Training sessions: Become more familiar with local government, Shkodër

On 21, 26, 28 December 2012, EMA in cooperation with Intelektualët e rinj, Shpresë in Shkodër, organised a series of training sessions entitled “Become more familiar with local government” at the premises of EU Info Center Shkodër. These events were organised in the framework of the project “Youth as agent of participatory democracy and institutional accountability in the municipality of Shkodra”, supported by Olof Palme Center and SIDA.

Ms. Baisa Sefa, Junior policy researcher at EMA, Mr. Nensi Shyti, Program Assistant at EMA, and Ms. Mona Xhexhaj, Intern at EMA  introduced students to:

• An overview of the local government and its role within the European Integration Process – under which the legal framework, the role and functions in the perspective of European Integration, and the decision-making bodies of local government were outlined.

• Providing services — where detailed information was transmitted about the range of services provided by local government and procedures for requesting a particular service

• The right to be informed as a prerequisite for the emergence of participatory democracy — where an overview was presented about the legal framework constituting this right and problems that arise in the perspective of the European Integration, as well as the effects upon the relationship between information and participation.

• Local decision-making and youth participation – under which the process of decision-making, youth participation in local decision-making in Shkodwr, channels & catalysts for increased participation, and mechanisms & monitoring methodology for local decision-making were outlined.

• Advocacy and its importance — where information was transmitted about the process of advocacy, instruments for successful and fruitful advocacy, and youth’s role in this process.

• Civic responsibility to participate, key element of the European Integration process — where importance was given to our responsibilities on the eve of parliamentary elections, and emphasising “vote” as controlling mechanism.

The training sessions were followed by open discussions on the issues that the students had faced when trying to get involved in local decision-making and their previous experiences with parliamentary elections.