Within the framework of a decentralization program responsive to citizen rights, the Hans Seidel Foundation (Egypt Office) and Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights held the third training model for youth in the age group 21-35 years under the title “Enhancing the role of youth in improving the legal framework for local administration”, on 11-12 December 2013 in the city of Mahalla al-Kubra in the Gharbia Governorate.
A group of young activists in the city of Mahalla al-Kubra and a number of surrounding cities and villages participated in the model. Mahalla is one of the cities in which there are a large number of young people with interest in public affairs and strongly involved in social and political organizations.
The model aimed to raise youth awareness of the governing framework of local administration, as well as raise their awareness of decentralization and good local governance, as well as enable young people to propose and develop general principles for the local administration law in line with the proposed constitutional framework for local administration according to the conclusion of the fifty committee.
The two modules discussed the legislative framework for local governance (local administration section in the constitution draft), the legal reality and obstacles and components for decentralization's application according to the current legal framework, as well as a training on decentralization and good local governance and the general framework for local system in Egypt.
The modules also included a role-play for the competent committee on amending the Local Administration Law No. 43 of 1979, the participants were divided into three Specific Committees as follows: Executive Authority Committee; Elected Councils Committee; and Financial Resources Committee.
The model revealed the depth of youth interest in local affairs and political participation at the local level, and they lack only training and qualification and open the doors for opportunities for them to participate in reforming the local government system, especially in light of what the draft constitution stipulated in the allocation of a quarter of the local council seats for youth under the age of thirty-five.
Among the most important recommendations that the youth came out of the training model and demanded to be included in the new law for local administration was to raise the educational level of the candidates for membership of the local popular council to obtain at least the completion of basic education. They also recommended the necessity of stipulating the right of local units to collect real estate taxes, taxes on agricultural lands, and part of taxes on income in addition to local fees and revenues from the exploitation of local projects and resources, as well as the right of local units to carry over budget surpluses from A fiscal year to the next year.