Last updated March, 2005

National Governance Programme

• To consolidate and reinforce constitutional democracy by strengthening institutional capacity for protecting and implementing constitutional provisions and creating greater public awareness of constitutional rights and responsibilities
• To strengthen capacity for elections administration
• To introduce systemic and procedural changes in the management of public resources and the efficient discharge of other functions of the government in a more transparent and accountable manner
• To improve the administration and dispensation of justice
• To improve management capacity through streamlining functions and working conditions in the public sector
• To strengthen institutional capacities for broader participation of the people at all levels in the political processes and the empowerment of the people
• To decentralize governance and reform the local government system
• To involve civic society organizations in development-policy formulation and implementation

The interventions in the governance field have therefore stressed the links between democratic institutions' strengthening and poverty alleviation. The National Governance Programme, adopted by all stakeholders in 1999, remains a valid framework of the nation's aspirations to improve democratic processes and strengthen representative institutions.

The Governance project has five main components: civic education; reform of legal and judicial processes; strengthening the National Assembly; establishing a National Governance Secretariat; and local government and decentralisation reform.

The Civil Service and Administrative reform component of the Programme which has not yet been funded was introduced in 2005 through the support of the Democratic Governance Thematic Trust Fund. The rationale is to facilitate dialogue between all stakeholders and to pave the way for an adequate Administrative Reform.

The integration of civic education in the political and development arenas is being promoted by enhancing public awareness and the inclusion of civic education in school curricula. This component aims to institutionalize civic education and establish a more enlightened and tolerant citizenry.

The capacities of the legal and judicial systems are being strengthened to improve the administration of and access to justice. Reaffirming the guiding principles of fairness and efficiency, this component aims to update the mechanisms for revising laws, computerized caseload management and expand access to legal services.

The capacity of National Assembly structures, systems and processes is being strengthened to enable it to perform its legislative and oversight functions more effectively and efficiently.

A National Governance Secretariat has been established to oversee and monitor the activities and progress of governance institutions and to co-ordinate donor assistance for governance. Assistance in the form of capacity building is ongoing in efforts to streamline operational procedures and strengthen support services to the National Governance Commission, institutional partners and the Policy Analysis Unit in the Office of the President.

This component is enhancing the involvement of local authorities and communities in rural and urban areas, in the planning and management of development activities, including the provision of public services.

Civil Service and Administrative Reform

Conceived as a complement the ongoing UNDP Support to the National Governance Programme the DGTTF funded project will also immensely contribute to operationalising the implementation of Vision 2020 The Gambia Incorporated. It will also contribute to the novel ongoing formulation exercises and processes of a Medium Term Plan to implement, monitor and evaluate Vision 2020 and other relevant policies, as it will consolidate the gains registered by the Governance Programme so far while simultaneously contributing to alleviating poverty and achieving MDG's.

The main outcome of the ongoing project is a refocused assistance to the newly elected local governments, to the new Legislators and to the Judges serving in the decentralised Courts, giving priority to orientation, training and capacity building activities; the involvement of key governance players in the PRSP process; the intensification of community empowerment activities through civic education aimed at creating a greater awareness on civil rights and access to justice, especially for women, and on the right to an effective service delivery by local governments; as well as the revision of the national legislation to create an investor-friendly Business Law environment. More than US$ 1, 600,000 have been injected by UNDP since the signature of the project.