Governance
Pact gives voice to those without by fostering national, regional and local governance that’s inclusive, transparent and accountable – making them heard. Our efforts cut across all the work we do.
Inclusive, transparent and accountable governance is an essential foundation for long-term development. Societies with more effective governing institutions have been shown to do better in economic growth, human development, social cohesion and more. Yet around the world, civic space is narrowing and democratic ideals are under threat.
Working in more than a dozen countries across the globe, Pact's governance programming is both empowering civic change agents and strengthening public sector actors so that government institutions from the local to national level are ready to respond to citizens’ needs, deliver quality services and effectively manage public resources.
Our strategies and approaches focus at the point of engagement between communities and local authorities. All of our governance interventions are fundamentally aimed at connecting citizens to public decision-making processes that have a deep effect on their lives and well-being. To operate in challenging contexts, often marked by political closure, fragility or conflict, we have built a toolkit for ensuring flexible, adaptive programming. Recognizing that development outcomes are circumscribed by local power dynamics and incentive structures, we mainstream approaches such as Applied Political Economy Analysis (APEA) across our programming in to understand, respond to and positively affect local systems.
Our expertise includes:
- Civil society strengthening and civic engagement, especially in closing civic spaces
- Addressing conflict and promoting peace
- Strengthening local governance and social accountability
- Strengthening actors and institutions at a systems level
- Promoting adaptive, “politically-smart” programming, including through the use of APEA
Pact’s emphasis on partnership cultivates grassroots support for reform by encouraging cooperation among governments, communities, civil society and business.
Unless citizens take an active role in their own governance, adminstrations become out-of-touch and nonresponsive or, worse, wasteful and corrupt.
In 2021, along with IREX and our consortium partners, Pact was chosen to lead two new regional programs entitled Civil Society and Media – Strengthened Together and Advancing in New Directions (CSM-STAND). With one award focused on Africa and the Middle East and North Africa, and the other covering Asia, Europe and Eurasia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, these programs are achieving a global reach and partner with civic and media actors around the world. They are fostering innovative design and implementation of civil society and media programming, while partnering with local change agents to foster global learning. Learn more about CSM-STAND.
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Pact's e-newsletter offers the latest on our efforts around the world to build thriving, resilient and engaged communities that are leading their own development.
Governance PROJECTS
Governance Resources
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Guidance: The participatory design and co-creation guidance for the CSM-STAND consortium
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Best practices in programming for people-centered justice: A compendium of interventions and lessons learned from the USAID Expanding Access to Justice Program in Somalia
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Systems-aware social accountability: Harnessing practitioner insights for more responsive governance
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Summary of key tools & approaches from the Venezuelan human rights and migration activity in Colombia
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Pact Systems Aware Social Accountability Roundtable
MEET OUR EXPERTS
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Caroline Brazill
Senior Governance Officer
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Diana Muratova
Associate Awards Technical Director, CSM-STAND
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Kate Byom
Director, Governance
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Lauren Keevill
Governance Advisor
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Lauren Serpe
Technical Director, Learning, Evidence & Impact
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Mason Ingram
Vice President, Governance
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Milica Panic
Chief of Party, CSM-STAND project for Africa-MENA and Asia, Europe and LAC