Inclusive leadership and governance

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…
The tangible value of local democracy
April 1, 2025
How collaborative local governance supports crisis response in Ukraine amid the Russian full-scale invasion. This brief highlights how collaborative local governance aids Ukrainian communities in responding to crises caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion and boosts societal resilience. Co-production between local governments, residents, nonprofits, and businesses has led to practical solutions for challenges like internal displacement.…
Who gets to take part: understanding intersectionality and barriers to political participation in Colombia
March 5, 2025
Regional focus: Latin America – Colombia Time: March – November 2025 Abstract: In Colombia, Latin America, and elsewhere, barriers to political participation are manifold. This research project seeks to identify and analyze the intersectional barriers to political participation faced by Indigenous and Afro-descendent populations. Focusing on the dynamics of power that underpin marginalization due to gender, ethnicity,…