International studies highlight the role that municipalities play in conflict mitigation and peacebuilding, hosting of refugees and rebuilding after conflict. For many years, VNG International has been involved in projects that deal with conflict, vulnerability, and migration in countries such as South Sudan, Somalia, Jordan, Uganda, Iraq, Libya, Tunisia and Myanmar. We have developed an innovative approach on the role of local governments dealing with conflict, vulnerability and migration, which builds upon our multiple experiences that include capacity development, stakeholder coordination and knowledge sharing. The approach, which is accompanied by a comprehensive toolkit, offers donors an alternative when working with central governments is not possible.
Security is a fundamental human need and a core responsibility of governments. VNG International empowers local governments to fulfill this role, focusing on improving security governance and fostering citizens’ trust in local security services to create genuinely safe communities. This is vital for achieving sustainable development, as security enables economic activities, inclusive growth, and effective public service delivery.
Recognizing that crises differ across countries and communities, VNG International applies a human security approach tailored to local realities. Secure environments facilitate income-generating activities and bolster resource mobilization, empowering governments to meet citizens’ needs more effectively. Local governments are often responsible for critical functions such as spatial planning, municipal services, civil protection, firefighting, conflict prevention, regulatory enforcement, and supporting community structures.
In countries in transition, local governments face heightened safety challenges, often becoming the first responders during conflicts or crises. Ensuring safety for people, property, and development lies at the heart of their missions. The interplay between safety and development underscores the need for coherence between development planning and security management, enabling local authorities to build resilient and thriving communities.
Our approach focuses on strengthening leadership skills to promote good governance and the rule of law within security-related government institutions. By connecting personal leadership with organizational leadership, we introduce modern leadership principles and foster a culture of strategic thinking, collaboration, transparency, and accountability. We aim to transform political and administrative behaviors by enhancing organizational culture and encouraging cooperation across the security sector. This includes developing feedback mechanisms to build trust between citizens and security actors. Our methodologies enable citizens, elected officials, civil society, and security agencies (police, defense, justice) to collaboratively identify security risks and design effective responses. Additionally, we advocate at the national level to secure increased resources for local governments, empowering them to address security challenges more effectively and sustainably.