WB Course - Citizen Engagement: A Game Changer for Development

1. Through Citizen Engagement We Can Make a Change
Project Assignment for World Bank Course
Citizen Engagement – A Game Changer for Development
By Hillary N. Fernando
Colombo – Sri Lanka
March 2016
* Picture Source: Sunday Times- 2013 your year to go green

2. Context of Garbage & Waste Management in Sri Lanka
• Total waste generated in Sri Lanka is 6500 – 7000 Metric Tons per annum.
• Only 39% of this tonnage is collected and disposed safely.
What it causes and what are its impacts?
• Unhygienic and unclean surroundings
• Poor quality of air (stench and smelly surroundings)
• Scavenging birds & rodents, health hazards for animals
• Affecting the quality of ground water
• Mounds of garbage affecting the aesthetic state of environment
An appropriate response to this growing societal challenge is required from
everyone, the local authorities and the government.

3. Societal problem & objectives of this initiative
• Garbage and poor waste management both at municipality and national level is
a societal & environmental problem in Sri Lanka.
• This initiative aims to develop a dialog and close the feedback loop between
government and citizens and thereby creating a much broader government
reforms that could be leveraged to help meet the objectives of the goal by
citizen engagement and lobbying local authorities and peoples’ representatives
to raise this matter in the parliament.
• The main government agencies responsible for this service are the
municipalities and the environment authorities. This initiative attempts to
engage citizens, civil society organizations, NGOs and citizens’ forums &
committees to aggregate people and collaborate with government and local
authorities in managing the garbage & waste collection and disposal.
• It expects to lead a change for positive results by informing people, getting their
feedback and collaborating with service providers and government agencies to
respond and act.

4. Key Players & Tools
• The key players are the citizens themselves, local authorities, municipalities,
NGOs, the Ministry of Environment and the government and policy makers. The
citizens and the local authorities and municipalities are the best placed to partner
with other organizations to make this initiative effective.
• To meet the objectives engagement, the initiative will make use of tech or non-
tech tools for thin and thick engagement using ICT tools, social media, TV and
radio broadcasts for recruitment for participation adding unique value they bring.
Advertisement billboards in the towns centres, residential areas and at
municipalities and mobile loudspeakers announcements targeting the residential
areas and communities to create awareness campaigns. It will also organize 3
kilometre “Walk for Environment” in selected main towns

5. Expected Change of this Citizen Engagement Initiative
• Focus on and awareness among citizens, civil society and everyone
interested in making a response change by Local Authorities and
Government to the Garbage & Waste Management problems in Sri Lanka
and beyond.
• Promote source separation, recycling, composting and on a broader
strategy waste-to-energy actions.
• Approximately 60% of the total generated waste is biodegradable and
expected conversion to organic fertilizer
• Targeted increase of collection rate to be increased to 50-65 % by 2020 in
whole of Sri Lanka

6. Challenges & Opportunities
Challenges
• Recruitment & mobilising peoples’ participation
• Access of social media to the marginalised of the society
• Non-response from local politicos responsible for inaction
• Budgetary constraints and funding and possible partial disruption of peoples’ daily work and allocating time
for participation
Opportunities that would maximize the potential success of the initiative
• High level concern and enthusiasm for participation of the general public and concerned organizations
• Finding a solution for the problem faced in daily disposal of waste and improvement of the hygienic & social
nature of the effects.
• In Sri Lanka the present government is committed and has brought much change to accommodate citizen
engagement.
• Present enabling environment for citizen engagement in raising voice against corruption and abuse and non-
action.
• Recent democratic endeavours like media freedom, independent judiciary and human rights moves at UNHCR
strengthening and encouraging the engagement of citizens on issues of governance .

7. What can We Do ?

8. How Local Authorities & Government must respond ?

9. Let Us Together Fight the Growing
Garbage Problem in Sri Lanka
Through Citizen Engagement we have a choice and opportunity to make our
surroundings & environment clean
Citizens, civil society, NGOs, Local authorities & Governments,
policy makers and service providers and all have a responsibility
to lead the way for a collective effort by everyone to act now,
act together and act differently to make a better world.