The abuse of political, economic, social, or symbolic power for personal or clan-based gain fuels symbolic violence that exacerbates exclusion and marginalization. It undermines the foundations of collective existence. It diverts social norms, laws, and institutions meant to enable individuals to realize their potential and share public resources equitably. As a result, trust between citizens and institutions erodes, the social contract weakens, and the legitimacy of democratic governance diminishes. Public institutions become ineffective, unable to safeguard rights or deliver services, while inequalities deepen, and public funds are misused. This phenomenon, known as corruption, poses one of the greatest barriers to human, economic, and social development, and consequently, to social cohesion.
This raises a pivotal question: how can communities strengthen social cohesion where corruption is entrenched?
Helvetas’ Experience in Cabo Delgado
Helvetas explored one potential solution to this question in Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique. Funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Health Promotion Project employed gender-responsive budgeting to develop accountability mechanisms across community, district, and provincial levels. The goal: enhance transparency, restore trust, and ensure that the needs of women, youth, and marginalized groups were included and reflected in local planning and budget allocation decisions.
Contributing to Community Empowerment
The project began with a stakeholder analysis to identify the influential actors within the community (traditional and religious leaders, educators, private sector representatives, women’s associations, youth groups, elders, parent-teacher associations, and health committees). Helvetas then focused on strengthening these groups’ capacity to express their needs and engage meaningfully in the budgeting process.
To foster inclusive participation, the project built on existing “planning fair” (Feira de Planificação) sessions and community forums held at various community and district levels. These forums, part of provincial and district governments’ annual planning and budgeting process (PESOD – Plano Económico e social e Orçamento Distrital), invite citizens, community leaders, CSOs, private sector, and service providers to present their priorities, proposals, and projects. These gatherings promote transparency, local ownership, and dialogue that address power imbalances related to gender, age, or socio-economic status. Helvetas also supported local councils in ensuring that community and village representatives were selected through inclusive processes, reflecting the socio-demographic diversity of their constituencies.
Citizen Oversight and Accountability
However, participation must transcend mere symbolism. To ensure that community priorities identified during consultations shape planning and budgets, the project established a community-led monitoring committee. This body included women’s, youth, and elderly groups, and local organizations. This committee monitored whether the agreed priorities were implemented in accordance with the District’s Social and Economic Development Plan (PESOD). It held public hearings, field visits, and community-led assessments of ongoing public initiatives, creating citizen-local authority interactions that reinforced transparency and trust.
District-Level Partnerships
At the district level, Helvetas supported the inclusion of community representatives within the District Council. While political constraints occasionally limited their influence, their presence allowed a better representation of their priorities in budget planning.
Regular consultations among district officials, community members, and Helvetas partners became an integral part of the planning cycle, reinforcing mutual accountability between citizens and local authorities.
Fostering Provincial Dialogue
Provincial-level engagement has been particularly challenging. The provincial entities responsible for budget management – the Direcção Provincial de Planificação e Finanças (DPPF), Direcção Provincial de Obras Públicas (DPOP), Direcção Provincial de Saúde (DPS) – are highly politicized and often disconnected from local communities, limiting direct engagement.
Nonetheless, the project has laid the groundwork for future dialogue, enabling citizens to comprehend provincial policy and budgeting and promote their influence in decision processes. Such collaboration can help provincial authorities align their strategies with local realities, increase transparency on how community needs are addressed, and ultimately strengthen partnerships and governance.
Lessons Learned
Helvetas’ experience in Cabo Delgado highlights the potential to develop effective mechanisms for social cohesion, even in environments characterized by fragility and susceptibility to corruption. Key lessons:
- Inclusion is imperative. Women, youth, and marginalized groups must be actively involved, with their priorities reflected in budgets and social and economic plans.
- Mechanisms for citizen accountability are crucial. The establishment of monitoring committees, public hearings, social auditing, and iterative validation processes ensures that community priorities are preserved throughout the implementation stages.
- Multi-level articulation is essential. Connecting community, district, and provincial governance structures allows local priorities to inform higher-level policy decisions.
Conclusion
The project in Cabo Delgado demonstrates that social cohesion can be reinforced through strategies that integrate inclusion, accountability, and multi-level engagement. While challenges such as corruption and political constraints persist, the establishment of participatory spaces, citizen-led oversight, and ongoing dialogue between communities and authorities presents a promising pathway toward achieving more equitable and resilient governance. In fragile contexts where corruption undermines the social fabric, gender-responsive mechanisms, as implemented by Helvetas in Mozambique, enhance inclusive planning and budgeting, serving as critical instruments for peacebuilding, trust-building, and the sustenance of social contracts.