Semiannual Performance Report: Decentralization Enabling Environment Program

The program's general objective is to achieve a legal framework for decentralization through the approval of new and/or reformed public policies and laws. The program's specific objectives include advocacy and training local people to promote decentralization laws skillfully and representatively. Additionally, the program aims to strengthen local government capacities through the adoption and implementation of legal, fiscal, and administrative reforms. This includes monitoring and reporting quarterly on national government transfers to local governments and verifying the application of the law stated in the article 91 of the Municipal Law to citizens. Furthermore, the program seeks to increase capacity to finance municipal operative costs and invest with own source funds. The program's performance monitoring plan results indicate that the total resources managed by local government as a percentage of total public resources increased from 9.18% to 11% during the period of July to December 2015. The percentage of laws and reforms passed by the government of Honduras (GOH) and drafted with USG assistance to promote decentralization remained at 80%. The index of implementation of the Municipal Administrative Career Law by local government to promote municipal autonomy also remained at 100%. The program's results also indicate that the index of fiscal municipal autonomy increased from 60.5 to 65.5 during the period of July to November 2015. The amount of tax recovery through mediation in 12 municipalities reached L 8,030,380.29, with L 2,984,035.55 presented to court for recovery. Ten semiannual reports from July to December 2015 were printed for documentation. The program's activities during the period of July to December 2015 included the development of the Decentralization Law Congress Review by the Municipal Affairs Commission from National Congress. The approval of the Municipal Administrative Career Law by the Ministry of Human Rights, Justice, Governance and Decentralization was also achieved. Six new local policies for municipalities from MAMSA and MANSUCOPA were developed with the participation of representatives from local governments and the OSC. The program's gender strategy aims to promote the participation of women in the decentralization process. The program's results indicate that women-headed households showed higher adoption rates for all practices except mechanical land preparation. The program's budget implementation plan indicates that the program's budget was implemented in accordance with the approved plan. The program's main activities for the next period include the continuation of advocacy and training activities, the strengthening of local government capacities, and the promotion of fiscal municipal autonomy. The program's obstacles include the need to improve the implementation of the Municipal Administrative Career Law and the need to increase the capacity of local governments to finance municipal operative costs and invest with own source funds.