Sustainable Development through improved Local Governance (SRoL)

The SDLG project in Palestine empowers local governance by enhancing service delivery, promoting participatory decision-making and strengthening institutional frameworks. By focusing on marginalized communities, the initiative aims to boost resilience and foster long-term sustainability, ensuring more inclusive and effective development.

Objective

The SDLG project in Palestine aims to strengthen the legitimacy and stability of marginalized communities through better local governance. It builds the capacity of Local Authorities (LAs) to deliver responsive and inclusive services, involve communities in decision-making, and advance decentralization. By introducing smart administrative systems, integrated spatial and economic planning and stronger institutional frameworks, the project promotes accountability and sustainability. It also empowers local leaders, civil servants and community members while creating conditions for village councils and national stakeholders to improve service delivery and resilience.

Results

The project has resulted in Local Authorities (LAs) becoming more accountable, responsive, and inclusive to residents’ needs by improving service delivery systems, including smart administrative and financial management. Participatory Community Planning Committees were established to guide strategic spatial and economic planning. The project also created a stronger institutional environment, enabling Village Councils to advocate for better local governance. National authorities are now more aware of the evidence needed to enhance community resilience, particularly in Area C, where planning processes are documented for better coordination and policy-making​.

Solar energy systems in Western Ramallah

One example of this cooperation is the installation of solar rooftop systems in Western Ramallah. Through the SDLG-SRoL project, 17 village councils and municipalities worked with the Ministry of Local Governance and project partners to define local priorities and implement the project. Together, they installed 17 solar rooftop systems with a combined capacity of 253.8 kWp. The systems generate renewable energy and reduce electricity costs for the participating Local Authorities. This gives them more financial room to invest in services for residents.

In several communities, the savings have already contributed to improvements such as better street lighting and safer public spaces. Through this joint effort, the participating authorities and project partners have created infrastructure that will continue to generate energy and reduce municipal costs.