ACFODE Monitoring Activity Reveals Increased Citizen Ability to Hold Leaders Accountable in Lango Sub Region

In a bid to assess the impact realized by the activities of one of its projects titled “Promoting Good Governance and Gender Accountability at Local Government Level”, ACFODE conducted a monitoring visit in the Lango sub region between 20^th-22^nd may 2013.  The exercise covered the project districts of Apac, Oyam and Kole and engagements were held with district leaders, civil society actors and community members.

A community member from Oyam sharing the benefits of the
 civic education trainings in Ngai subcounty Kula Kula  Parish

The three year project that kicked off in June 2011 aims at contributing towards the realization of increased knowledge and awareness among elected leaders at local government level of their roles and responsibilities as well gender accountability issues; enhanced capacity of civil society actors to advocate for good governance and gender accountability at local government level and conduct grassroots civic education; and improved mechanisms of increasing national and local awareness and commitment to principles of good governance and gender accountability in society.

ACFODE has successfully conducted a number of activities under the project, including; Training of District Councilors on their roles and responsibilities in promoting good governance and gender accountability, Training of Trainers (TOTs) for civil society actors, review meetings with District Councilors and Technical Personnel as well as refresher trainings for CSO actors.

As a result of these interventions, a number of positive outcomes have been realized. These include;

• Increased knowledge of roles and responsibilities among elected leaders and community members.
• Increase in communities' demand for accountability from district leaders.
• Increased female representation in District Council Committees.
• Increased participation of female Councilors during council sessions.
• Increased access to government development programs by community members.

According to Mr. Akwang Nicholas the Apac Community Development Officer (CDO), “As someone on the ground, when the project started the main issue was increased women representation and lack of awareness by local leaders of their roles and responsibilities to society. Women Councilors did not take up top places of leadership but after the training, they agreed to elect a new chair person who is a woman, and currently all the 4 chair persons of the council are female. One of them is also a youth. “It is now evident that leaders are aware of their roles since the meeting with ACFODE occurred.”

As a sign of approval of the ACFODE interventions, the stakeholders including civil society actors, community members and leaders in Apac district vowed to extend the work of promoting good governance and gender accountability to sub counties within the region that ACFODE is yet to reach.

Compiled by:

Nancy Nandudu

Public Relations and Communications Officer

Action For Development