Organized by UNDP in cooperation with Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Jordan shared its experience in localizing MDGs with the three-day workshop that started today in Jordan “Local Government and Civil Society Organizations on the Draft of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report for the Swayjani Municipal Federation / Chouf” of Lebanon.

 

Jordan was the first pilot in the Arab States region for localizing the MDGs at the governorate level in Aqaba Govrernorate. The experience was scaled up to Zarqa Governorate where a different methodology for the preparation of the local MDG Report at the governorate level was adopted. In Aqaba, the report was drafted by local government representatives and then consolidated with civil society. In Zarqa Governorate, the report preparation started with civil society organizations in participation with local government.

 

UNDP considers Jordan’s experience in localizing the MDGs in Aqaba and Zarqa Governorates as best practices not only in the region but also globally. Therefore, this three day workshop will pass on Jordan’s experience of best practices and lessons learned with the localizing project in Lebanon. Especially since the report of the latter is being prepared by civil society organizations through their independent initiative and formation of drafting committees for each of the MDG goals.

 

According to Dr. Abla Amawi, the Regional Coordinator for the UNDP’s Capacity 2015 Programme for Arab States, this workshop comes within a series of capacity development interventions that targets the Chouf district in Mount Lebanon, and specifically the Swayjani Municipal Federation. The area encompasses 9 villages with  an approximate population of 26,000 who are faced with several challenges, including displacement / returnees, low access to basic social services; small economic base and poverty (31% of households).

 

Localizing the MDGs is considered as first experience for Lebanon and the second at the regional level after Jordan. UNDP’s Capacity 2015 Programme aims at not only developing local MDG reports, but also at engaging CSOs and different sectors in the decision making and the development processes.