ARGO representatives presented “Greater stakeholder engagement at the local level in East and Central Kazakhstan” project at the site of the II Forum of Rural Women of Kazakhstan. Askar Kaliyev, Project Director, shared with participants preliminary results and conclusions of the project, spoke about the importance of role of community involvement in the decision-making process and so on.
Aizada Kurmanova, Member of the Committee on Economic Reform and Regional Development of Mazhilis of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who moderated one of the panel sessions at the Forum, was interested in the presentation.
The deputy included information on the project in her speech at government hour, where they also discussed the issue of introducing the 4th budget level in rural areas. Mazhilis deputy called “a good example” the project, implemented by ARGO Civil Society Development Association, Foundation for Local Self-Governance Reform (Bulgaria), Local Self-Governance Development Center and ECOCENTER Karagandy Regional Ecological Center with financial support of the European Union.
Of course, population cannot be forced to participate in local governance. It is necessary to use various forms of involvement to clarify, to motivate public recognition, to increase legal and economic literacy of the population. And in this work, country’s civil sector can make a significant contribution. Non-governmental organizations are ready for such work.
For example, non-governmental organizations not only educate interested villagers, but also carry out full practical work for one rural okrug in Pavlodar oblast within the framework of “Citizen Participation in Decision-Making” project. There are successful examples in East Kazakhstan and Karagandy oblasts within the framework of “Greater stakeholder engagement at the local level in East and Central Kazakhstan” European Union project, etc.
It is necessary to completely change the policy of state social order, main part of which should be aimed at training citizens in the development of projects, rural budget, public monitoring of programs, projects and public services. Youth projects should be aimed at identifying initiatives of rural youth, teaching them leadership skills and cooperation with citizens, ” said Aizada Kurmanova.