Australian Development Gateway

The Australian Development Gateway (ADG) strives to support members of the development community in their efforts to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development in the Asia Pacific region. The site has been created with participation from members of government, private, academia and non-government organisations. User feedback mechanisms have been incorporated to guide future directions of the site. The site is optimised for low bandwidth access to enable the widest participation throughout the Asia Pacific region.

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Expanding citizen participation

Representation, citizenship & the public domain in democratic decentralization (pdf 110kb)

This journal article analyzes how 'democratic' decentralization reforms in most developing countries have failed to empower elected local governments.

It outlines how 'democratic' decentralization reforms have often resulted in a transfer of power to a wide range of local institutions, including private bodies, customary authorities and non-governmental organizations.

This article also explores the logic behind choosing these institutions and the effects of recognizing these institutions on three dimensions of democracy:
- Representation
- Citizenship
- Public domain

 

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