16 – Peace, justice and strong institutions
New municipal partnership: Berg, Sweden and Krolevets, Ukraine
With the aim of strengthening local democracy, increasing youth influence, and contributing to long-term democratic resilience, ICLD has approved a partnership between Berg Municipality in Sweden and the Ukrainian municipality of Krolevets. “This is a unique opportunity for Berg to build international relationships and support Ukraine at the same time. It also strengthens our own…
Bergs Kommun – Krolevets, Ukraine
Inception The partnership between Berg Municipality and Krolevets began through ICLD’s matchmaking process at the Visby event Almedalsveckan in June 2025. Since then, two bilateral meetings with senior political leaders and ICLD representatives have laid the groundwork for collaboration. The partnership is now in the process of developing their project idea in the ICLD-funded inception-phase.…
New partnership approved: Karlskoga, Sweden and Shepetivka, Ukraine
Karlskoga Municipality in Sweden has been granted a one-year inception phase together with the Ukrainian municipality of Shepetivka. “We are very pleased to have been granted a partnership through ICLD,” says Tony Ring, Chairman of the Municipal Board in Karlskoga. “Thanks to ICLD’s support, we gain tools to develop our municipality while also helping to…
Karlskrona’s Folk High School inspires ‘Silver Age University’ in Chortkiv
With the aim of providing older people and individuals with special needs the opportunity to continue learning and developing throughout their lives, the Ukrainian municipality of Chortkiv, drawing inspiration from Litorina Folk High School in Karlskrona, has launched what they call the “Silver Age University”. In the long term, they also hope to offer war…
Our Childhood: A toolbox for local governments fostering child/youth inclusion
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…
Internally displaced persons integration in Ukraine
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
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.…
Vitalii – Champion of Local Democracy
Vitalii Bielobrov is Deputy Mayor of the ukrainian city Kherson, one of the cities that has suffered and continues to suffer greatly from the Russian invasion. Despite the hardships, the residents show remarkable resilience and solidarity. Many choose to stay, support one another, and continue fighting for their city. “In difficult times, you must have a…
Västerås – Shatsk, Ukraine
Project: A Safer Future for Children The project “A safer future for children” seeks to address the problem of insufficient awareness and capacity to protect and fulfill children’s rights in rural and small communities, particularly in the context of war and crises. This issue affects community resilience and children’s access to education, safety, and psychological…
Deciding Together: Citizen Satisfaction and Institutional Design of Participatory Governance in Kenya
This policy brief provides practical insights for local governments on leveraging participatory budgeting (PB) to enhance citizen satisfaction and ownership of development projects. Based on a study in rural Kenya, three PB approaches—consultation, voting, and deliberation—were evaluated. All methods increased satisfaction and willingness to invest in projects, demonstrating their value in strengthening community engagement. Deliberation,…
