Decentralization and Local Development Support Program in Yemen

The Capstone team was asked by United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) to look at the current arrangements of basic public service provision in Yemen, focusing on primary education, health and rural water services, and the relationship between the public and local authorities in the delivery of these services. In order to fulfill the goals of the project’s mission, the team researched international examples of decentralization efforts and spent three weeks conducting field work in Yemen, interviewing officials in the central and local governments, as well as local branch officers of international organizations. Based on collected data, the Capstone team presented UNCDF with details of the status of decentralization and service delivery in Yemen. Additionally, the group highlighted issues in the implementation of the current system and made key recommendations for future work and targeted intervention.