Client: U.S. Agency for International Development
Duration: 2016-2020
Region: Asia and the Pacific
Country: Sri Lanka
Solutions: Governance Fragile States
Sri Lanka’s new government has taken bold steps toward political and social change, including reinforcing the central role of parliament, and has introduced and bolstered independent oversight commissions. With a Constitutional Assembly forming to debate a new constitution for further democratic consolidation, the opportunity exists for a renewed partnership between the United States and Sri Lanka. Within this setting, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the Strengthening Democratic Governance and Accountability Project (SDGAP), a three-year program to strengthen public accountability systems; improve planning, communication, policy reform, and implementation; and increase the participation of women and under-represented groups in Sri Lanka.
The USAID-funded Sri Lankan Parliament Project (SLPP), also implemented by DAI, has helped to lay the groundwork for SDGAP by successfully facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues on key reforms and by bringing together the prime minister, cabinet ministers, members of parliament, commissioners, and leading civil society organizations. DAI expanded upon these relationships and applied a local systems approach in improving Sri Lanka’s existing systems we strengthened the relationship between government and civil society actors.
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