|
On 2-17 February 2003, the Instituto PÓLIS, the coordinator
of LogoLink Latin America, hosted a Philippine delegation for a study
visit on Brazilian local experiences with participatory governance. The
Philippine delegation was coordinated by the Institute for Popular Democracy
(IPD) and was composed of eight members, including non-governmental organization
advocates, the mayor of Jagna and the vice mayor of Victoria.
The group visited the cities of Brasilia, Porto Alegre,
Belém do Pará and Santo André, where they had meetings
with government officials, technical staff and leaders of non-governmental
organizations.
After the tour, the group had a brief evaluation
session. Special attention was paid to the focus on urban municipalities,
and the question remained open of how such participatory mechanisms could
be implemented in rural areas, where old patterns such as "clientelist"
relations still prevail.
The visit also showed the importance of further
research into the impacts and limitations of local citizen participation
in the promotion of public policies that can effectively foster development.
 Find
out more about LogoLink's work in Brazil
and in the Philippines
|
