Strengthening pastoral civil society in Senegal

About this project
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About this project

Background

Decentralisation in Senegal offers real opportunities for local people to have a say in natural resource management and planning, and how their areas should be developed. Under the provisions of decentralisation, local elected government bodies (rural councils) are legally responsible for delivering social and economic services (e.g. health, water, education) and for drawing up local land use plans for agricultural forestry pastoral and other uses.

These provisions while offering many opportunities also bring many challenges. Building the capacity of pastoralists and pastoral associations to participate on a more equal basis in decision-making processes and development activities is therefore crucial to improving their access to land, health, education and other livelihoods needs.

Aims

This project aims to improve the livelihoods of pastoral groups in Senegal by strengthening their capacity to influence the decisions and activities that affect their lives at local and national levels. To achieve this we are:

building the capacity of pastoral associations to educate their members and the broader pastoral community of their rights and how best to influence local government decision-making processes
promoting more inclusive, participatory and accountable decision-making by local government authorities, which take account of the needs of pastoral communities
building the capacity of partners to inform and influence national policy making processes with respect to land and other resources