Decentralization and Participation: the Montevidian Experience

Beginning with the proposition that a true process of decentralization must necessarily be a process of democratization, such a process is understood as a privileged instrument for participation. Indeed, for a deepening of democratic practices, the ways which should be taken are via decentralization...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: María del Rosario Revello
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB) 1999-10-01
Series:Revista CIDOB d'Afers Internacionals
Online Access:http://www.cidob.org/es/content/download/5559/54551/file/47revello.pdf
_version_ 1818148888432869376
author María del Rosario Revello
author_facet María del Rosario Revello
author_sort María del Rosario Revello
collection DOAJ
description Beginning with the proposition that a true process of decentralization must necessarily be a process of democratization, such a process is understood as a privileged instrument for participation. Indeed, for a deepening of democratic practices, the ways which should be taken are via decentralization and social participation. This article describes and analyzes the experience of decentralization in Montevideo, a fundamental project created by the coalition of leftist parties that have governed the capital of Uruguay since 1990, a project which had no historical antecedents in the country. The department of Montevideo divided into 18 zones and created juntas locales (local boards) - local, decentralized politicalorgans with representation from all the parties - and neighborhood councils. The Neighborhood Councils are representative organs that voice the neighborhood’s interests. Not integrated in the public municipal structure, these constitute private civil society organizations. They are consultative and consultancy bodies with the important tasks of initiative and proposal, planning, consultation, evaluation and the control over the communal management. Also described in the article is the methodology for the project’s improvement and progressive sophistication, which is in function of, among other factors, the degree of effectiveness and reaching of objectives that emerge from the permanent control and evaluation carried out year to year. The strategy presented emphasizes the need for ensuring that the community directly monitors and controls the process of municipal management to safeguard the democratic character of the process.
first_indexed 2024-12-11T12:58:18Z
format Article
id doaj.art-6a503565c0d840a9a4056a8c79f7772e
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1133-6595
2013-035X
language Spanish
last_indexed 2024-12-11T12:58:18Z
publishDate 1999-10-01
publisher Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB)
record_format Article
series Revista CIDOB d'Afers Internacionals
spelling doaj.art-6a503565c0d840a9a4056a8c79f7772e2022-12-22T01:06:32ZspaBarcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB)Revista CIDOB d'Afers Internacionals1133-65952013-035X1999-10-0147149168Decentralization and Participation: the Montevidian ExperienceMaría del Rosario RevelloBeginning with the proposition that a true process of decentralization must necessarily be a process of democratization, such a process is understood as a privileged instrument for participation. Indeed, for a deepening of democratic practices, the ways which should be taken are via decentralization and social participation. This article describes and analyzes the experience of decentralization in Montevideo, a fundamental project created by the coalition of leftist parties that have governed the capital of Uruguay since 1990, a project which had no historical antecedents in the country. The department of Montevideo divided into 18 zones and created juntas locales (local boards) - local, decentralized politicalorgans with representation from all the parties - and neighborhood councils. The Neighborhood Councils are representative organs that voice the neighborhood’s interests. Not integrated in the public municipal structure, these constitute private civil society organizations. They are consultative and consultancy bodies with the important tasks of initiative and proposal, planning, consultation, evaluation and the control over the communal management. Also described in the article is the methodology for the project’s improvement and progressive sophistication, which is in function of, among other factors, the degree of effectiveness and reaching of objectives that emerge from the permanent control and evaluation carried out year to year. The strategy presented emphasizes the need for ensuring that the community directly monitors and controls the process of municipal management to safeguard the democratic character of the process.http://www.cidob.org/es/content/download/5559/54551/file/47revello.pdf
spellingShingle María del Rosario Revello
Decentralization and Participation: the Montevidian Experience
Revista CIDOB d'Afers Internacionals
title Decentralization and Participation: the Montevidian Experience
title_full Decentralization and Participation: the Montevidian Experience
title_fullStr Decentralization and Participation: the Montevidian Experience
title_full_unstemmed Decentralization and Participation: the Montevidian Experience
title_short Decentralization and Participation: the Montevidian Experience
title_sort decentralization and participation the montevidian experience
url http://www.cidob.org/es/content/download/5559/54551/file/47revello.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT mariadelrosariorevello decentralizationandparticipationthemontevidianexperience