On 3 October 2023, the Municipality of Gostivar witnessed a vivid and constructive dialogue as relevant stakeholders assembled to explore the intricate domain of monitoring electoral promises. The event, titled "Advancing the Concept of Monitoring Electoral Promises – Insights and Learnings from Municipalities and CSOs", had the goal of heightening the awareness of the Monitoring Matrix and its use, but also knowledge- and experience-sharing by municipal representatives and civil society organisations, with the aim of strategizing future directions.
As Aferdita Haxhijaha Imeri of IFES emphasized, the objective of the Monitoring Matrix is to pursue the monitoring of promises systematically, with objectivity and evidence-based rigor, thereby feeding back not only on the extent of fulfilment but also municipalities’ accountability and transparency in the process. Mayor of Gostivar Arben Taravari articulated a similar vision for the municipality, underscoring its openness as a route to transparent governance and highlighting the importance of unified efforts in bolstering civic processes.
In a thought-provoking panel discussion, representatives of the municipalities of Gostivar, Vrapchishte, Tearce and Centar Zhupa looked back on navigating the collaboration with the CSOs who monitored their work and shared insights into their successes and challenges alike.
The conversation underscored the vital role of monitoring in enhancing citizen participation, the essential contributions of the civil sector in boosting municipal transparency, and explored learnings and possibilities for future initiatives.
In the concluding panel discussion, participants weighed in on the utility of monitoring, learnings from past efforts, and future needs of municipalities and civic organizations. CSO representatives shared what they deemed were the most tangible benefits of this design of innovative initiatives, whereby the concurrent flow of monitoring and mobilisation activities were seen as the chief amplifiers of citizen involvement and public information dissemination. Other CSO representatives advocated for the continuity of such initiatives, particularly in rural zones, to facilitate their inclusion in decision-making processes.
Syntheses of conclusions and recommendations, derived from the day's rich dialogues and insights, brought the event towards its conclusion. A final video segment provided a reflective look into the implemented community mobilization strategies and their resulting impacts.
As networking opportunities unfolded, participants wove together connections and collaborations, perpetuating dialogue all aimed at strengthening and advancing the mutual vision of converting electoral promises from mere words into impactful, tangible actions.
Enhancing the Monitoring of Electoral Promises: Advancing Towards Accountable Governance
