Resilient States,
Engaged Societies &
Legal Empowerment of the Poor:
Strategic Issues in Sustainable
Development Management
Public Lecture - RL Vol IX No 221, MMXIV
Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, PhD
Professor
of Public Policy & Sustainable Institutional Reforms
WMU
Center for African Development Policy Research (CADPR) Conference,
The Challenges of Good Governance and Leadership for
Sustainable Development in African States.
Western
Michigan University August 14-16, 2014
Chapter
from a forthcoming book by the author
“Resilient
States, Enlightened Societies & Legal Empowerment”
Abstract
Beginning
in the early 1990s, Africa has been experiencing a major ground swell of
social, economic, cultural and political changes. Notwithstanding the
remarkable successes, formidable challenges prevail as state institutions
often are burdened by counter-productive incentives and constraints that
outweigh or outlast efforts to ameliorate them. A combination of the
Western prescription of the basic ingredients of ‘democratic tradition’ –
elections, rule of law, economic, social and political governance have spun
opportunities and threats to social stability and political sustainability. The
knowledge gap the paper addresses is the nexus between good economic, political
and social governance and sustainable development, augured on legal empowerment
and the construction of democratic rules and institutions. Gaps identified in
constructing the architecture for good governance are remuneration of civil servants, absence of checklist and framework for
appraisal, lack of skills, attitudes and knowledge management systems. On the
arrearage side for meritocracy, the lack of a system of publicly known and
acknowledged public appointment at all levels of the civil service could be
undermining of the career structure. Strategic entry points for reform
are systematic review of objectives,
outputs, activities and verifiable indicators for utility of civil
service institutions. Furthermore, the need for a rights-based approach, knowledge
management systems, code of conduct for the communities of practice, integration
and mainstreaming, leadership capacity building, remuneration and career incentive, independent human quality
development think tanks and education for democratic citizenship is imperative.
The paper underpinned the hypothesis ‘the relative strength of political
organisations determines the rules of the political game that are installed.’
Leadership (the power over discourse, ability to shape morality, to determine what
is socially acceptable, culturally sound and politically uplifting, indeed,
leadership is more than a job; it is a calling) has
a pivotal role in installing the right mix of rules and institutions where
citizens can make choices to ensure sustainable development.
Key words: Sustainable Development
Management, Resilient States, Engaged Societies, Legal Empowerment
Read here or https://www.academia.edu/37092867/Resilient_States_Engaged_Societies_and_Legal_Empowerment_of_the_Poor_RL_Vol_IX_No_221_MMXIV
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