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Democracy and Governance.

  • Technical Areas
  • Democracy and Governance
Strengthening systems of democratic governance to ensure accountability, justice, and inclusion
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At Chemonics, we believe that the challenges we face today are best solved through the right partnerships – sharing knowledge, expertise, and experience to deliver results. From our decades of experience working in more than 150 countries around the world, we know that effective governance and accountable institutions are critical to alleviating poverty and achieving sustainable results in all sectors. So we partner with governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), the independent media, and local communities to strengthen democratic governance systems. We help prevent crime and violence in Mexico by improving government capacity at the federal, state, and municipal levels. And we ensure governance participation of women, people with disabilities, and youth in Nigeria. Our programs pursue a higher standard of transparency and accountability of leaders and institutions, and they protect and promote universal human rights.

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Services in Democracy and Governance

  • 01

    Violence Prevention
  • 02

    Rule of Law and Security Sector Strengthening
  • 03

    Local Governance and Decentralization
  • 04

    Legislative Strengthening
  • 05

    Human Rights
  • 06

    Executive Branch Strengthening
  • 07

    Electoral Process Strengthening
  • 08

    Civil Society, Civic Engagement, and Independent Media
  • 09

    Anti-corruption
  • 10

    Center for Politically Informed Programming

01 Violence Prevention


To prevent violence and improve security, we work with governments and civil society on implementing comprehensive approaches through multi-sectorial collaboration and technical support to institutions on addressing youth crime and violence as well as community policing efforts.

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02 Rule of Law and Security Sector Strengthening


We promote the rule of law by improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and accessibility of justice systems and relying on capacity building, training, expert analysis, and process streamlining. We work with the private and nonprofit sectors to improve accountability and ethics and public confidence in courts. We also provide technical support for alternative dispute resolution, justice…

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03 Local Governance and Decentralization


We build the capacity of local governments on service delivery, income generation, economic development, citizen participation. We also strengthen community-based and civil society organizations (CSOs) at the local level.

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04 Legislative Strengthening


We work with legislators to design programs that give citizens a better voice in how they are governed and support economic growth and development by shaping laws, budgets, and policies to that end. Our programs address issues such as constituent relations, policy analysis, and gender equity.

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05 Human Rights


We work with governments and civil society to address structural human rights challenges by implementing more effective strategies and policy reforms. Our programs also support civil society groups in their efforts to raise awareness of and advocate against human rights violations.

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06 Executive Branch Strengthening


We build the capacity of officials and institutions to implement laws, develop and oversee budgets, and hold other branches of government accountable. Our efforts streamline the laws, regulations, and policies that guide interaction with government institutions and design independent oversight mechanisms.

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07 Electoral Process Strengthening


We build sustainable democracies by supporting public voter education campaigns, youth awareness of political platforms and government functions, and women’s political participation.

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08 Civil Society, Civic Engagement, and Independent Media


Our approach uses grants and capacity building to ensure that community-based and civil society organizations receive the support they need. We provide support on effective advocacy and networking, monitoring and evaluation, public awareness, gender empowerment, youth involvement, volunteerism, and legal aid to build demand for democratic reforms. We also promote citizen awareness and action.

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09 Anti-corruption


The prevention of corruption cuts across all of our programs. Our partners in these efforts include government, civil society, media outlets, and international organizations. We support efforts to improve education, government transparency, access to information, reforms, and national anti-corruption strategies.

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10 Center for Politically Informed Programming


The development community has increasingly recognized that it must take a politically savvy approach to ensure its efforts are technically sound and politically viable. Chemonics has incorporated thinking and working politically (TWP) and applied political economy analysis (APEA) into projects in recent years and is now orienting its systems to scale the TWP approach across…

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01 10

Mama Patria

More than 200 organizations make up ASOLIPNAR, an Afro-Colombian organization led by women in Colombia. Many members represent social or ethnic minorities, and all are committed to improving their communities in the face of conflict.

Freedom, Rights, and Custody

Following a rocky marriage, Neema went to Women in Law and Development in Africa, a grantee of USAID’s Pamoia Twajenga project. With their legal assistance, Neema was able to claim her freedom and regain custody of her children.

