To enhance community participation in local governance, the Department of Local Governance (DLG) has come up with a Community Engagement Guideline. The draft guideline was presented at a one day stakeholders’ meeting in Thimphu yesterday.
The guideline is aimed at enhancing opportunities for better participation at the grassroots level in community development works. It is expected to take decision making process closer to the people and promote collective ownership, responsibility, accountability and transparency.
“This is to see what role the stakeholders, both local governance and at the central level, can play and how can they contribute in terms of strengthening local government,” Melam Zangpo, the Officiating Head of the Department of Local Governance said.
“It is not just the home ministry or the Department of Local Governance that can drive this kind initiative. We need the support of all stakeholders.”
The guideline was developed based on community engagement projects being piloted in Dagana, Punakha and Monggar. Two Gewogs each under these dzongkhags namely, Drukjaygang and Gozhi in Dagana, Chhali and Drepoong in Monggar, Goenshari and Limbukha in Punakha, have been selected for the pilot project.
The Department of Local Governance hopes to be able to finalize the guideline by November.
“This guideline is not final as of now and it’s a work in progress and this is going to be a living document until such time we are in a position to make it into a very good document that will serve the long term interests of the community engagement ,” Melam Zangpo added.
The Community Engagement Guideline was developed with support from JICA. It will augment the existing guidelines and other materials on community engagement.
