INITIATIVE TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL ADMINISTRATIONS (ISLA)

OVERVIEW

USAID builds trust between citizens and government, paving the way for a more peaceful, prosperous, and self-reliant Afghanistan.  We support good governance, rule of law, anti-corruption, credible and transparent elections, and a vibrant civil society and independent media.  Promoting peace and reconciliation, as well as women’s civic and political engagement, is essential to the success of these efforts.

USAID’s Initiative to Strengthen Local Administrations project advances the goals and aspirations of national and sub-national government officials in development planning, effective citizen representation, and improved public service delivery.  Implemented by Tetra Tech ARD, the project works to more efficiently meet citizens’ needs in health, education, and agriculture.

ACTIVITIES

USAID’s efforts under this project focus on four primary areas.

• Strategic Planning:  USAID is helping to improve coordination between central and provincial governments to more effectively meet the needs of citizens.  Stronger coordination leads to more strategic planning, accurate budgeting, and improved service delivery.
• Institution Building:  We are strengthening local institutions—the bedrock of sound governance—giving provincial governments the tools and resources to meet citizens’ needs.
• Inclusive Advocacy:  The project is helping government officials to more effectively represent all citizens’ interests.
• Public Engagement:  USAID is reinforcing the critical need for government employees to know their constituencies and solicit their input on policies that impact their daily lives.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• To-date, USAID has helped 16 Provincial Governors Office hold 68 town hall meetings that joined nearly 8,000 citizens with government representatives to solicit their input before moving ahead with local development projects.
• ISLA developed and digitalized the Capacity Needs Assessments Tool (CNAT) to help IDLG and Local Administrations in identifying employees’ capacity-building needs to better support public service delivery and employee performance.
• We supported 43 women’s fora that brought together almost 2,000 individuals and provincial government authorities to identify women’s needs and share solutions and recommendations.
• USAID also facilitated effective engagement between nearly 2,500 youths and their local government representatives to discuss the role of young Afghans in politics