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Bridging the information gap between citizens and local governments: Evidence from a civic participation strengthening program in Rwanda

Author

Listed:
  • Protik, Ali E.
  • Nichols-Barrer, Ira
  • Berman, Jacqueline
  • Sloan, Matt

Abstract

This paper evaluates a program sponsored by the Millennium Challenge Corporation to promote civic participation in local governance in Rwanda. Called the Strengthening Civic Participation, the program supported civil society organizations advocating for local issues and trained district government officials to increase responsiveness to citizens. Our evaluation uses a stratified random assignment design, whereby districts were matched on baseline characteristics and randomly assigned to either a treatment or a control group. Using nationally representative household-level survey data, we find a pattern of small negative effects on citizens’ perceived access to government information, perceived personal influence on government officials, and satisfaction with government services. There were no discernible impacts on citizens’ awareness of government meetings, familiarity with government officials, or knowledge of local government affairs. We investigate the underlying mechanisms that produced these impacts using qualitative interviews and find that the program succeeded in encouraging citizens to question local government policies more openly in some circumstances.

Suggested Citation

  • Protik, Ali E. & Nichols-Barrer, Ira & Berman, Jacqueline & Sloan, Matt, 2018. "Bridging the information gap between citizens and local governments: Evidence from a civic participation strengthening program in Rwanda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 145-156.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:108:y:2018:i:c:p:145-156
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.03.016
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Morag Goodwin, 2022. "Evaluating the Success of Decentralisation in Facilitating the Inclusion of Rwanda’s Marginalised," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(5), pages 2251-2271, October.
    2. Pandey, Vivek & Singh, Shyam & Kumar, Deepak, 2022. "COVID-19, information management by local governments, and food consumption," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    3. Devindi Geekiyanage & Terrence Fernando & Kaushal Keraminiyage, 2023. "Modelling Interrelationships of the Factors Impeding Community Engagement in Risk-Sensitive Urban Planning: Evidence from Sri Lanka," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-22, October.
    4. Bennett, Kyle M. & Campbell, Jeanna M. & Hays, Scott P., 2022. "Engaging youth for positive change: A mixed methods evaluation of site level program implementation & outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    5. Kosec, Katrina & Wantchekon, Leonard, 2020. "Can information improve rural governance and service delivery?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Governance; Democracy; Information; Civic participation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O19 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - International Linkages to Development; Role of International Organizations
    • O22 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Project Analysis
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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