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Councillor – Citizen

Timespan:15/12/2009 - 15/12/2010
Donor:Region Puglia (Italy) / Open Society Fund BiH
Applicant:Local Democracy Agency Mostar
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Councillor – Citizen

Timespan: 15/12/2009 – 15/12/2010

Donor: Region Puglia (Italy) – within its Law on Decentralised Cooperation and Open Society Fund Bosnia and Herzegovina

Applicant: Local Democracy Agency Mostar (LDA Mostar)

Partners: Mostar City Council and Administration of City of Mostar

Objective: Strengthening of the process of democratisation and capacity building of local authorities and civil society, with the support of the Resource Centre for Democracy for the purpose of promotion of direct sustainable citizen participation in the decision making processes in the City of Mostar.

Specific Objectives:

  • Increase citizen participation by way of bottom-to-top methodology/approach in the decision making process
  • Improve communication between the citizens and the Mostar City Council by increasing transparency, responsibility and interaction councillor – citizen
  • Strengthen capacity of citizens in advocating their interests and rights
  • Strengthen capacity of local officials – councillors in the Mostar City Council

Targeted groups:

  1. Direct beneficiaries:
  • Citizens of Mostar City (living in the 6 mentioned city areas, or 42 Local Communities;
  • Mostar City Council.
  1. Indirect beneficiaries:
  • representatives of the authorities of other municipalities, who could use this as an example of good practice
  • NGO representatives,
  • Citizens of other municipalities in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 Activities:

  • Exploring the impact of local communities on the work of the City Council and the City Administration, identifying actual needs of citizens, and drafting up a list of priority problems within 43 local communities in 6 urban areas of the City of Mostar: Over the past months, LDA representatives have visited all 6 City Areas and held meetings with Heads of City Areas and Local Community CommissionersOn this occasion, we have explained the purpose and objectives of the “Councilor – Citizen” Project to the local community commissioners, as a relevant sample for our research, local community commissioners have completed the questionnaires. The results, analyzes and conclusions on this research were presented to the councilors of the Mostar City Council and representatives of the Administration of City of Mostar.
  • Arranging of seven public forums in City Areas: citizens, councilors, representatives of City Areas in Mostar City Council, will participate in public forums. This activity involves one public forum for each of 6 City Areas, as well as final public forum that will bring together all political parties participating in the Mostar City Council. The forums will be based on direct communication between councilors and citizens, citizens will explain their problems and ask questions, and councilors will explain work and role of the Mostar City Council and answer raised questions.

After we conclude research and seven public forums,  publication will be issued which could be used as a base for the work of Mostar City Council in year of 2011.

Aside from previously mentioned activities, “Councilor-Citizen” Project conducts a constant promotion of Communication System of Mostar City Council “ParlaNet”, free legal aid for citizens in headquarter of LDA Mostar as well as other activities within this Project.

Please find the project activities in detail in the following documents:

Activity Report 2009 

Activity Report 2010

Activity Report 2011.