Designing participation for better health outcomes
What Local Governments Can Learn from Participatory Budgeting in Kenya Participatory budgeting is widely promoted as a way to strengthen local democracy, but evidence on its effects on concrete development outcomes – especially health – remains limited. This policy brief summarises findings from a randomised controlled trial in rural Kenya that tested three forms of…
Towards a Just Transition in Plastic Governance: Grassroots Waste Pickers, Participatory Spaces, and Environmental Democracy in Kenya
This study draws on the case of Mombasa county, Kenya, to examine the participatory spaces through which grassroots waste pickers engage local government and the implications for a just transition in plastic governance. Using environmental democracy and grassroots innovation frameworks, the analysis extends Gaventa’s typology of invited and created spaces by introducing co-created spaces emerging…
Developing Youth Councils
This toolbox has been compiled to help local government officials and politicians who want to start, improve, and maintain their own youth councils. It provides both inspiration and a step-by-step guide for setting up and managing these councils. It also explores the questions and challenges youth councils often face and shares some of the lessons…
Human Rights-Based Approach for local goverments
Why, What and How? The purpose of this introduction to Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) is to give you, as a local government employee or elected local government politician, an understanding of why local governments should apply HRBA, what HRBA is, and how HRBA is used by local governments in everyday policy and practice. This introduction…
Using Digital Tools to Improve ServiceDelivery: Pemba Town Council, Zambia
Digital transformation has emerged as a new way of doing business using technology. Many national governments have adopted the use of digital tools, but its adoption by local governments, particularly in developing countries, presents some challenges. This research was aimed at helping Pemba Town Council in Zambia to explore how it can improve service delivery…
Designing Local Democracy for Health: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial on Public Participation in Kenya
Participatory governance mechanisms, particularly participatory budgeting (PB), aim to give citizens a direct role in public spending decisions. While celebrated globally, evidence of their real-world impact, especially in low-income settings is limited. Study Design We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya, assigning 200 villages to one of three PB formats: consultation,…
Equitable Healthcare Provision in a Resource-constrained Setting
This case scenario from Homa Bay County, Kenya, illustrates efforts by a local government to provide equitable healthcare to its citizens during limited resources being scrambled for by all government sectors. These challenges, combined with a high disease burden, contributes to a low quality of life in the County.The purpose of this scenario is to…
From Values to Results: Organisational Transformation in Local Government
This toolbox shows how ICLD’s theory of change and value-based model can support local governments in strengthening service delivery, safety, and climate resilience by embedding democratic values into everyday governance. Drawing on Kiambu County’s experience, it demonstrates how leadership commitment to equity, participation, transparency, and accountability can drive organizational change and produce tangible results for…
Voluntary Local Review (VLR) of Klapmuts & Kayamandi Townships: Stellenbosch Municipality, South Africa
This report responds to the growing need for voluntary local reviews (VLRs) of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) progress at the municipal level. It presents the findings of a community-based assessment conducted in the informal townships of Klapmuts and Kayamandi, both located within the Stellenbosch Municipality of the Western Cape Province, South Africa. In line with…
Advancing Democracy and Resilience through Industrial and Urban Symbiosis
This learning case offers insights into how local governments can advance climate justice by embedding accountability, transparency, equity, and civic participation. It invites local governments who seek to actively promote circular economy to learn about a holistic approach to public-private partnerships and the “industry cluster” method. It illustrates how strengthening local democracy is, and should…
