Our interventions center on developing the capacity and installing accountability mechanisms in core public institutions necessary for a responsive democracy. By strengthening core support institutions, such as the Civil Service Secretariat, the Public Procurement Office and the Comptroller General, to apply critical reforms within service-oriented institutions, such as Health and Education, the project seeks to have a positive trickle-down effect on the end recipients of public goods. Similarly, support for the Judiciary primarily addresses key deficiencies within the central-level judicial structure that will ultimately have an impact on quality of justice nationwide.

Designed to be implemented exclusively through local organizations, our program features an important organizational development component to maximize project success and foster sustainability beyond the life of the project.  It actively promotes local ownership and alignment with host country priorities by focusing on demand-driven interventions, building on the success of country-led initiatives, and providing strategic government to government assistance to key public institutions. 

Strategic interventions under this project include strengthening Customs’ institutional capacity to develop and implement a risk management structure that fosters faster clearance of shipments in tune with an overall enhanced environment of internal controls.  Another strategic intervention is to support the Paraguayan Electoral Tribunal and related public institutions in implementing and enforcing the political finance law, enacted in 2012.  Using state of the art technology, and building on the current political openness to greater transparency and civil society support for reform, the program aims to increase accountability and oversight to reduce opportunities for corruption in political party financing. 

Building on a solid history of collaboration in the democracy and governance sector, USAID works closely with other donors to amplify impact and reduce duplication of efforts in areas related to this project. 

Cross cutting project themes include gender equality and women’s empowerment and broad-based inclusion of people with disabilities in democratic participation, labor, education and sports.  USAID draws on the power of research and development, capitalizes on new models for innovation, and encourages the utilization of science and technology to identify and advance solutions to governance problems.