Inclusive leadership and governance

Women Leading Democratic Change
September 9, 2026
Impact, Results and Lessons from ICLD’s programme Women’s Political Leadership This anthology brings together reflections, lessons, and stories from women politicians who have sought to create change in their communities. While political leadership is often described through policies, institutions, and election results, less attention is given to its everyday realities: building trust, navigating resistance, forging…
Taking the word
September 7, 2026
Indigenous Women’s Struggle for Equality in Colombia and Guatemala This roadmap provides a strategic framework for the local governments of Leticia and Panajachel to bridge the gap between legal commitments and the meaningful political influence of Indigenous women. Although current regulatory frameworks for women’s participation in Colombia and Guatemala have strengthened formal mechanisms and created…
Developing Youth Councils
March 12, 2026
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…
From Values to Results: Organisational Transformation in Local Government
February 4, 2026
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…
Jönköping – Stellenbosh, South Africa
November 7, 2025
Project: Youth participation in municipal decision-making The project tackles a shared challenge in both Jönköping and Stellenbosch: young people are largely excluded from municipal decision-making. Although Sweden incorporated the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into law in 2020, translating this principle into real influence for young people remains difficult. Existing structures, such…
Child-Focused Cities [CFC]: A Paradigm for Inclusive Urban Development
June 19, 2025
The Child-Focused Cities (CFC) initiative brings together children and youth inclusion in local democracy in line with the principles embedded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). It reflects on why, when, how, where, and under what circumstances children and young people are recognised as political subjects and crucial role-players in…
Our Childhood: A toolbox for local governments fostering child/youth inclusion
April 29, 2025
Our Childhood toolbox aims to support local governments in their attempts to sensitise and include children and youth in local (political) affairs while pursuing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The toolbox enables long-terms, cross-sectoral collaborations for inclusion of children and youth in localising SDGs. It offers support to local governments and engaged practitioners in…
SDG Clubs – A Guide for Municipalities and Schools
April 28, 2025
This guide provides a step-by-step approach for local governments to create Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) clubs in schools, empowering youth to engage with local issues, practice leadership, and contribute to sustainable development through interaction with the UN’s Agenda 2030. It takes the reader through: The SDG Clubs Toolbox results from Kibaha Education Centre’s work within…
Strengthening Local Resilience through Democracy – Lessons from Ukrainian Municipalities
April 1, 2025
What role does local democracy play in times of crisis? This question has been at the heart of ICLD’s recent research collaboration with the Kyiv School of Economics, exploring how Ukrainian municipalities have responded to the profound challenges of war. Since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, local self-governments in Ukraine have demonstrated that…
Internally displaced persons integration in Ukraine
April 1, 2025
With over 4.6 million registered IDPs, Ukraine’s approach provides valuable insights into rapid crisis response, community integration, and participatory governance. Innovative local initiatives offer lessons in empowering displaced people to participate in local decision-making and strengthen societal resilience. Studying these approaches and practices can help in shaping global strategies for managing displacement and fostering social…