Suchergebnisse

This paper looks at how measuring human progress and well-being in terms of financial transactions, i.e. Gross Domestic Produce (GDP), is flawed. When people are encouraged to shift from providing for their needs themselves, (in traditional rural cultures) to purchasing everything (in modern urban cultures), much is lost. It shows the consequences of a development process that puts economic interest before human welfare and describes solutions that include implementing a measurement of progress that incorporates a psychological, spiritual and environmental perspective, i.e. Gross Domestic Happiness (GNH). It argues that we have to fundamentally change direction, from a centralised system controlled by unaccountable bodies such as banks and corporations, to a decentralised system that protects communities, diverse cultures, local democracy and small-scale trade.

Decentralisation is a policy feature common to many African countries. Local governance is therefore gaining in relevance, though not yet in clarity. Based on the experience of a development project in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, the article examines the case of local governance in practice, grounding this in a historical analysis and focusing on the relationship between local government and civil society. (InWent/DÜI)

Much rhetoric has appeared over the last few yean about the
desirability of the basic-needs approach to development planning. The
basic-needs approach, however, hu remained more of a proclamation of
good intentions than a strategy for development. Operationalising it
poses certain difficulties. In this article, two novel ways of
transforming the basic-needs philosophy into concrete policies and
strategies are presented. The discussion consists of explanations of
planning tools entitled basic-needs activities and product path
analysis. Finally, some brief comments are offered on the use of popular
participation in a basic-needs strategy and possible trade-offs between
basic-needs satisfaction and growth.

A constitutional referendum on secession from Indonesia was held in East Timor in 1999, with a pro-independence vote triggering widespread violence by the Indonesian army and pro-union militia. Montenegro underwent a similar process in 2006, also opting for independence but with much smoother results. This article will suggest that the deliberative democratic principle of reciprocity can help deliver referendum law based on justifications that can be accepted by all parties concerned. In particular, it proposes that reciprocity can be operationalised in referendum law if the participants in the negotiations that formulate the laws accept fair terms of social cooperation (FTSCs) and resolve disagreements using economy of moral disagreement (EMD). Respectively, these mean parties to negotiations should be willing to justify their position in mutually acceptable terms and if consensus is impossible, agreements should minimise their rejection of other parties' views. This argument will be made using the negotiations that created East Timor and Montenegro's referendum laws as case studies.

This article considers ways in which the implementation of children's rights can be measured in law, policy and practice. It identifies best practice and lessons to be learnt when undertaking the process of auditing the implementation of children's rights. It draws on the author's experience of four different research projects whose task was to measure the extent to which children's rights were being protected and promoted. The article highlights the value of rights‐based research, which attempts to operationalise children's rights by measuring their practical implementation with regard to international standards including the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). It sets out the lessons to be learnt from such research, including how to develop appropriate and effective benchmarks, how to maximise existing standards to this end, and how to apply them in line with the general principles of the CRC.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how local government bodies in Nepal are empowered to play their constitutional roles and engage in activities to deliver public services at the doorsteps of the people effectively. The focus is on the institutionalisation of federalism, its implications for local governance, and capacity development of local authorities.Design/methodology/approachIdeas of decentralisation, governance and public management have been used to interpret findings based on qualitative research methods by key informant interviews, focus group discussions and personal observations conducted in five selected municipalities in Nepal.FindingsThe process of operationalising the power of local government bodies is more conventional and hierarchic. At the same time, the formulation and implementation of inclusive plans and budgeting are confined with certain formalities that do not necessarily allow citizens the space for voices. Federal government grants constrain fiscal jurisdiction and control over resource mobilisation. The mere preparation and administration of local government legislation and relevant by-laws have weakened the capacity of local government bodies.Originality/valueFrom interpretation of first-hand data, this paper has identified the pitfalls of the federalisation process, the constraints deter the devolution of power to local bodies as well as the transformation of local governments into autonomous institutions in Nepal.