Legislative Strengthening Fact Sheet

Initially, the majority of programming focused on providing equipment and information technologies, developing research and library capacity, and increasing the technical skills of legislators and legislative staff. However, USAID has learned that these efforts have limited impact on the overall effectiveness and democratic character of the legislature, particularly when the enabling environment is absent and legislators lack the knowledge, skills, and will to carry out their responsibilities. In response, USAID's legislative strengthening programs have shifted focus to improving legislative openness and transparency, increasing public participation in the legislative process, and addressing management and organizational issues. Greater emphasis has been placed on developing the political and technical skills of legislators to carry out their representative, lawmaking, and oversight responsibilities. USAID programs aim to assist legislatures in becoming more effective and efficient institutions through a mix of technical assistance, exposure to comparative practices, skills enhancement and training, and the development of legislative and information technologies. USAID's legislative strengthening programs are designed to achieve several key objectives, including building support for democratic reform within a legislature, increasing representation of citizens, improving technical capacity in policy and lawmaking, enhancing oversight of the executive branch, and ensuring sound management and adequate infrastructure. In designing these programs, USAID considers various factors that affect the ability of the legislature to enact and oversee the implementation of policies and laws, including the formal institutional arrangements of the government, the political will of the legislature, and the functional and technical capabilities of legislators and the institution as a whole. Legislatures are complex institutions that require a multifaceted approach to strengthening. USAID has learned that legislative programs should consider a focus on strengthening the role of political parties as legislative and governance actors. This may involve working with majority parties to strengthen their capacity to govern and engage in effective decision-making and policy reform, as well as with opposition groups to strengthen their capacity to act constructively and hold governments accountable for their actions. Additionally, support from civil society may be critical for developing the political will inside the legislature to implement reforms and for legislators to have a sense of ownership over the shape that the reforms take. USAID's efforts to improve the functioning of the legislature have not always made the institution more democratic. Programmers need to think through the incentive structures in the context of which activities will be implemented. Building political will and creating an enabling environment are areas that require greater attention and understanding. USAID's legislative programming has begun to cut across democracy sectors, and areas that require greater understanding and may be targets for future research include how programming in election-related activities and political processes and with political parties may provide or restrict opportunities for working with the legislature or may reinforce or undermine legislative programs already in place.