Citizens Partcipation key to good governnece - Hague Academy

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Participants at the Hague academy


By Hadiza Abdulrahman

Participants in a course on Citizen’s involvement in governance at the Hague Academy for Local Governance in the Netherlands have been exhorted to promote citizen participation and inclusivity at the local level.

Pablo-Aguirre Broca, the program officer and program facilitator, noted that the academy was designed to enhance local democracy globally for the success of policies, with a special focus on women, youths, and persons with disabiliies.

“The significance of this training is actually quite broad; on the one hand, it is intended for participants who are already experts and knowledgeable on citizen participation and inclusion; on the other hand, it is intended for those who do not have the necessary knowledge to understand how to include people in participatory processes.” according to Pablo. 

“We always imagine democracy as a place where the majority must participate in the decision-making process, which means we also ignore the minority, or the voices of those who are constantly marginalized and need to be heard. To guarantee that everyone is performing their duties, both citizens and the government must hold each other accountable.” 




The training is essential for equipping participants to promote citizen involvement in their respective countries in order to empower the people, said Julian Torres, a participant from Colombia.

Julian said the course is integral towards preparing participants to foster citizens’ participation in their various countries to empower the people.

Samuel Rethm-Atem, another participant from South Sudan, said the study visit had opened his eyes to the ways in which local residents might participate in development plans and initiatives while keeping an even playing field.






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