create financial, legal and administrative conditions for eective cooperation in the water sector Subnational conict Citizen participation Disaster management Integrity & peacebuilding Work on conict prevention & inclusive governance & resilience & anti-corruption and social cohesion Include voices of all citizens Build resilience and improve local response Promote integrity, transparency and anti-corruption between dierent groups in society in the policy process mechanisms of local authorities measures of government institutions
6 The Hague Academy for Local Governance EXPERIENCE Examples of study visits In our programmes, we bring in the experience of in and outside The Netherlands: international and local practitioners. We visit local projects, government institutions and initiatives • Municipalities of Amsterdam, Eindhoven, by civil society and the private sector. These visits The Hague, Rotterdam, Westland and many more as well as innovative exercises offer a chance to • Local economic development projects (Jordan, Palestine) experience governance from a local perspective. • Genesis farm, Municipality of Bishoftu (Ethiopia) Participants ask questions, reflect on their own • Ministry of Interior (Morocco, Tunisia) experience and go home inspired and with many • Ministry of Labour (Jordan, Tunisia) new ideas. • European Commission • EU Anti-corruption Agency • Province of South Holland Visiting urban renewal project Large scale water management project • Local Communities Support and Loan Fund (Tunis) • Business incubator Yes! Delft • Green roofs and smart farming, Rotterdam Innovation in greenhouse agriculture Role of the media in practice • Westland International knowledge centre in glasshouse horticulture • The Hague Environmental Services (waste collection) • House for Democracy and the Rule of Law • Father Centre The Hague (gender equality project) • Ombudsman The Hague • Radio Netherlands Training Institute • Court of Audit of The Netherlands • Regional Police Haaglanden • Public Prosecutor’s Office • Amsterdam Integrity Bureau • Dutch Delta Works • ‘Room for the River’-project and Dutch Water Authorities
8 The Hague Academy for Local Governance EXCHANGE
Participants to our open subscription courses come from all parts of the world. This offers a unique opportunity to discuss challenges and solutions with colleagues from other countries.
Our online network facilitates an exchange of knowledge and experiences, even long after the training has ended. Here, our alumni report Exchanging experiences on economic development on the results of their action plans, share with expert Aladeen Shawa’ (middle) interesting documents and give each other feedback and support.
Jordanian participants during Discussing water management issues study visit in Amsterdam
Working together on a group assignment
10 The Hague Academy for Local Governance OUR TRAINING OFFER Open subscription courses The Hague Academy supports local democracy We organise up to ten open subscription courses annually, by organising short and multi-annual tailor made both in The Hague and Barcelona. In these short courses, training projects, open subscription courses and professionals from all over the world meet each other and a scholarship programme for young, talented local exchange ideas and experiences. They go on field visits and government employees. get acquainted with different international concepts, frameworks, tools and practices that broaden their views on local governance. For some courses, fellowships are available. An overview of our courses and fellowship Projects opportunities is regularly updated on our website. We offer the following training modalities: • Multi-annual action learning Talent for Governance • Short courses or exposure visits Talent for Governance is The Hague Academy’s own • Training-of-trainer scholarship programme. It provides practice oriented learning • Online learning experiences to young, talented local government practitioners. • Training institute capacity building The programme consists of a training course, an internship • Coaching and refresher courses in a Dutch municipality and worldwide networking activities. Thereby, the young talents develop their knowledge and skills, Depending on the needs of our target groups, we design learn from experiences elsewhere and build an international programmes that usually combine several modalities. network. After the training and internship period, the talents Beneficiaries vary from national and local government receive support in the implementation of a local project in officials to community leaders, security actors, civil society their home country. organisations, youth, training institutes and staff of donor and development organisations. Before the design of a programme, we conduct a thorough needs analysis to make sure the content and approach suit the local context, knowledge level and training needs of the participants.
