Objectives and Policy Priorities B. Policies for Promoting Urban Governance 1. Four principles for achieving good governance underlie all policies for strengthening urban management in DMCs. If city managers and staff are to be more accountable to central government policy makers and to residents, their work will need to be assessed using performance indicators and benchmark criteria.
Accountability is also increasingly important in the delivery of services by the private sector.
Greater participation is an essential prerequisite of good governance, represented by a growing web of interest groups that want more say in policy development and implementation. Participatory approaches are of particular relevance to reduce urban poverty and enhance the role of the informal sector. Community participation will also be enhanced where the principles of demand management are used to improve service delivery. With many cities growing faster than the institutional capacity to manage their growth, administrative and legal procedures are often applied unevenly and to the disadvantage of the poor. An overhaul is required, so that, for instance, housing and land regulations and standards are affordable to poor families.