This blog was originally published by Foreign Policy magazine. Corrupt governance systems are a threat to democracy. They deprive people of much-needed public resources and services, weaken trust in institutions, distort decision-making in the interest of the few, and lead to deep citizen disengagement and apathy. Moreover, corruption disproportionately impacts groups that already tend to hold…
This virtual Forum brought together development practitioners, donors, and academics working to overcome the obstacles to sustainable progress created by corrupt practices and institutions to varying degrees in every country and every sector of development where USAID, Chemonics, and our partners around the world are pushing for meaningful changes that improve people’s lives. We used…
Trust is a vital but often overlooked element of international development. Whether in formal spaces such as state healthcare or informal projects like community campaigns, trust has the power to make or break development initiatives. If those involved in a project trust each other, the chances of its success and sustainability are vastly improved. Yet…
Haiti needed a functional justice system for its citizens to emancipate economic development and lift Haiti out of extreme poverty To do so, JSSP used strategies with various stakeholders to adopt a modernized Haitian penal procedural code, replacing the outdated 1835 version. Legislations to accompany the code, such as the laws on prosecutors, and the…
Somalia has experienced decades of insecurity and the absence of a formal government since the collapse of the state in 1991. Since 2012, and the passing of the provisional constitution and establishment of the Federal Government of Somalia, the country has made slow but steady progress towards fostering good governance, establishing legal frameworks based in…
From 2015 to 2021, the Dominican Republic Criminal Justice System Strengthened Project (DR CJSSP) improved the quality and effectiveness of prosecutions and increased access to justice for underrepresented populations. To achieve this, the project improved intra-and inter-institutional criminal case management and coordination between the police, prosecutors, and judges. DR CJSSP also strengthened the local Community…
The Liberian education system is recovering after decades of civil instability. The longstanding effects of two civil wars, exacerbated by school closures during the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak, left Liberia with a fragile education system and even weaker information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure. Although information is more accessible than ever, students and faculty at Liberia’s…
The experts say it’s possible. We can limit the warming of our planet to 1.5 C if we achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. That’s encouraging until you consider that Asia alone now accounts for 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and that share is growing. The power sector plays a major role in the climate challenge. For…
This technical brief shows how poor energy governance damages energy access and efforts to improve the quality and reliability of power. It explains the political reasons why energy governance is so poor in many countries and contrasts this with the current system of procuring technical assistance, which largely ignores the energy governance challenge. It shows…
This paper outlines the size and nature of the energy challenge, with a focus on electricity. It describes the investments that are currently being made to improve the quality of power and access to electricity — and the growing evidence that investments often fail due to poor energy governance. The paper then delves more deeply…
With funding from UK International Development from the UK government, this programme, also known as POTENCIAR addresses accountability and governance issues that undermine the delivery of basic services in Mozambique. It strengthens civic engagement, multi-stakeholder platforms and coalitions that drive change in the enabling environment. This includes through better allocation of resources and more participatory…