We offer training in English, French and Arabic and we work with experts from many different countries that speak various local languages. Activities are organised both in The Netherlands and in target countries. Talent Maggie (Peru) and Erkinbek (Kirgizia) visiting a citizen engagement project in Amsterdam
12 The Hague Academy for Local Governance ABOUT US
In the past four years our participants Our donors and clients are, amongst others: came from the following countries: • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands • GIZ We have From • World Bank • UNDP 180 20 • European Commission experts in different • UN Habitat our network countires
Our partners are, amongst others: • VNG International Among which: 15% • Center for Innovative Local Governance (CILG), Tunisia Europe and eastern • UNCDF neighbours Jamie Boex • CARE Netherlands (Fiscal) Decentralisation expert In total • Association for Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA) we trained • Universities of Leiden and Delft Aladeen Shawa Local economic development expert 2840 25% Aziza Akhmouch people 2% MENA Region The Americas Water governance expert from OECD (2013-2016) 10% Irma Specht Asia 31% National governments Expert in social and econimic development gender and community based reintegration 48% Regional / Local governments From: Africa 25% Ronald Maclean-Abarda Our participants Former mayor of La Paz, governance and anti-corruption expert Research / training institutes 83 worked for: 5% Alfonso García Salaues different Local governance expert NGOs / CSOs countries 27% Ghada Zeidan 12% Donor & development organisations Development, gender and participation expert
14 The Hague Academy for Local Governance EXPERTISE, EXPERIENCE AND EXCHANGE
16 The Hague Academy for Local Governance MINORITY RIGHTS IN IRAQ
Kamaran Al Mesalla Human Resources Development Centre Kurdistan Project manager ‘Preserving the Future: Strengthening Religious and Ethnic Minorities in Iraq’
Open subscription course: Citizen participation & Inclusive governance
Background What I learned There is a very vulnerable group in my society called During the training, I received different tools to do a Shabak. These people have for long been confronted stakeholder analysis. I applied one of these tools and
with different forms of discrimination. Most of them decided to arrange a meeting with the legal advisor The displaced Yezidi community are internally displaced now because of ISIS. They live of the Independent High Commission for Human Rights in Iraq are encouraged to dance in a camp where there are local and international in Iraqi Kurdistan. I also met other key stakeholders together to practice their traditional organisations, hospitals and government facilities, to advocate for the rights of the Shabak people. celebration. but no single Shabak has been employed and they The same approach I practiced to help the Christian are not given any opportunity. minority. We had several meetings with the local Another minority group that I work with are Christians authority, the Nineveh Governorate Council, and finally who fled from Mosul and now are internally displaced. the governor agreed to contact the Erbil Office of Kamaran vists a citizen engagement Most of them left or lost their ID and other documents. Elections with a formal letter. The Erbil Office responded project in Amsterdam But in order to be able to vote in elections, you need a positively and promised to help the Christians to get a specific ID called ‘Voting Card’. It’s very hard for them to new voting card easily, so that they can have a voice in get a new one because of complicated procedures and the elections. high costs.
18 The Hague Academy for Local Governance INNOVATION IN COLOMBIA
Maria Otero Chamber of Commerce Bogota Adviser Business Innovation
Open subscription course: Citizen participation & Inclusive governance
Background What I learned I am a member of the Bogotá 2025 roundtable, which What I learned most was that you have to know the seeks to solve the city’s most significant problems and people who can make citizen participation possible and
come up with an innovative strategy for improving the policies real. I now understand how important it is to One of the biggest problems in city’s profile at national and international level. We are get people active to get better results. The Chamber of Colombia is heavy local traffic. working on the development of an Innovation Design Commerce of Bogotá decided that all the knowledge Centre for the city. This Centre will test, amongst others, I received during the training should be used for public policies and initiatives before launching them, to solutions offered to the local government, amongst reduce the impact that they may have on the society. others by the Innovation Design Centre that we are We want to do this through dialogues with different creating for the city. I have now been appointed as a public and private agents of the city. The development project manager to define the different services that Maria points out the challenges of policies that involve citizens, especially minorities and we should offer to the local government and how to of involving citizens in Bogota. marginalised groups, is one of our greatest challenges. involve and support enterprises in providing solutions to the major problems of the city.
20 The Hague Academy for Local Governance ANTI-CORRUPTION IN UGANDA
Beneficiary Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU)
Tailor made project: This project consisted of a Training of Trainers in The Netherlands, a training in Project Cycle Management and a training in Lobby and Advocacy in Kampala.
