A Users' Guide to Measuring Local Governance

overview of the scope of local governance issues,
their level of capacity, and their potentially more
independent posture. However, it was argued that
assessments led by local government associations
are most effective when these have sufficient
influence over and credibility amongst local and
national authorities. International organizations
and other external actors also have an important
role to play in promoting, advising and actively
supporting local governance assessments. This is
especially true of those organizations continually
present on the ground and/or those with large
international and regional networks (e.g. the
United Cities and Local Governments and the
world and regional networks of Local
Governments Associations).
Good practice checklist
• Identify ‘champions’ who create enthusiasm
and commitment for the assessment. The
champion is the engine behind the whole
exercise and s/he has to be able to work with
all different actors and keep them committed
to the original purpose of the assessment, so
preventing anyone “going astray”.
• Pay sufficient attention to targeting political
leaders to ensure the political will and support
for the success of an assessment.
• Promote active participation by assigning
particular roles and responsibilities to each
group of stakeholders involved.
• Be as inclusive as possible by including all
relevant organizations and individuals – even
those that might not be the usual partners in
governance assessments (e.g. religious and
youth organizations, foreign investors, the
media).
• The lack of adequate understanding of the
purpose of the assessment and lack of shared
norms related to local governance are often
major impediments to stakeholder
involvement so invest time and resources in
awareness raising and capacity development
of targeted groups through appropriate
communication strategies.
2.6 Incentives and sustainability
Many of those interviewed considered that
financial and capacity development incentives
were a sine qua non for a successful assessment
because they have a major influence in ensuring
both the launch of an assessment and the active
involvement of key stakeholders. Without
incentives geared towards the needs and interests
of particular stakeholders, it is difficult to ensure
buy-in, support and ownership. Such incentives
may include financial support, development
support and capacity development programmes.
However, others considered that there is already so
many financial and capacity development offers
(particularly in large cities) that finance and
development assistance no longer really represent
major incentives.
The commitment of political and civil society
leaders has been greatest in those cases in which
there has been a powerful demonstration of
practical, tangible results and a clear political value
of an assessment. Hence, it was suggested that a
genuine understanding of the purpose and the
method of assessment is the most critical
incentivizing factor. Assessments should certainly
not be initiated only as a result of donordriven
pressure or as another “check-mark or
shopping list”.
All interviewees agree that there needs to be at
least a minimum continuity and that the periodicity
with which assessments take place should be
determined on the basis of the specificities of
particular aspects of governance being analyzed. If
the result of an assessment is expected to induce
immediate changes, subsequent exercises should
be more regular and integrated into monitoring
and evaluation systems.
Developing local capacities from the outset is
crucial for ensuring that the assessment is
repeated (to enable monitoring over time) and
for ensuring its institutionalization. Capacity
development should be integrated into the
methodology even in the case of externally
conducted assessments. It was recommended that
concrete practical actions should take place during
30 UNDP Oslo Governance Centre