Participation and effective governance

Voters queuing at a polling station in Somaliland.

Marginalised people are least likely to participate in decision-making structures – so reducing accountability and keeping them locked in poverty.

We work to ensure poor and marginalised people can have a bigger say in the decisions that affect them. And we support partner organisations to become more effective in representing marginalised people’s interests.

Many of the countries where we work are fragile. Due to conflict and instability sections of society are marginalised and under-represented. So we do things like monitor elections in Somaliland, strengthen local authorities and civil society in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and lobby for democratic improvements in countries like Zimbabwe and Timor-Leste.

Women, who make up the majority of people in poverty, are at the heart of our work to strengthen the ability of poor and marginalised people to demand and defend their rights. For example, we help to get women into politics in Yemen, strengthen women’s organisations in Timor-Leste, work for local government budgets to be set in favour of marginalised women in the Dominican Republic, and help women to support one another using the media in El Salvador.

Our solidarity with poor and marginalised communities also extends globally; together with them we represent their interests at international policy forums like the G20.