The key focus in the Community Forum Programme implemented by CIRa and supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is broader public participation in the decision making on local level.The Programme supported creation of local partnerships that foster the good implementation of the decentralization act, integrate ethnic groups and build gender sensitive communities. The project contributiontowards establishing mechanisms of citizen’sparticipation in local self-governance is expected to increase citizen’s trust in the capacity of newly established units of local self-governance to deliver effective and efficient public services.

The ForumProgramme, being one of the most successful SDC initiatives has proved to be successful approach to support community ownership of local-self governance processes. Through structured discussions Forum participants elaborate community projects and provide recommendations to local institutions. What`s more, throughout forum discussions participants have the opportunity to discuss and to participate the creation of municipal budget and to give recommendations regarding the priority programs and projects that could be implemented in the municipal budget. On other side, the community development projects even go beyond solving immediate problems. They demonstrate how people working together can make lasting positive changes within their communities using resources already existing in the community leveraged by outside assistance and guidance.The Forum create new partnerships, increase citizen’s ownership of governance, and produce practical benefits to the community.

See more here: Curent Community Forums                  Implemented Community Forums