Thinking and Working Politically

Panelists discuss how donors and project implementers can support politically savvy interventions to better respond to dynamic local contexts and sector-specific outcomes.

Empowering Colombian Women

The Mobile School empowers women in Cauca as political and social organization leaders — training them on topics such as democracy, peace, and women’s rights. Women then replicate the training with others in their own communities.

Designing Real-Time Advocacy Strategies

Charles Abani, Chief of Party for the USAID Nigeria Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement project, discusses the design of real-time advocacy strategies and the impact it can have on democratic reform.

01 05
  • Specialists
  • Resources
Ahmed Al Khameri headshot

Ahmed Al Khameri

Project Management Manager, United Kingdom Division

David Anderson

Chief of Party, USAID Cities Implementing Transparent, Innovative and Effective Solutions Project

Joseph R. (Jem) Armovit

Deputy Chief of Party, Philippines - USAID Delivering Effective Governance for Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth (DELIVER) Project

Enrique Betancourt

Project Management Director, Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Business Unit

​Kelly Brooks

Chief of Party

Jennifer Burdett, J.D.

Director, Europe and Eurasia Regional Business Unit

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Preventing Violence Through Community Justice: A Study on the Relationship Between Community Justice Models and Violence Prevention
Our Work in Democracy and Governance
Accessing Private Domestic Financing to Improve the Delivery of Urban Services
Accountability Ecosystems in Practice
In Search of Common Ground: Applying Shared Lessons from Countering Violent Extremism and Preventing Gang Violence
Boosting Accountability and Good Governance
Nigeria Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement
  • Projects
  • Impact Stories
  • News and Blog

People-Centered Justice in Kosovo

Sourcing and implementing citizen-centered rule-of-law solutions will help promote public trust in Kosovo’s justice system.

Promoting Integrity Networks in Peru

To curb corruption in Peru, the public and private sectors must partner to improve investment processes.

Reducing Crime and Restoring Trust in Mexico

Addressing root causes of violence in Mexico is key to reducing crime and restoring citizens’ trust.

Photograph taken at the exhibition "Huellas de la Memoria," where 220 pairs of hanging shoes and footprints engraved with the names of missing people speaks of disappearances in a country with more than 73,000 cases.

Countering Human Rights Violations in Mexico

Cycles of violence in Mexico continue to take a toll on civilians, necessitating greater accountability in Mexico’s human rights system.

Vietnam map

Transforming Economic Governance in Vietnam

Local institutions in Vietnam must be equipped with the resources needed to maximize growth.

Somali flag

Stepping Up Public Accountability in Somalia

To secure debt relief, Somalia must strengthen financial oversight practices and embrace principles of accountability.

Increasing Access to Justice and Enhancing the Rule of Law in Rwanda

Access to justice is a crucial factor for Rwanda in combating poverty, promoting peaceful resolution of disputes, and enhancing the rule of law.

Promoting Unity in Ukraine

Divisive pressures undermine political unity in Ukraine, particularly in eastern regions. Connecting citizens with their government can help.

Supporting the Peruvian Government to Promote Alternatives to Coca

Peru is making significant strides in reducing coca production in rural communities. Yet, solidifying these gains and helping increase effective state presence and viable economic opportunities is still a major challenge.

Introducing the Rule of Law in Myanmar

Building a transparent and inclusive justice sector is a critical step to improving legal rights for Myanmar’s people in the wake of recent political transition.

Enhancing Stability in Somalia

Somalia’s state assemblies must work in tandem with local and international actors to strengthen government capacity and promote a more peaceful, stable Somalia.

Strengthening Somali Governance

Somalia is taking steps toward re-establishing governance with effective and accountable government institutions.

Building Peace in Libya

It is important to build stability and resiliency through civic engagement and community dialogue in Libya.

Improving Information Sharing and Coordination in Ghana’s Justice Sector

Better coordination between justice sector institutions in Ghana is needed to reduce delays in prosecution. A case tracking system is making a difference.

Laying a Digital Foundation

Improving ICT infrastructure is a critical step in strengthening the Liberian government’s decision-making around how to manage health, education, and other services for its citizens.

