This power tool describes ways to partner the rural poor to bring local government authorities to account. It is written for change in rural locations. It raises community expectations about the quality of local governance and describes a set of steps to install improvements. It flags the important role that communities can have in improving their own situation. The aim of this power tool is to stimulate the poor to participate in policy formulation and implementation processes. The tool is designed to stimulate supply-side push for improved service delivery together with demand-side pull driven by mobilized communities of the forest dependent poor. The tool is basically a means of raising expectations about the quality of governance that is being provided.

A summary card of this tool is available to download in four languages in PDF format:

English (205K) | French (195K) | Spanish (211K) | Portuguese (197K)

The complete tool is also available (PDF format):

English (121K, 31pp) | French (160K, 32pp) | Spanish (157K, 28pp) | Portuguese (141K, 32pp)

Please cite this tool as:

Kafakoma, R., Roka, M., Chimutu, P. and Macqueen, D. 2005. Power tools series. Local government accountability. Training Support for Partners, Lilongwe, Malawi and International Institute for Environment and Development, London, UK.

A related overview study assesses recent natural resources policy initiatives (especially decentralisation and accountability) designed to improve poor people's livelihoods in Malawi:

Bright Sibale and Gracian Banda (2005) Law Enforcement, Illegality and the forest dependent poor in Malawi. Centre for Development Management and Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy. IIED, London, UK. View PDF (266K).

For further information:

• Contact Robert Kafakoma (rkafakoma@tsp.malawi.net) or Margaret Roka or Patrick Chimutu (tsp@malawi.net).