Creative forms new practice area to deliver on governance, election needs
Creative Associates International announces its new Democracy, Governance and Electoral Integrity Practice Area, which combines the knowledge, skills and expertise of two existing units to offer holistic and integrated solutions to overlapping challenges facing democratic consolidation, accountable governance and civic activism.
“By combining the individual practice areas into a single, seamless unit,” says Tom Wheelock, Senior Vice President of the Communities in Transition Division, “we can offer even greater benefits to clients, partners and host governments.”
Creative’s new Democracy, Governance and Electoral Integrity Practice Area – comprised of the former Governance and Community Resilience and Electoral Education and Integrity practice areas – will focus on issues of governance, accountability, electoral integrity and security, constitutional processes, legislative strengthening, anti-corruption and civil society development.
Creative President and CEO Leland Kruvant says the new practice area is part of the company’s strategy of continuously evaluating its portfolio of services and how they align with the needs on the ground, as well as their ability to deliver innovative solutions to pressing issues.
Deborah Kimble, who has led Creative’s Governance and Community Resilience Practice Area since 2013, has been named director of the newly constituted practice area.
“Democracy doesn’t begin and end at the ballot box. It is a continuum that embraces the broader issues of good governance and accountability,” she says. “This practice area is how Creative will deliver on those needs and challenges.”
The Democracy, Governance and Electoral Integrity Practice Area will oversee Creative’s current work in Mali, Libya, Somalia and the ECOWAS countries of West Africa, allowing technical experts and staff working across the programs to further collaborate on these interconnected development issues.
“While the formal merger of these two practice areas is happening now, it really is the result of several years of collaboration on several projects that resulted in the marriage of technical skills into a holistic new practice area focused on developments in the democracy and governance space,” Kimble says. “I’m excited to be leading this new, highly collaborative practice area of Creative’s top talent in this field.”
Building on past success
The new practice area better reflects Creative’s holistic and comprehensive approach to democracy and governance thinking, particularly in conflict and post-conflict environments.
In Somalia, for example, the USAID-funded BUILD project focuses on strengthening electoral processes in the country while also expanding knowledge and skills for fostering long-term good governance.
“Somalia was a good case study in how we can support elections more effectively by approaching them as a part of overall governance,” Kimble says. recalling her 2019 visit to Mogadishu.