Tbilisi. In December 2013, AYEG started project "Strong Local Governance through Enhanced Civil Participation” in partnership with World Vision Georgia. The two-year project is implemented in Imereti, Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kakheti regions and will target 56 communities in 7 municipalities. The overall objective is to influence quality, efficiency and accountability of the local government (LG) of Georgia through strengthening civil society actions. Main activities are: Setting up thematic Working Groups (health, livelihoods, education, youth issues, disability, etc); working groups to develop advocacy agendas and action plans; provide training sessions on participatory elaboration, implementation and monitoring of community development plans and performance budgets to LG representatives; develop tool for community needs assessment at municipal levels with engagement of LG representatives; provide training sessions on current state policy on LGs (e.g. municipal services, the appropriate control of community property usage, the role of LG in child protection sphere); conduct interface meetings to facilitate dialogue between the community members and LGs; facilitate joint exercises for drafting municipal plans and budgets based at municipal level; promote public hearings. The project is financed by European Commission "Non-State Actors and Local Authorities in Development” programme.

Source: economists.ge