ICLD report - Whose voice matters? Inclusion in local decision-making in Kenya and Lebanon

By: Hanna Leonardsson, Jean-Bosco Habyarimana This research report compares how local inclusion and participation is connected to citizen influence in two post-conflict societies. This report highlight the special circumstances in a society with experience of armed conflict and deep societal divides. While inclusion is crucial to local democracy, this research also shows the risk of perpetuating conflictual divides. It warns against taking inclusion and participation at face value, and encourages deep context analysis and special attention to marginalised groups at the local level. This report describes in detail the two contexts and compares their respective political systems of inclusion and participation. See the associated policy brief for a shorter version focusing on policy recommendations.