Background What we learned Corruption in Uganda is widespread and seen as one The training programme consisted of three modules:
of the greatest obstacles to the country’s economic lobby and advocacy, project management and a The participants receive development and the provision of quality public Training-of-Trainers. We worked on concrete action their certificate of completion. services. Corruption-related challenges in the country plans to sustain the learned points and apply them stem from a weak separation between the public and in our work. We learned, for example, how to conduct private sector. a training needs assessment before organising a training. We also worked on a strategic vision for ACCU and ACCU is a NGO that aims to enhance the capacities of included stakeholder mapping in the development various anti-corruption actors. We want to join forces of all our programmes, projects and other activities. Discussing ways of engaging with and act as one strong voice that can effectively engage media for lobbying and advocacy government on issues of corruption. To do this, we need purposes. highly competent staff. The training programme aimed to strengthen the team’s ability to analyse and act on issues of governance, human rights and resource utilisation. If we can increase our skills in lobbying and advocacy and increase our knowledge on public policy making, we will be less dependent on external experts.
22 The Hague Academy for Local Governance SMART CITY DEVELOPMENT IN INDONESIA
Beneficiary Smart City and Community Innovation Center (SCIC) of the Institute of Technology Bandung and three Indonesian cities
Tailor made project: This project consisted of a three-week programme on smart city research and development in The Netherlands.
Background What we learned The Smart City and Community Innovation Center (SCIC) The Hague Academy together with Delft Technical
of the Institute of Technology Bandung specialises in the University organised this three week programme which Visiting smart waste development of Smart City concepts in Indonesia. Current combined information on state of the art technology, collection at Irado, Schiedam. conventional solutions are no longer suitable to deal with open data and the quadruple helix approach with the increasing severity of population-based problems examples of smart city solutions by Dutch cities. We in Indonesian cities. Think of traffic jams, air pollution or visited business incubators, smart mobility initiatives, water management. Our staff and local governments that the Valorisation Centre of TU Delft, a green roof project we work with, need to increase knowledge on concepts, in Rotterdam and watched how waste was collected in a state of the art technology and practical applications of smart way. This programme really broadened our view Smart farming on a rooftop in smart city concepts. We also need skills to apply smart on different smart solutions and our way of thinking. Rotterdam city centre. solutions more effectively, in cooperation with the People in our group have different specialisms so this private sector, governments and citizens. was also a great opportunity for us to discuss these new acquired ideas and solutions with each other.
24 The Hague Academy for Local Governance PEACEBUILDING IN SOUTH SUDAN AND BURUNDI
Beneficiary Peace clubs, civil society organisations and local communities
Tailor made project: A four year action learning programme for the Peace Under Construction-programme managed by CARE Netherlands in Burundi and South Sudan.
Background What we Learned In countries like South Sudan and Burundi, human The Peace Under Construction-programme by CARE and
security is threatened by violent conflict and The Hague Academy for Local Governance had a positive Expert Klaas Breetvelt in a training widespread poverty. Our institutions are weak and impact on our communities. The training and awareness on female entrepreneurship. tangible peace dividends are lacking, leading to renewed raising activities brought together government and civil conflicts. This is what happened recently in Burundi socity actors to discuss topics like human rights, gender, and South-Sudan. We have to improve the capacity and non-violent communication and conflict resolution. legitimicy of local leaders to tackle the root causes that The activities increased mutual understanding, trust inhibit human security and development. Vulnerable and cooperation, which is an important condition for groups such as women need to be protected and youth building sustainable peace in the future. Participants in South Sudan working need jobs to eliminate the breeding ground for violent on a group assignment. conflict.
26 The Hague Academy for Local Governance The Hague Academy for Local Governance is a not-for-profit organisation based in The Hague. The Hague Academy is recognised by the Dutch tax department as an organisation that serves the general interest of society.
The Hague Academy for local governance Nassaulaan 12 P.O. Box 30435 2500 GK The Hague The Netherlands
T +31 (0) 70 37 38 695 F +31 (0) 70 37 38 660 www.thehagueacademy.com [email protected]