Local Governance and Civil Society (LGCS) - Taqarib

OVERVIEW

Taqarib  (the Arabic term for “coming together” or “growing closer”) supports Libya’s political transition by strengthening the pillars of a stable, democratic, and responsive Libyan state through empowered civil society and strong local government. Taqarib works in 30+ municipalities nationwide, including six in underserved southern Libya, to bolster local governments as they navigate the challenges of decentralizing public services. Taqarib helped establish local government offices that explicitly support women and people with disabilities, as well as entrepreneurship and the environment. The program also reinforces community bonds and promotes citizen engagement in public dialogues and prioritization of public resources, establishing trust after five decades of neglect, instigation, and conflict.

PRIORITIES

Municipal Service Delivery

Increase the legitimacy of local government institutions by improving their ability to deliver-priority public services.

Public Participation

Engage residents and organizations to work directly with local government to improve services through volunteerism or utilization of USAID-funded grants, and ensure residents have a role in prioritizing and monitoring how public resources are used.

Policy Execution and Reform

Build and maintain the momentum achieved in the decentralization process by putting forth regulations, laws, and policies that support decentralization and effective governance.

KEY RESULTS

• Aided Libya’s decentralization by producing 19 policies and manuals built on international best practices, developing seven case studies of locally piloted best practices, and providing 29 free webinars to inform the public about progress toward decentralization. 
• Supported new local government institutions with 140 service delivery projects (road repairs, soccer fields, recycling programs, solar-powered streetlights, etc.), provided 4000+ pieces of equipment, offered 133 free - learning service-delivery courses and 200 in-person courses.
• Established 26 emergency operations centers (EOCs) and trained and equipped nearly 1,400 EOC volunteers.
• Strengthened relationships between municipalities through 100+ peer-to-peer events in which 400 mayors, city managers and engineers, and community leaders shared solutions to common problems.
• Provided 26 grants to civil society organizations (CSOs)  and implemented 90 activities to improve local services.
• Trained and equipped 310 Champions for Change to advocate for policies that ensure equal access to local resources.
• Supported 90 CSOs with capacity building programs resulting in 40 percent improvement in performance.
• Sponsored seven public festivals in the south and southeast  nurturing a common identity in communities where differences are often abused for personal or political interests.
• Unlocked more than $1.2 million in cost share for critical services.