USAID Enhance supports the Royal Thai Government and non-governmental stakeholders to strengthen citizen-centric local governance in Thailand. The project also empowers citizens to voice their concerns constructively to local administrative officials as a way to ensure their priorities are addressed and to ultimately foster inclusive and sustainable growth.
USAID Enhance is based on the premise that mutually reinforcing efforts and deeper partnerships between the RTG and non-governmental stakeholders (think tanks, academic institutions, media, civil society organizations (CSOs), local community networks, and private sector actors) will provide more opportunities for citizens to participate in local governance and empower citizens to voice their concerns constructively. This is particularly important at the local level, where coordination between government and citizens is most tangible and has the greatest potential to address citizen demands. The project’s implementation period is from September 2022 to September 2027 with a focus on the Deep South, North, and Northeast regions of Thailand.
OBJECTIVES
Strengthen capacity of local governments and non-governmental stakeholders in citizen-centric governance: USAID Enhance builds partnerships with local governments, non-governmental stakeholders, and diverse community groups to foster collaborative and citizen-centric local governance. USAID Enhance leverages a structured, locally led, and demand-driven approach to strengthen the capacity of these stakeholders. This involves developing and refining skills in planning, coordination, consultation, analysis, and implementation to effectively co-create solutions and opportunities with citizens.
Strengthen communications, networking, and learning among government and non-governmental stakeholders to increase innovations that will amplify citizen voice and accountability in local governance: To foster constructive engagement, USAID Enhance builds an inclusive and coordinated network between local governments and non-governmental stakeholders. This approach systematically strengthens their relationships, enabling them to collaborate effectively on innovations that amplify citizen voices and improve local governance accountability.
Ensure wider adoption and/or institutionalization of successful local innovations that support citizen-centric governance: Effective non-governmental and government stakeholder engagement requires scaling successful multi-stakeholder innovations across different localities. USAID Enhance collaborates with stakeholders to develop a cohesive strategy for identifying and promoting these innovations. This includes creating a toolkit with best practices and standardized approaches to enhance learning and implementation.
ANTICIPATED RESULTS
Improved capacity of local administrative organizations to co-create solutions and opportunities with local communities.
Improved capacity of non-governmental stakeholders to engage in constructive advocacy.
Promotion and advocacy of best practices and success stories in citizen-centric local governance at the local and national levels.
Active use of communication, networking, and learning platforms by government and nongovernmental stakeholders.
Contribution of local administrative officials to the expansion of citizen-centric efforts for innovations.
Incorporation of citizen feedback to local government actions or policies.
Successful adoption/institutionalization of innovations that support citizen-centric local governance in local and national bodies.
