Within the framework of a decentralization program responsive to citizen rights, the Hans Seidel Foundation (Egypt Office) and Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights held two training modules for youth in the age group 21-35 years under the title “Enhancing the role of youth in improving the legal framework for local administration”, on January 24-25 2014 in Port Said Governorate, and on January 30 and 31, 2014 in Beni Suef Governorate.
More than 40 male and female youth in the target age group of community work activists in the two governorates participated in the two successive models.
It is worth noting that Maat thus has concluded a series of training modules for young people in the governorates (Cairo - Alexandria - Gharbia - Port Said - Beni Suef), which were held over the months of December 2013 and January 2014 through which outlets were opened for young people to express their vision of developing management legislation. To become more compatible with the provisions of the new constitution of Egypt (the 2014 constitution).
The models were aimed at raising youth awareness of the governing framework of local administration, as well as raising their awareness of decentralization and good local governance, as well as enabling young people to propose and develop general principles for the local administration law in line with the proposed constitutional framework for local administration according to the conclusion of the fifty committee.
During the modules, the legislative framework for local administration (the local administration branch in the draft constitution) was discussed, the legal reality, obstacles and elements of decentralization in accordance with the current legal framework. The program also included training on decentralization, good local governance and the general framework of the local system in Egypt.
The modules also included a role-play for the competent committee on amending the Local Administration Law No. 43 of 1979, the participants were divided into three Specific Committees as follows: Executive Authority Committee; Elected Councils Committee; and Financial Resources Committee.
Young people participating in the models presented valuable sets of recommendations regarding expanding the powers of governors and heads of local units and their mandate over public facilities and services to balance between power and responsibility, and experimental application of the method for selecting governors through elections in some governorates. Local units to comply with the new constitution, as well as recommendations related to maximizing the financial resources of local units by restructuring the tax system and its collection mechanisms and distinguishing between the sovereign and the local.
Thus, Hans Seidel and Maat concluded their joint program “Decentralization Responsive to Citizen Rights”, which was implemented over a year and a half in five governorates, and contributed significantly to enriching the community debate to improve the local administration system, develop the constitutional framework for local administration and enhance the trend towards decentralization. Maat will soon provide a detailed report on the project, its activities and the most important results achieved.