Citizens Information and Training Centres

1. Uzbekistan Joint Bishkek CoP meeting on "Localizing the MDGs through Improved Local Governance and Civic Engagement" - 31 October/1 November 2006 Citizens Information and Training Centres

2. Empower local communities in their socioeconomic development OR Help communities to help themselves in the respect of local traditions, culture and local environment Objective of the good practice

3. Lack of participation by communities in their own development OR Difficulty of communities to identify their main problems in a participatory way and agree on how to overcome them jointly Description of the problem

4. The 6 district centres are link between communities, authorities and donors to better focus and coordinate their activities in local development Set up through a one off grants on something already existing Assist local authorities to collect socioeconomic data(mapping) in 100 local communities in six districts to be fed into the Welfare Improvement Strategy Paper and living standards profiles at district-community level Provide support to community-based self-help initiatives and facilitate citizen’s interaction with Local Government departments Distribute & share information on the Millennium Development Goals in Uzbekistan and their relevance to the specific development context of the communities . Strategy of the good practice

5. Utilize and maximize the potential of existing local capacities, including those of traditional community based structures AND Enable the local community based structure (Mahalla Fund) to serve as a repository and disseminator of information on the role of civil society and citizens in development. Innovative aspect

6. Organize participatory workshops and training by stimulating discussion around the MDGs and their relevance to development planning and monitoring at local level (MDG localization). Provide support to communities, farmers, local authorities and others in preparing project proposals for the rehabilitation of social infrastructures and business/management plans Function as liaison between authorities and communities, and maintain a rudimentary data and information systems. Provide basic office services, against a modest payment, in particular for computer use, photocopying, printing, etc. Activities

7. Partnerships mahallas (associations of citizens) Khokimiyats (regional and district governments) and communities to rehabilitate water and other social infrastructures in three districts of Karakalpakstan - and of Namangan region donors (UNDP for its area based development – and EC mainly) farmers local microcredit institutions local schools and youth centres

8. Enabled the local community based structure (Mahalla Fund) to serve as a repository and disseminator of information on the role of civil society and citizens in development Results

9. The bureaucracy involved in setting the centres up the short time of the project supporting their establishment, monitoring and evaluation preference by the donors to work with NGOs rather than community based organizations Problems

10. Centres have been working for just over a year, the prospects are promising build successfully on existing structures to create a service that is likely to be useful and sustainable in the long run. Set up sufficiently modestly so that they require little money for their upkeep. Mahalla Funds, who do have a budget, are eager to make the centres work and local authorities are very supportive. The running costs of the centres are already covered from the budgets of the Mahalla Funds. Sustainability

11. The centres in Karakalpakstan and Namangan are now replicated in Fergana region Replicability