case studies

Ms A Auradou works on Progressio's project for the participation of civil society in the Dominican Republic as an adviser on municipal management in the neighbouring localities of Villa González and Navarrete. She is French.

Although Auradou began in her post in October 2005, the process of civilian participation in municipal management has a long history, thanks to the support of the Fundación Solidaridad, a partner organization of Progressio.   This began by training a group of community leaders in courses during 1997.   After many years of work and effort, the community leaders were able to organize themselves.   Within this framework, her work is:

• Promoting civilian participation
• Widening the management capacity of local government
• Strengthening the process of municipal participation and development
• Contributing to the reduction of the gender gap
• Creating a blog on municipal notices

The experience in the Dominican Republic is very intense for her.   'In Villa González, where I live and work, I am continually called on to listen to the people, even in the porch of my house at weekends.   In the same day I hear contradictory opinions, worries about the coordination process, doubts of the community leaders over the role of the authorities and conflicts of interests.   This uses up a lot of energy, but it is worth it, since the process is beneficial for the citizens, and little by little it is covering the basic necessities of the local population.'

At the moment her work centres on advising the Development Council of the Municipality of Villa González so that it can carry out the defined projects. 'One of the projected projects is the realization of the Ruta Eco Turística del Tabaco, which for me represents the project which could be the most important in terms of the generation of economic resources for the municipality and the fight against poverty.'

In the municipalities of Villa González and Navarrete, as in the rest of the Dominican Republic, many women are victims of violence and suffer discrimination, so that the focus on gender within the development process was seen to be a necessity. 'Another challenge is the implementation of the Municipal Police on Gender Equity through the Municipal Women's Office, so that it be taken on really and effectively by the town council as a component of its social policy.'

Auradou has found good motivation on the part of the municipal authorities to overcome the gender gaps in the municipality, and the best thing is 'that the processes in each of the neighbouring municipalities can interchange and use the lessons learned as the activities are carried out', which guarantees a better use of the resources.

The processes in place in the Dominican Republic are not only interchangeable between neighbouring municipalities, but are a lesson that cam be exported to western countries. 'I am convinced that European societies have a lot to learn from these experiences of "the South" in terms of organizations of civil society institutions, civil participation and elaboration of agreed development plans.'

The programme of civil participation that Auradou works on is generously funded by Irish Aid.