Decentralization Strategies for Empowerment

Many countries throughout the world are undertaking some forms of decentralization by shifting fiscal, political, and administrative responsibilities to lower levels of government. Decentralization is driven by unique circumstances in each setting. In some countries it is linked to recent democratization, while in others it is spurred by the failure of central government to deliver basic public services. The four elements of empowerment put forward in this paper— access to information, inclusion and participation, local organizational capacity, and accountability—are often integral components of successful decent ralization.