Democratic Governance

Brief Summary

The Middle East Partnership Initiative intends to supply the Greater Middle Eastern Countries with Democracy. It will be extremely difficult for this plan to succeed if it doesn't look at the individual character that each country has. In this regard, Yemen posses various sophisticated structures which play a significant role in the Democratization process. Successful democracies in Yemen were expressed on a limited scale that served mainly the Government and saved its image in front of the international community.

If the government is serious about democratic incentives, it needs to play a crucial role in providing a stable macroeconomic environment and representing public interest looking at the inequalities and constraints that hinder poor people from accessing markets and services and safeguarding the environmental sustainability of economic growth.

The main objective of this project is to evaluate Yemen's democratic mechanisms and challenge their effectiveness in a heavily fragmented tribal system with diverse interests. The study will try to come up with an analysis of the main obstacles that hinder implementing the core concepts of democratic governance. The project will aim to tackle questions crucial to the democratization issues looking specifically at the question of civil identity, accountability and communication.

The project objective:

There is a huge credibility gap that continues to broaden as Yemen's democracy is increasingly seen as decor for the consolidation of power by the ruling party. Democratic approaches in Yemen overlooked the extreme poverty, social & tribal structure and the declining economic indicators.

In a country like Yemen, Democracy has lots of limitations imposed by culture, tribes and government. If not too careful, democracy itself can be used as a tool against the people who demand it. The majority of the Yemeni people continue to feel vulnerable because they do not have the necessary tools that will allow them challenge their government. Political participation will always be undermined because of problems of education and access.

Being able to participate in a political system which can provide opportunities for all to influence in policy programming There is a need to study the reasons why these people are constantly feeling powerless and why the system is always unfuctional. A critical factor lies in understanding how they can facilitate change and reform.

Will the outcome of Democracy and Democratic Governance help in improving the situation of the people or is it just a buzzword that the government is using to gain popularity? Have their been concrete implementations or simply verbal commitments? How far is the Yemeni citizen involved in this process? And how can we achieve Democratic Governance in a dominant tribal structure that has challenged the government several times?

In a context like Yemen, Democratic Governance has too look at implementing pro-poor policy and raising, allocating and accounting for public resources. Empowering the people to participate in the political process but most of all, giving them the reason to work towards a common goal. In a tribal system, it is important that the elites feel responsible to the society as a whole and not to their certain tribes or groups.

There is a certain amount of power created in playing the tribes against each other instead of uniting and developing them. The increase in feeding ethnic and tribal tensions will only result in creating conflict between tribes and undermine participation.

What is the specific aim of this project? Why this topic?

  • The study will enhance understanding of the role that social structure play in Democratic Governance;
  • The study will identify the key political actors and their role in promoting Democratic Governance;
  • The study will identify the risks and opportunities that are presented in the government pursue of Democratic Governance in a tribal environment;
  • The study will present an analysis of the key challenges to democratic governance in Yemen by focusing on analytical dimensions;
  • The study will Analyze the Democratic Governance process in absence of economic growth and effective communication with the people;
  • The study will investigate whether there are proper monitoring mechanisms in place for the collection and use of public funds;
  • The study aims in developing recommendations to improve aid effectiveness in Democratic Governance while maintaining a broader look on economic growth and Yemeni social structure.

Background:

In April 1993 Yemen held its first free multi-party elections; these elections were the first of their kind to occur the Arabian Peninsula and were held under large celebrations and great participation. A year after this event the country plunged into a civil war.

Yemen continues to experience changes and it is in the face of rapid transition. There are serious economic, political, and social challenges that needs to be addressed to avoid instability and conflict. The International Communities pushes Yemen to great democratic and governance reform plans to increase stability without maintaining relevance of economic growth, social welfare and the tribal culture.

In fluctuating circumstances that have severely damaged the reputation of Yemen ranging from civil wars to tribal kidnappings and terrorism, the government took a serious role in responding to the International community and worked extensively to polish its image and increase security stability, but this was done through a military and increased security approach rather than a developmental approach. It has undoubtedly succeeded in aligning its plans to respond to the International needs but has failed to respond to the needs of the Yemeni citizen.

Yemeni’s concept of democratization is verbally and formally expressed but concrete forms of active participation, dialogue, post-electoral representation remains to be weak. Tribal rules are the governing rules in many areas in Yemen, more than half of the population is illiterate. Donors continue to push their own political & development agenda in democracy and democratic governance without ensuring appropriate implementation. The Government of Yemen plays an excellent role in responding and attracting donor’s interest and has been successful so far in selling its image as a democratic country. But is that really the case? Do the people have any sense of ownership to this process and believe in making it happen? Is the Democratic Governance in Yemen more pro-poor or pro-government?

Drawing from the literature on comparative international and regional experience, I have developed a framework. The main features of the framework are the following four elements, and the interaction between each of these factors, with relationships of power, inequality and conflict at their heart.

Structural features (natural and human resources, economic and social structures, other non-institutional facts); institutions (the frameworks of rules structuring the behaviour of agents); agents (individuals and organisations pursuing particular interests)

Agents can affect both the institutional framework and structural features, though in the latter case mediated by institutions. Similarly, structural features impact on agents through institutions. Institutional processes are therefore central to understanding change processes and how they will impact on the poor.

Changes in structural features, institutions or the behaviour or interests of agents function as drivers of change.

The State and tribe: is a set of institutions but is also potentially an agent, depending on its degree of autonomy from particular interests and the coherence of its objectives.

Key questions of this study:

  • How can we achieve Democratic Governance in a heavily tribal system?
  • Who are the key political actors and what are their interests?
  • Who are the main stakeholders in the Democratic Governance process? Does the Government and people have a sense of ownership of this process?
  • Are there any plans put in place for active communication and participation among the various stakeholders in the Democratic Governance process?
  • How can the various stakeholders overcome the obstacles that face Yemen in implementing its reform agenda and achieving Democratic Governance?
  • What and who are the main drivers behind Democratic Governance?
  • How can the donor community help the Yemeni’s achieve Democratic Governance?

It is my intention that this new research is of great benefit to the Yemeni people and will directly help in identifying effective measures that can walk hand in hand with Democracy and social structure and welfare. The paper will investigate whether there are proper monitoring mechanisms in place for the collection and use of public funds. It will also suggest ways to ensure active communication and participation among the various stakeholders and influence the donor community to look at the broader developmental picture when targeting Democratic Governance.