Action Pathway
Participatory Governance
Across Asia and the Pacific, public decisions work best when people have meaningful ways to share priorities, raise concerns, and help shape the policies and services that affect their lives.
Limited channels for public input, weak feedback loops, uneven access to information, and institutional habits that keep decision-making closed can reduce trust, slow reform, and lead to policies that miss local needs. We help governments, civil society, community groups, and local leaders create practical ways for people to take part in public problem solving, from structured dialogue and consultation to evidence gathering, civic engagement, and support for institutions that want to make participation part of regular practice. This work helps strengthen public trust, improve policy and service delivery, and build more responsive institutions.
APPROACH
We work with governments, civil society organizations, community groups, local leaders, businesses, and public institutions to create practical ways for people to inform public decisions and improve how policies and services are designed. Our activities combine tested strategies for how to create the conditions for meaningful dialogue and deliberation with a respect for local context and how interaction happens in different systems, cultures and societies. We support partners through convening, consultation, research, public engagement, process reform, training, and implementation support, with work that helps gather community input, strengthen feedback loops, and bring local experience into planning and reform. These approaches help institutions make better decisions, improve services, build public trust, and make participation a regular part of governance.
featured programs
Helping Governance Systems Better Serve Citizens
In Bangladesh, we help public systems better protect migrant workers, support journalists, and make governance reforms work for citizens.
Improving Public Services Through Better Governance
To ensure Nepal’s federal system delivers for all citizens, we help public institutions clarify roles, improve coordination, increase public participation, and strengthen local dispute resolution.
Making Local Budgets Work
Funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Promoting Transparency and Accountability of Sub-national Budget Management in Cambodia program strengthened local governance by improving public financial management, service delivery, and citizen participation. Working with commune councils, district authorities, and civil society organizations, the program supported more transparent and open budgeting processes, helping local institutions build accountability, strengthen public trust, and respond more effectively to community priorities.