By: Edson Guerrero
Form and extent of civil society participation in governance at the municipal level
Citizen participation can be individual or organized. The civil society organizations have several ways to participate (Article 122 of the LOM), based on wider access to information, including the following:
- Right choice for municipal office.
Citizen participation can be individual or organized. The civil society organizations have several ways to participate (Article 122 of the LOM), based on wider access to information, including the following:
- Right choice for municipal office.
- Initiative in the formation of local devices.
- The right of referendum.
- Right to report violations and to be informed.
- Cabildo abierto under ordinances governing it.
- participation through neighborhood councils, neighborhood committees, neighborhood associations, community organizations, social or other similar nature neighborhood.
- Management Committees.
But it also is seen as part of the rights of local control of municipal authorities to revoke and demand accountability (Article 121) and the recall of (122).
As part of the decentralization process has been strengthened citizen involvement in the areas of participation and consultation as the Local Coordinating Councils (CCL), which basically should offer development plans concerted and participatory budgeting in local committees or management committees. But in many municipalities, by agreement between civil society and municipal authorities have opted porseguir respecting the validity of the modalities of participation prior to the enactment of the current Organic Law of Municipalities. In many municipalities, believes that the consensus built through participatory processes have a binding nature for both the authorities and social organizations.
But it also is seen as part of the rights of local control of municipal authorities to revoke and demand accountability (Article 121) and the recall of (122).
As part of the decentralization process has been strengthened citizen involvement in the areas of participation and consultation as the Local Coordinating Councils (CCL), which basically should offer development plans concerted and participatory budgeting in local committees or management committees. But in many municipalities, by agreement between civil society and municipal authorities have opted porseguir respecting the validity of the modalities of participation prior to the enactment of the current Organic Law of Municipalities. In many municipalities, believes that the consensus built through participatory processes have a binding nature for both the authorities and social organizations.
Citizen participation and social groups
While there is increasing awareness of the right and at the same time, the duty to take part in practice predominantly voluntary and participants are still a minority of the whole population. Participation can be individual or through social organizations. The latter, according to the rules established by municipalities, accredited representatives to the CCLS or concerted planning processes, participatory budgeting and management committees on various topics such as promoting local economies, tourism, education, health, among others. Logically, involved comparatively social segments that need government support, including organizations linked to the glass of milk and food programs requiring parents to give their children better schools, small producers and traders, young people who manage sports facilities, organizations that manage the provision of basic services. An aspect to point out is that the long history of welfarism and paternalism has determined, even in poor areas, the practice of requesting or requiring access to public goods or services without express willingness to support community development.
However, participation suffers from various difficulties. Indeed, participatory budgeting processes, for example, there is still a limited participation related to the absence of representative institutions, lack of credibility in the participatory process, poor dissemination of the process, or lack of practice and experience to negotiate or waive interest or zonal particular benefits for the poorest sectors of the population. Less involved representatives from remote communities to district or provincial capitals. Also exists a certain loss of public confidence in the processes of consultation, when its resource requirements for projects can not be served. Yet to be seen participating agents prioritize actions of the organizations they represent, do not always coincide with collective aspirations. Special attention must be non-participation of political parties which limits the possibilities for change in political culture. We can say that in all the experiences the participation of women is significantly lower than that of boys, although there is a weak trend to narrow these gaps, but the representation of gender is still very uneven. The participation of young people remains poor or minority in the PP.
The gender
It is making considerable progress in gender mainstreaming. For example, the Equal Opportunities Plan (PIO) 2006-2010, approved by Supreme Decree N ° 009-2005-MIMDES the September 12, 2005. From there he has a commission made up of twelve sectors multisectoral MIMDES, PCM, Health, Education, Justice, Labor and Employment, Agriculture, Interior, Finance, Transport and Communications and the INEI. This instance is its function to monitor the National Plan for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men 2006-2010.
This has allowed equal opportunities to institutionalize gender-equitable public policies, plans and practices of the state. But as states "from words to action, is a long way", although there are encouraging developments. Thus we have the regions of Loreto, Ayacucho and Apurimac, have a Project Regional Ordinance for the integration of PIO 2006-2010. The regions of La Libertad, Junín, Pasco and Apurimac, have regional order approving the PIO.
The operation of social programs is an emphasis on quality of services, equal opportunities based on gender equality and strengthening regional and local economy becoming a space for coordination between state and civil society, especially among groups of women organized, so often excluded from public spaces making decisions and to take special importance in the process of decentralization. Some local governments are including policy guidelines with equal opportunities and gender equity.
Currently, some municipalities have women's offices, social programs for women, DEMUNAS for the prevention and treatment of domestic and sexual violence. It must be stressed that participatory processes are designing and building participatory budgets with a gender perspective. Also in the planning processes are developed Equal Opportunity Plans locally. Have formulated policies on social development and equal opportunity within its competence, in line with the national government's general policy, sectoral plans and programs for local governments.
As we have seen, the gender perspective is part of the local agenda and not only part of the speech but it also has been implemented on a cross in some municipalities.
On the other hand, Article 84 of the LOM, designated as the exclusive function of the district municipalities to facilitate participation and consultation in the planning, management and oversight of local programs for local development. In this perspective, the opportunities for citizen participation constitute an opportunity to promote the development of the civil rights of women who develop proposals and decision-making capacity.
The participation of women in politics (Understood also as a quota for women) as well as other activities in recent years has been growing. The highest level of organization and participation is carried out with rapid growth and expansion of so-called functional organizations such as food or glass of milk or soup kitchens that were formed in the decades of 70 and 80 in order to alleviate the acute crisis economic enveloped the entire lower-income households and were becoming an expression of solidarity to tackle poverty and adversity. Then the women
gradually acquired greater participation in decision making, jumping from professional and occupational activities to institutional policy.
PAHO with support from the Ministry of Health, said in a recent study that the participation of women in the Congress for the period 2001-2006 was 23 women against 97 men. With regard to regional governments was 22 men against 3 women (regional presidents) and local authorities (provincial and district mayors) was 62 women compared to 1.745 men. For 2007-2010 do not have any regional president and the mayors have dropped from 73 (8 provincial and 65 district) to 3 provincial borders a number of 60 district. That is, they have lost ground.
young fees and native peoples or indigenous communities
There favorable provisions that promote the participation of youth and indigenous peoples. There is no information about that local governments develop and / or implement specific actions aimed at inclusion, choice and promotion of rural and indigenous communities in its area of \u200b\u200bjurisdiction, although the RM 188-2006-MINEDU, incorporates and promotes the use of inclusive language in all oral, written, symbolic, technical and regulatory documents and material.