Local Democracy
Since April 2011, EPD is supporting an organisation in Upper Egypt to increase grassroots knowledge and practice on democratic conduct of marginalised groups at the local and rural level.
The Egyptian society is witnessing important changes with regards to the perception of practicing the new freedoms and rights that were introduced after the events of the 25th of January. This fast change has both positive and negative sides to it. It is essential to raise awareness of the new rights among the poor rural target group, where the general feeling is that the revolution is mainly in the interest of the elite or the educated youth in Egypt, which doesn't represent the majority of the target rural communities (which represents 57% of the population). Rural Egyptians generally still prefer a stable political situation, even when there is widespread corruption, to being involved in a burdensome reform processes.
We have a great opportunity in the Egyptian local communities to react with the current events starting by motivating the role of elected popular council members, as the first level of practicing democracy in political life through elections, accountability, and monitoring governmental services. The project will also address refusal by the youth to participate in political life at the local level.
The general objectives of the project "Empowering local communities in practicing democracy" are a) to reinforcing the practice of democracy, accountability, monitoring and free elections through empowering the local council members to play their role; and b) to mobilise local communities and support youths in defending socio-economic and political rights in the Eastern bank villages of the Minia governorate over a period of one year.