Since 1994 Bolivia has undergone a dramatic process of political decentralisation. Recent research has analysed this decentralisation process and argues that it has made the Bolivian government more responsive to the needs of the poor by redirecting public investment to areas of greatest need.

La mise en �uvre de l�autonomie régionale a investi les autorités locales du pouvoir d�attribuer de petites concessions forestières aux communautés indigènes. Les gouvernements locaux ne sont plus disposés à se conformer aux injonctions du gouvernement central. Aujourd�hui, il est clair que le ministère des Forêts a perdu le contrôle de la ressource forestière.

Los gobiernos centrales de muchos países han emprendido un proceso de descentralización de responsabilidades y poder decisional en las instituciones provinciales y municipales. Sin embargo, en ciertos casos tal descentralización no incluye la transferencia completa de los recursos financieros correspondientes.

From a gender perspective, decentralisation of a Public Administration opens up new possibilities to stimulate women's participation in local decision making processes. This case study highlights lessons learned from a

This issue of Unasylva examines a number of topics related to the redistribution of authority and power for forests and forestry.

Uganda is one of the several countries around the world, pursuing the policy of decentralisation as one pillar of public sector reform. Accordingly, the policy was designed to devolve powers and responsibilities for administration, planning and finance to the local levels where people can also participate in the decision making of their respective areas.

In this briefing paper, Nick Devas explores the scope for citizens� involvement in decision-making and for government accountability to its residents, in order for lasting improvements to be achieved. Case studies from seven Kenyan local authorities provide some practical guidelines as to what constitutes �good� or �bad� practice in local government, some of which may be transferable to other contexts.

This paper draws together evidence from a number of studies on the impacts of natural resource devolution policies in several Asian and southern African countries from the perspective of local people. Devolution outcomes are assessed in terms of who has greater benefits and decision-making authority. Factors that have influenced the devolution process are also examined.

Is Decentralisation Good for the Environment? Some Reflections on Power Transfer and Institutional Choice. Is decentralisation good for the environment and poverty? Lessons from the forestry sector in Indonesia.

The review draws on the environmental decentralization literature, on cases from other sectors and on theoretical discussions of decentralization. The literature reveals a lack of systematic comparative research characterizing decentralizations or explaining their origins and outcomes. The review identifies opportunities and tension in current reforms and outlines research priorities.

Can development planning close the gap between high level strategic thinking and the local level context? How can national poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSPs) complement the decentralisation of development functions?

This comparative study shows how democratic governance has improved representation and participation but that these often had no real effect on empowerment, equity or poverty reduction. The reason for this is that vulnerable groups are generally too weakly organised to turn their needs into effective demands, and accountability mechanisms are too poorly developed to ensure that demands are realised.

This brief presents preliminary findings and recommendations from research on natural resources in decentralization efforts around the world. The findings derive from WRI's Accountability, Decentralization, and Environment Comparative Research Project in Africa, and cases presented at the WRI-organized Conference on Decentralization and Environment.

This report provides an overview of the decentralisation of natural resources decision-making and management in mainland Southeast Asia during the past 20 years. It is based upon seven in-depth case studies from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Yunnan, China and comparative material from ongoing collaborative work with partners in Northern Thailand. The authors identify findings about the opportunities and risks of decentralisation that are specific to these case studies and highlight common themes in the design and implementation of decentralisation reforms across the region.

La descentralización democrática es un manera prometedora de institucionalizar y de aumentar la participación popular, que hace que sea eficaz la gestión participativa de los recursos naturales basada en la comunidad. Sin embargo, la mayoría de las actuales reformas de descentralización se caracterizan por una insuficiente transferencia de poderes hacia las instituciones locales, bajo la estricta fiscalización del gobierno central.

Ce dossier présente les premières conclusions et recommandations provenant de la recherche sur les efforts de décentralisation à travers le monde en matière de ressources naturelles. Ces conclusions proviennent du programme de recherche comparée de l�Institut des Ressources Mondiales sur la responsabilité, la décentralisation, et l�environnement en Afrique.