Democracy and Governance

At the heart of CLUSA’s democracy and governance (DG) activities is the belief that cooperative principles can provide the framework for developing effective community-based DG programs.

These principles are:

• Voluntary and open membership
• Democratic member control
• Members’ economic participation
• Autonomy and independence
• Education, training, and information
• Cooperation among cooperatives
• Concern for community

CLUSA’s commitment to the cooperative principles is further punctuated by our long-held belief that thriving democratic communities are created when citizens and Government work together to produce tangible results. Good governance is a partnership that has as its foundation trust, mutual respect, transparency, and active participation which together strengthen the link Government and the people it serves. Government alone cannot sustain the system.

At the same time, democratic governance grows strongest from the base. When the community actively assumes the important role of overseeing the management of scare local resources, Government is motivated to carry out their functions effectively. An indicator of strengthened good governance process is when community involvement leads to mutually beneficial results for Government and community members. For communities, their lives are improved by equally accessible and greater quality basic services, resources and information.

Using a variety of proven strategies, CLUSA works simultaneously with communities and local government entities to foster the spirit of cooperation and reciprocity that is required to sustain good governance for the long-term.

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