Development Programme “PRO - Local Governance for People and Nature” Presented to LSGs

The new four-year programme implemented with Swiss Government support was presented to local self-governments (LSGs). During the nine regional presentations held in March and April 2023, a total of 146 participants from 67 towns and municipalities were directly included in consultations on key programmatic activities in the area of good governance, social inclusion and environmental protection.

The Programme is jointly implemented by United Nations agencies in Serbia – United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Environment Fund (UNEP). The Swiss Government supported this intervention with nine million EUR and UN partner agencies will co-fund activities with one million EUR.

“During the next four years, the Programme will implement activities and processes that will help improve local governance, social inclusion and environmental protection, and thus also improve the quality of life of citizens in 99 towns and municipalities in Šumadija, West, East and South Serbia, which can apply for Programme support. Support from national partners from the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, and Ministry of Environmental Protection will be very important for the success of the Programme,” pointed out Ana Nedeljković Belja, PRO Programme Manager.

The focus in the area of good governance will be directed at strengthening the capacities and human resources in local self-governments, as well as on improving the quality of public service provision and improvement of eGovernance, establishment of eServices and opening data.

“The aim is to improve management of local processes in terms of increasing accountability and transparency in performing duties and developing public policies. Local self-governments will be provided support to, in line with the best practices from democratically developed countries, improve local procedures, but also strengthen human resources and build institutional expertise in implementing good governance in practice, which also includes expertise in the area of gender responsive governance and budgeting,” said Dragan Mladenović, PRO Programme Senior Officer for Good Governance.

In addition to technical support and capacity building activities, the programme will also provide grants for projects. Local self-governments, centres for social work and other local institutions will be direct beneficiaries of the support, as well as CSOs and Serbian citizens, especially vulnerable groups.

“The Programme will support local stakeholders to improve existing and develop new integrated services, as well as to establish inter-municipal co-operation in the area of social protection. Support will be provided to children, youth and older persons, and main target groups will include persons with disabilities, Roma, and persons who can access support in accordance with the Law on Social Protection, while special focus will be on informal waste collectors,” pointed out Nataša Ivanović, PRO Programme Officer for Social Inclusion.

With the aim to improve local environmental governance, LSGs will be provided support to develop public policies and procedures, with the participation of citizens, as well as to implement projects and pilot activities in local planning documents, while a special set of activities will refer to youth strengthening and participation.

“Firstly, technical support will be provided for improving the institutional framework at the local level, and in 20 towns and municipalities, local environmental protection projects will be supported. The programme will support youth to expand their knowledge on important issues in the area of climate change and the green agenda, so as to actively participate in local policy development,” said Maida Jusufović, PRO Programme Officer for Good Governance.

Regional presentations were held in Šabac, Užice, Kraljevo, Kragujevac, Smederevo, Zaječar, Niš and Leskovac, and an additional presentation was organised online.