The Accountability for Development (A4D) program in Côte d’Ivoire is a two-year, USAID-funded program that bolsters interaction between citizens (particularly women and youth) and the government, while strengthening existing accountability mechanisms.

Across the country, there have been few opportunities for meaningful exchange between citizens and government officials, preventing people from expressing their needs and finding workable solutions. In the run up to a contentious election year in 2020, the need for a comprehensive approach to government accountability at all levels is all the more apparent.

Moreover, the gap between urban and rural citizens, adults and youth, and women and men has continued to widen, leading to frustrations at all levels. The continued and sustained marginalization of women and youth has become more pronounced as each year passes without measurable change.

In remote border regions such as Tchologo and Bounkani, where poverty levels (65.6% and 61.8% respectively) far outstrip the national averages, these dynamics are even more marked. A4D will focus geographically on rural villages in communes and sub-prefectures in these regions.

The A4D initiative is addressing these challenges and more to create a more empowered and informed citizenry. Initial activities include the following:

• We are identifying and mapping youth and women changemakers, civil society-led accountability mechanisms, government champions, and other community assets and carriers encountered in their access to basic social and health services.
• We are collaborating with these changemakers and champions, together with USAID, to identify the specific communities in which to focus the intervention.
• We are engaging these champions through capacity building, exchanges, innovation workshops, and other community outreach activities.
• We have established partnerships with community radio stations to produce and broadcast engaging programs that highlight communities’ advocacy messages, especially those that pertain to youth and women.
• We are facilitating dialogue with authorities and citizen participation in local and national decision-making processes by providing support to existing village management committees and creating citizen engagement platforms with the governmental Directorate of Decentralization and Local Development. As part of this effort, we are also identifying women and youth champions and support them with remote mentorship, guidance, relevant literature, and examples of local activism.
• We are building the Government of Côte d’Ivoire’s capacity to process and integrate real-time citizen feedback to improve service delivery and strengthen accountability.