View All Projects

Cracking the Case to Strengthen Haiti’s Judicial System

Disorganized systems hindered the Haitian judiciary’s ability to effectively manage cases and curb corruption. USAID's Justice Sector Strengthening Program created a system to give judicial stakeholders the tools they need to help restore efficiency and build public confidence in the country's judiciary.

Tipping the Scales for Workplace Gender Equity in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, women have faced systemic barriers to working outside the home. A USAID project focused on gender equity in the workplace reshaped its own human resources practices to promote gender equity for its staff and achieved surprising results.

Youth Voices for Peace

In Colombia, hundreds of youth are reclaiming peace by promoting a culture of human rights in communities recovering from conflict.

Strengthening Children’s Rights Guarantees in Ukraine

Increasing the professional competency of judges and attorneys who handle juvenile delinquency cases is changing the way children are treated in Ukraine’s justice system.

Recent reforms have helped Kosovo make it easier for entrepreneurs to register and grow businesses.

A Roadmap to Reform

In Kosovo and Vietnam, the World Bank’s Doing Business Report is providing a framework that helps governments reshape the private sector’s role in advocating for and promoting economic growth.

A New Agricultural Extension Policy Takes Root in Uganda

When a farmer’s crop is being destroyed by pests or contaminated after harvest, who can she turn to for help? In Uganda, extension agents are becoming better prepared to provide farmers with answers.

Transforming Afghanistan’s Future

A unique year-long program is changing the lives of young Afghan women.

The Path Toward Protected Rights in the West Bank

Thanks to structured training, the West Bank family courts now constitute a powerful platform through which victims of gender-based violence can access services that more effectively address their needs.

Historic Policy Changes in Vietnam Extend Rights

As the Vietnamese economy continues to grow at a rapid pace, transgender groups are leveraging historic policy changes to break down barriers to opportunity.

Judging Justly: Ukraine’s Journey toward Judicial Reform

A judicial reform effort in Ukraine has built the foundation for a more accountable, transparent judiciary and restored public trust in government institutions.

Involving Local Communities in Kosovo’s Spatial Planning Efforts

With a new law in place, citizens in Kosovo are finding more opportunities to participate in discussions on how public spaces are designed and used.

From Policy to Practice: Exercising Gender-Equal Land Rights in Rwanda

With a communications campaign across four districts, Rwanda is raising public awareness of a key element of land reform — equal rights between men and women.

Solving Land Disputes in Côte d’Ivoire

A conflict resolution workshop in western Côte d’Ivoire has helped the villages of Dah and Béoué settle longstanding issues concerning borders and land ownership.

Building a One-Stop Pension Shop in Armenia

To support an effective and trustworthy e-pension system, the Armenian government has trained civil servants and created an outreach plan to educate the public.

Empowering Farmers, Improving Food Security in Tajikistan

Recent legislation and trainings in Tajikistan are teaching local officials how to implement land reform and helping farmers to protect their property rights.

View All Impact Stories
women riding on motorbike

Combatting Human Trafficking During COVID-19

Human traffickers prey on people in crisis, and the global economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health restrictions have left many people desperate for necessities and vulnerable to deceptive and unscrupulous economic exploitation. At least in Myanmar, people are becoming increasingly desperate for employment and are willing to overlook known risks of…

An infographic illustrating how connectivity on the internet can promote global collaboration.

How to Conduct Applied Political Economy Research in a Pandemic

Applied political economy analysis (APEA) is a qualitative field research methodology that supports more effective, politically feasible, and actionable development strategies and relies heavily on field data collected in person at multiple sites in the project country or region. Globally, COVID-19 ushered in rapid and unanticipated travel, health, and safety constraints that make primary data…

Hands holding a printout of a line graph

Three Questions on Financing Self-Reliance with Mario Kerby

In May, Chemonics, the Urban Institute, and USAID co-hosted a panel discussion and interactive breakout sessions to explore approaches for fostering commitment to more transparent, sustainable financial governance. This summit highlighted experiences and lessons from three USAID projects — including the Chemonics-implemented Fiscal Reform for a Strong Tunisia (FIRST) project — that have successfully built…

