The participatory challenge

The fifth crucial dimension of decentralisation reform is community participation and democracy at the municipal level as a means to building a more inclusive and more democratic society through formal mechanisms but by promoting transparency and accountability practices and greater citizen participation. The chapter begins with a brief overview of the state of participatory governance in Chile using engagement, community, voter turnout and trust in government as indicators. It then presents the country’s main levers for promoting transparency, accountability and participation, and identifies some of the key issues surrounding their implementation. Following this is a discussion of what may help address the primary challenges, and the chapter concludes with a series of recommendations for action.

Making Decentralisation Work in Chile: Towards Stronger Municipalities

The participatory challenge

Strengthening participatory governance at the local level