Improving Citizen Participation and Feedback in Your Bagh: AManual on Town Halls
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ganizations, both in Ulaanbaatar and at the grassroots level
in provinces across Mongolia. In recent years IRI has shift-
ed its focus to assist the parliament and local governments
in public opinion analysis and civic engagement in order to
improve the responsiveness of government and participation
of citizens at the local level.
IRI’s democratic governance program focuses on im-
proving local government responsiveness to citizen priori-
ties; developing mechanisms for meaningful, inclusive and
participatory decision-making at the local level; and en-
hancing the ability of local public officials to advocate to
authorities at higher levels of government. IRI’s experience
and knowledge is used to achieve the following goals with
local officials at the provincial level (aimag), county level
(soum) and town level (bagh): improve local government
responsiveness to citizen priorities; develop mechanisms
for meaningful, inclusive and participatory decision-mak-
ing at the local level; and enhance the ability of local public
officials to advocate to authorities at higher levels of gov-
ernment. Through these programs IRI also increases citizen
engagement by connecting citizens, political parties, local
governments and the State Great Hural (Parliament). As
a part of its program, IRI has provided a series of training
workshops and consultations on constituent outreach and the
New Budget Law (NBL) along with convening a taskforce
formed by local government officials and citizens to address
community concerns and play a more effective role in the
policy making process at the local level.
