Local Governance Project

In the 1990s, the National Government of Guatemala passed reforms to devolve significant responsibility and authority to municipalities and spur broad-based economic growth in light of inadequate centralized systems and a rising demand for public services. After more than 10-years, the decentralization process is still a work in progress.

The local governments ability to mobilize citizen participation and support local development has been constrained by a variety of factors including: poor representation of women and indigenous leaders in municipal government and in local development councils; lack of skills and experience in conducting public communication; and lack of effective accounting systems to build public trust.

In response, the Guatemala Local Governance Project, supported under a task order from the USAID SUM II IQC and with funds from Feed the Future (FtF), is working in the East of Guatemala (Corredor Seco Region) and the Western Highlands of Guatemala to assist 25 rural municipalities to increase its capacity of municipal governments to respond to the needs and demands of their constituents, institutionalize participatory processes and transparency through the promotion of informed citizen participation (particularly of women, the indigenous, and other traditionally under-represented groups) and promote local economic development.