U S Agency for International Developmen

Tunisia: Transition Initiative U S Agency for International Developmen

Publisher Marketing: USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) sought to support Tunisians in their pursuit of a democratic society and more equitable, responsive, and legitimate governance. In particular, the program, known locally as the Bridge To Democracy (BTD), provided material and technical support to communities, civil society organizations (CSO), and local institutions to help build democratic resiliency, increase citizen participation in democratic life, and bolster positive change. USAID/OTI's program objective was to create viable space for the transition to succeed by implementing high impact and high visibility programming to improve citizen-government dialogue on transition issues. To achieve these objectives, the Tunisia Transition Initiative (TTI) program worked with a variety of local partners, including Tunisian individuals, organizations and government representatives to identify and implement key programmatic initiatives that were catalytic in nature, with activities primarily focused on two complementary program areas: encouraging new and emerging civil society groups to contribute to the national dialogue; and promoting civic engagement through small community development projects. TTI's programmatic response to the country's transitional context was through the implementation of activities designed to strengthen mutual trust between citizens and their government in the transition process, encouraging constructive dialogues and supporting different stakeholders in advocating for sustainable solutions to the country's challenges. In accordance with OTI's programming approach, TTI's activity strategy was designed to be flexible and responsive to changing conditions and needs, laying the foundation for sustainable solutions. As part of its overarching strategy, TTI supported activities that allowed Tunisian citizens from marginalized regions to participate in the political reform process and the formation of new political institutions.