The Work You May Not Know You’re Doing and How To Do It Better

Author’s Note: We drafted this blog post and scheduled it to publish before the killing of George Floyd and the ensuing protests for justice and reform. Our original intention was to highlight the importance of security sector reform (SSR) work for international development programs. We believe that the recent events in the United States related…

Best of the Blog 2019

Check out our countdown of the 10 most popular blog posts from 2019! 10. To Respond to the Venezuelan Migration Crisis, Let’s Also Tap the Private Sector By Ariana Szepesi-Colmenares As Venezuelan migrants navigate challenges in host countries, the private sector must play an active role in maximizing their economic opportunities. 9. Development Works Here…

Let’s Get Creative: Localized Data Collection for Stronger Project Outcomes

In discussing and measuring project success, the international development community is increasingly turning to “data-driven deliverables” that collect solid, demonstrable data to show project results and to build, design, and implement successful development programs. Yet the development industry, by nature, works in places where high-quality, reliable, and consistent data is hard to collect. Local environments,…

An Argument for Inclusive Stabilization

Photo courtesy of USAID Colombia Human Rights Activity. This post originally appeared on Devex. When everyone is struggling to recover from violent conflict, singling out one community for assistance among many ethnic and religious identities can actually make matters worse. Yet, to heal the inter-community rifts that set the stage for conflict, targeted outreach to…

Using Civic Justice to Disrupt Cycles of Violence: Lessons Learned from Mexico

Last month in Morelia, Michoacán in Mexico, a woman returned to her vehicle to find she was being ticketed by a police officer for parking in a no parking zone. She became verbally aggressive towards the officer, pushed him, and accused him of distributing tickets only to collect bribes. Three years ago, Morelia authorities would…

3 Questions with Todd Diamond on Countering Violent Extremism and Preventing Gang Violence

This post was adapted from an interview between Elisabeth Dallas, Chemonics’ Peace, Stability and Transition Practice director, and Todd Diamond, a conflict, stability, and security director in Chemonics’ U.K. Division. For the full interview, watch the video below. How are violent extremism and gang violence — and the development community’s approaches to them — similar?…

A New Solution for Advancing Criminal Justice in Latin America

Nearly half of Latin American countries rank among the nations with the highest impunity scores worldwide, suggesting that criminal justice systems lack resources to prosecute and try crimes effectively in a context of widespread crime and violence. Yet, Latin America has the partners, the resources, and the interest to tap one promising solution to the…

Coding ‘Thinking and Working Politically’ into a Project’s DNA

For decades, the international development community has struggled to prove its effectiveness by ensuring that programs deliver politically viable solutions that respond to locally led processes. Guaranteeing these principles is a shared responsibility between donors and implementers. While donors need to shed the straitjackets of untested theories of change, pre-established project activities, and onerous reporting…

Dzenita Kolja

Development Works Here with Dzenita Kolja

We’d like you to meet Dzenita Kolja! Dzenita serves as managing director of the Audit Preparedness Unit within Chemonics’ Global Health Supply Chain Office. Once an aid beneficiary herself, she shares her development journey from Bosnia to the U.S. and what draws her to this work. Dzenita is one reason #DevelopmentWorksHere. 1. Can you tell…

People standing in front of mural of child's face

Stop, Look, and Listen! Preventing Recruitment of Youth into Illicit Activities in Southern Colombia

This post originally appeared on Harvard’s Center for International Development’s Building State Capability program’s blog. The authors successfully completed the 15-week Practice of Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation online course. This is their story. As development practitioners, we tend to rush in with solutions to deal with complex problems. We impose so-called best practices without digging…

Harnessing Technology to Address Gross Human Rights Violations

For the past decade, Mexico has faced a serious human rights crisis. More than 35,000 people have gone missing since 2006, their whereabouts still unknown. The National Commission of Human Rights has documented several alarming, unlawful killings of civilians by Mexican security forces without any authorities being charged. And torture continues to be a common…

Can We Actually Think and Work Politically?

Development is not working — at least not at the scale or pace needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. This is the central, fact-based premise behind calls and movements to do development differently from host-country recipients of aid, international organizations, donors, and implementing partners. Such calls emphasize adaptive, locally-owned, problem-solving approaches to tackle chronic development challenges.…

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