Governance

In a global context of increasingly restrictive civic spaces, economic shock, and growing instability, active citizens, strong civil societies, and effective, transparent and accountable institutions play cornerstone roles in ensuring and protecting equitable, inclusive and peaceful societies. NIRAS is strongly committed to supporting this vision by empowering and enabling citizens to actively participate in democratic processes, strengthening civil society through alliance-building, advocacy, and organisational development, and building the capacity of public institutions to fulfil their democratic mandates in the development of processes and policies and their implementation. NIRAS has implemented more than 300 governance projects worldwide in partnership with local and international civil society actors and public institutions, promoting democratic processes and participation and freedom-of-speech initiatives while building capacities of public institutions enabling citizens, academia, and decision-makers to be better informed, leading to more transparent, and accountable governance and ultimately, more just and inclusive societies. We work with civil society organisations (CSOs), parliaments, and media to establish local-level development and decentralisation, undertaking public financial management and public administration reform. We help increase responsive, inclusive, and participatory planning and representative decision-making at all levels – contributing directly to SDG 16 by introducing new tools such as climate and gender budgeting and tracking public funding towards climate, gender equality, and biodiversity. Together with key stakeholders, we examine complex situations with dedication. We emphasise socially acceptable solutions and analyse opportunities and alternatives. This approach has earned NIRAS a reputation for delivering cost-efficient governance advisory services of the highest quality that meet our clients’ demands.