Methodology for Integrated Local Development Planning in Bosnia and Herzegovina (miPRO)

Methodology for Integrated Local Development Planning in Bosnia and Herzegovina (miPRO)

June 24, 2013


We are pleased to present the second edition of the Methodology for Integrated Local Development Planning (MiPRO) for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), prepared following its practical application in 23 municipalities in BiH. The second edition contains practical examples and experiences practices from strategic planning processes recently conducted in these 23 municipalities.

MiPRO was elaborated within the Integrated Local Development Project (ILDP), which is a joint initiative of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), implemented in partnership with the BiH Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, RS Ministry for Administration and Local Self-Governance, Federal Ministry of Justice and the Associations of Municipalities and Cities in both entities.

WHY miPRO? At the heart of any development process is the need to design systematic approach, which provides guiding principles, captures processes` structure and path, embeds solutions and lays down the benchmarks for results. Departing from this baseline, the local development planning methodology is a conceptual and practical tool intended to guide local development planning in Bosnia and Herzegovina, resting on a structured and systematic approach and meant to improve quality of local strategic planning work country-wide.

WHAT IS miPRO? miPRO is an instrument for proactive and accountable local development planning and management in BiH, resting on the principles of sustainable development and social inclusion, and fully mainstreaming gender equality in local policy making. It consists of two parts: the theoretical (conceptual) part and the practical part with a toolkit.

• The theoretical part of miPRO describes the main principles and features on which local strategic planning process rests. In addition, this part captures the process, the common denominating elements of local development strategies, their scope, minimum structure and timeframe.

• The practical part of miPRO guides and leads local planners through each step of the strategic planning process, explaining the elements, providing advice, exemplifying results and providing good practices and solutions from BiH. It is a process-based guider, reducing uncertainty to local development practitioners and providing a framework for planning tasks, such as development of certain strategy components, running a workshop with stakeholders that have a specific focus and purpose, etc. The practitioner will certainly adapt the tool to his or her needs in a specific situation. The availability of the local planning methodology saves a lot of time in conceptualising a given task, and reduces the risk of failure.

• miPRO toolkit offers a rich variety of sample tables and charts, instruments, sample events` agendas, sample structure of relevant local planning documents and other support tools, available in an electronic format and equipping local planners with an instrumentarium of planning examples.

HOW WAS miPRO CREATED? The process of miPRO elaboration was guided by a working group that was established within the ILDP gathering 30 policy makers and practitioners - representatives of relevant institutions and organisations from all levels, while the overall consultation process involved close to 200 additional representatives of sectoral state and entity institutions, representatives of cantons in FBiH, practitioners from the municipal level and representatives of non-governmental and international organisations active in the field of local development. Following the finalisation of miPRO and its adoption by the working group, miPRO was adopted by the Associations of Municipalities and cities in both entities who recommended its application to all of its members. Upon the proposal of the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Federal Development Planning Institute, the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina recommended the application of miPRO to all local self-government units in FBiH. Same recommendations were issued by the Government of Republika Srpska, following the proposal of the RS Ministry for Administration and Local Self-Governance. Practical application of miPRO began in 24 ILDP partner municipalities at the end of 2009.