Local public services, such as healthcare, clean water and social services, have a great impact on our daily lives and well-being. However, in many countries, low-income communities often lack access to these important services. Local governments can improve access and make a difference. To do this, they need sufficient capacity and resources, and support from the central government.
This course explores how the different levels of government can cooperate effectively to realise inclusive public service delivery. The Sustainable Development Goals provide a starting point for discussion and knowledge sharing. In particular, we will address SDG 3 (good health and well-being), 5 (gender equality), 6 (clean water and sanitation), 8 (decent work and economic growth), 10 (reduced inequalities), 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions). The course discusses analytical tools and methods to finance local services. Attention will also be paid to policies to involve citizens and strategies to strengthen public-private cooperation.
One of the most valuable things I learned from this course was the use of social accountability tools for dialogue and negotiation with communities to improve service delivery. The course also gave me a comprehensive picture of the SDGs and how they are not only linked to each other but also to our everyday work.
This course is aimed at professionals working in the field of decentralisation, local governance, public service provision and development. Participants come form central, regional and local governments, NGOs and donor and development organisations.
After this course, you will receive a professional certificate of completion from The Hague Academy for Local Governance.
This course will help you:
Experts that are involved in this course:
In this course, you will visit different organisations to learn about Dutch practices in adopting an SDG framework for local service delivery. You will visit a.o. the Municipality of The Hague and meet the people who are spearheading the implementation of the SDGs. You will also learn about the SDG-framework for local service delivery and the GlobalGoals Campaign. A second study visit will be organised to a Dutch municipality to discuss the impact of Public Health on different aspects of life.
Find the practical information for the course here.
After submitting your completed application, you will receive a confirmation of receipt. Once we have assessed your application and admitted you to the course, we will send you an invoice with payment details.
Payments can be made by bank transfer or by PayPal request. We offer the option of paying in one or two instalments. An advance payment of 50% secures the reservation of a seat at the training until the payment deadline. Your participation in the course is guaranteed only after receipt of full payment.
Please note that The Hague Academy accepts registrations on a first-paid, first-served policy.
Some countries require a visa to enter the Netherlands. Please check with The Netherlands or the embassy for the visa requirements related to your country. Because of the length of time needed for the visa procedure, we advise you to start this process as soon as possible. Once we have received your payment for the course, The Hague Academy will send you an acceptance letter which will assist you in arranging your visa to The Netherlands.
Under certain circumstances, participants may need to cancel their participation in the course. For cancellations before the payment deadline, we will reimburse the paid amounts minus an administration fee of €150.
To prevent late cancellation, we strongly encourage you to start with your visa application procedure at least six weeks before the start of the training programme.
We will charge a cancellation fee of 50% of the course fee for participants cancelling between four and two weeks prior to the start of the training. If you cancel your participation within the two-week period before the start of the course, then you have to pay 80% of the course fee.
It is always possible to nominate a suitably qualified candidate to replace you without extra charge, in the event that you cannot attend the course.
The Hague Academy for Local Governance reserves the right to cancel a course if the number of participants is insufficient or due to any other unforeseen circumstances. In this case, your payment will be 100% reimbursed. Other costs such as transportation or hotel cannot be reimbursed.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers MSP scholarships for training courses in the Netherlands. The MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP) aims to enhance the skills, instincts, and abilities of professionals, empowering their organizations and communities to thrive in an ever-changing world.
For more information and eligibility criteria, please visit our Scholarships page. Note that scholarships have a separate application process.
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