Local Governance in Afghanistan: A View from the Ground

Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit
2011
Annex 4: Literature Review
There is an emerging literature on local governance that ranges from general descriptions and
comment to analyses that come with a more focused contribution based on location or sector.
Of the literature that takes a wider overview, an early study by the World Bank addresses the key
constraints to strengthening local government systems in Afghanistan. 162 In the same year, The Asia
Foundation undertook an assessment of local governance that provides a good account of the legal
background and description of structures. 163 A comparative approach was seen to be emerging in
Larson’s study that was designed to give SIDA basic political, economic, social, cultural and security
information on four northern provinces. 164 A general assessment of local government and the role of
NGOs in supporting the development of sub-national governance capacity that provides an extensive
list of recommendations was commissioned by Afghanistan-based INGOs. 165 Also in 2009, UNDP produced
a report on local government that drew on drivers of change theory and produced a social capital
measurement framework. 166 The Human Rights Research and Advocacy Consortium undertook quality
research into local government. Their report on provincial councils is required reading. 167 The National
Democratic Institute produce a steady stream of highly informative material related to elections
and the electoral process. 168 The Asia Foundation has been a consistent contributor to improving
knowledge about local government, not least through its 2007 assessment and subsequent perception
surveys. 169 A diverse range of governance-related issues have been covered by the Afghanistan Analysts
Network. 170 Rubin has written numerous governance-related articles, and one of particular relevance
to this research is his contextualisation of public administrative reform. 171 Barfield and Nojumi have
presented a practical and realistic set of suggestions for improving local governance. 172
Moving to publications that focus more on specific locations, there are valuable papers by UNAMA on
Sar-i-Pul, Jawzjan and Samangan that give a clear and detailed outline of the more formal aspects
of local government structures and operation. 173 They are frank in highlighting a number of problems
in the operation of local government in the provinces. Papers from the Feinstein International
Centre provide a useful description of selected provinces and the specificities of their governance
arrangements, particularly as related to aid and security. 174 There is valuable research evidence
presented in a Noragric report on Day Kundi, a poorly served province in every sense. 175 CPAU have
162 The World Bank, “Service Delivery and Governance at the Sub-National Level in Afghanistan” (Washington, DC: The
World Bank, 2007).
163 The Asia Foundation, “An Assessment of Sub-National Governance in Afghanistan” (Kabul: The Asia Foundation, 2007).
164 Katarina Larsson, “A Provincial Survey of Balkh, Jowzjan, Samangan and Saripul” (Kabul: SIDA, 2008).
165 David Connolly, “Assessing the status of sub national governance and the role of INGOs in building sub national governance
capacities in Afghanistan” (York, UK: Post-War Reconstruction and Development Unit, University of York, 2009).
166 UNDP, “Local Governance and Development” (Kabul: UNDP, 2009).
167 Nasrat Esmaty and Asadullah Ahmadi, “A Broken Relationship: A Study of the Provincial Councils and their Ability to Serve
the Afghan People” (Kabul: Human Rights Research and Advocacy Consortium, 2010).
168 http://www.ndi.org/content/afghanistan
169 The Asia Foundation, “An Assessment of Sub-National Governance in Afghanistan.”
170 http://aan-afghanistan.com
171 Barnett R. Rubin, “The Political Context of Public Administration Reform in Afghanistan” (Washington, DC: The World
Bank, 2006).
172 Thomas Barfield and Neamatollah Nojumi, “Bringing More Effective Governance to Afghanistan: 10 Pathways to Stability,”
Middle East Policy Vol. XVII, No. 4 (2010): 40-52.
173 UNAMA, “Governance Profile Sari Pul Province” (Kabul: UNAMA, 2010); UNAMA, “Governance Profile Jawzjan Province”
(Kabul: UNAMA, 2010); UNAMA, “Governance Profile Samangan Province” (Kabul: UNAMA, 2010).
174 Paul Fishstein, “Winning Hearts and Minds Examining the Nature of Aid and Security in Afghanistan’s Balkh Province”
(Medford, Massachusetts, USA: Feinstein International Center, Tufts University, 2010); Geert Gompelman, “Winning Hearts and
Minds Examining the Nature of Aid and Security in Faryab Province” (Medford, Massachusetts, USA: Feinstein International
Center, Tufts University, 2011).
175 Ingrid Nyborg, Jalaluddin Akramy and Aslaug Gotehus, “Exploring Rural Livelihoods in Afghanistan: A Study of 10 Villages
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