REPORT COMMUNITY-BASED SCORECARD 2015-2016 REPORT COMMUNITY-BASED SCORECARDS 2015 - 2016 2 DISCLAIMER This report was prepared with: Financial and technical support of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment under the ‘Leadership and Political Participation’ Program, funded by the Government of Sweden through the United Nations Coherence Fund and is part of the Government of Albania - UN Programme of Cooperation 2012-2016. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the UN Women, United Nations agencies or the Government of Sweden. And with: Financial and technical support of the United Stated Agency for International Development (USAID). The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the USAID or United States Government. AUTHORS This report was designed and prepared by UN Women Albania and USAID Planning and Local Governance Project in cooperation with Gender Alliance for Development Center (the CBS implementing organization) with the assistance and support of: Fiorela SHALSI, Leadership and Political Participation’ Program Manager, UN Women Laureta MEMO, Civic Engagement and Communication Expert, USAID/ Planning and Local Governance Project Copyright © Applications for permit to reproduce or translate any or all parts of this study should be submitted to UN Women and USAID/PLGP. 3 CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ......................................................................................................... 6 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 7 2. BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................................ 8 3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 10 4. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................................... 11 5. PROJECT DESCRIPTION...................................................................................................................... 13 6. KEY FINDINGS AND RECCOMENDATIONS ....................................................................................... 17 7. BEST PRACTISES ................................................................................................................................. 19 8. INDIVIDUAL CBS RESULTS ................................................................................................................. 20 8.1 BERAT ........................................................................................................................................... 20 8.2 ELBASAN ....................................................................................................................................... 36 8.3 FIER ............................................................................................................................................... 50 8.4 GJIROKASTRA .............................................................................................................................. 63 8.5 KAMZA ........................................................................................................................................... 81 8.6 KORÇA .......................................................................................................................................... 93 8.7 KUÇOVA ...................................................................................................................................... 106 8.8 LUSHNJA ..................................................................................................................................... 125 8.9 SHKODRA .................................................................................................................................... 137 8.10 VLORA .......................................................................................................................................... 156 9. ANNEXES ............................................................................................................................................. 171 9.1 ANNEX I - SCORECARD TEMPLATE FOR THE CITY .............................................................. 172 9.2 ANXEX II - SCORECARD TEMPLATE FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS ........................... 177 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENT We appreciate the help of all contributors in the realization of this report on community-based scorecards. We thank the citizens of the municipalities of Berat, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokastra, Kamza, Korça, Kuçova, Lushnje, Shkodra and Vlora for their active participation in the project activities providing valuable feedback on the good governance of their municipality. We particularly acknowledge the help and contribution of Mayors of the above mentioned municipalities, and their staff, who made specific pledges to their citizens following the feedback on improvement of their performance. Also, we acknowledge the valuable input of the Citizen Advisory Panels (CAPs) and local civil society organizations participant in the Community Based Scorecard process. We extend our appreciation to the Gender Alliance for Development Center as the lead organization of the CBS implementing network comprised by: the Association for the Integration of Informal Areas (SHIZI), Integrated Sustainable, Development Center (ISDC), Vlora Youth Center (VYC), Change, Tjeter Vizion, Gruaja Intelektuale Shkodrane and Human Dimension. 5 ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS CAP Citizen Advisory Panel CSO Civic Society Organizations CBS Community-based scorecard GADC Gender Alliance for Development Center LGU Local Government Unit TAR Territorial-Administrative Reform UN Women United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment USAID United States Agency for International Development 6 1. INTRODUCTION While progress is being made to advance the decentralization process in Albania, the challenges to successfully implement decentralized and democratic local governance are immense. The territorial-administrative reform (TAR) initiated in June 2015 had a significant impact on the functioning and administration of local government units (LGUs). The reduction in number of LGUs from 373 to 61 led to huge increases in both territory size and population and greatly affected the complexity of local governance. The reform had a great impact not only on the additional responsibilities and functions of the LGUs, but also on their ability to provide quality and efficient services to the citizens in the expanded municipality. In addition, the municipalities are coping with greater challenges than before to truly inform, involve and represent women and men in their decision-making. To this end, the USAID Planning and Local Governance Project (PLGP) and UN Women, in collaboration with civil society organizations and Citizen Advisory Panels (CAPs), have undertaken a Community-Based Scorecard (CBS) initiative in 10 of Albania’s largest municipalities since 2015. Prior to the Territorial-Administrative Reform and 2015 local elections, CBS was implemented in the municipalities of Elbasan, Berat, Kamza, and Vlora. The concerns and recommendations of the men and women from these municipalities were presented to, and incorporated into, the agendas and programs of the mayoral candidates of these cities. In 2016, CBS was implemented in six other municipalities, including Fier, Gjirokastra, Korça, Kuçova, Lushnja, and Shkodra. Community-Based Scorecards look at important aspects of local governance, such as (1) Quality and efficiency of public services; (2) Local democracy and good governance; (3) Local economic development; and, (4) Human rights at local level. By soliciting men’s and women’s opinions in identifying and determining local priorities, CBSs seeks to establish and promote civic mechanisms to improve local democracy. The CBS process facilitates monitoring and evaluation of local administration’s performance, in addition to creating bridges for dialogue, interaction, and cooperation at local level. Community-Based Scorecards are an opportunity for municipalities to gain an understanding of citizens’ needs and priorities. Incorporation of CBS results in local programs and their efforts to influence development of local policies is a positive indicator of the democracy in action. Combining the CBS methodology with key local stakeholders, such Citizen Advisory Panels (CAPs) and civil society organizations has rendered the successful implementation of this process possible. 2. BACKGROUND Community Based Scorecards were introduced and developed for the first time in 2010 by UN Women in collaboration with UNDP to: (1) promote dialogue on gender equality issues at the 7 local level (2) to raise community awareness of gender issues and mobilize citizens to demand that decision makers fulfill international and national legal obligations in the field of gender equality (3) to encourage local decision-makers in general, and political parties and their candidates, in particular, to address gender equality priorities, as identified through the CBS process, in their electoral programs; and (4) to respect the gender quota, pursuant to the Electoral Code. The initial wave of CBSs (2010 - 2011) involved 14 CSOs in seven regions of Albania: Shkodra, Kukës,