Governance as Power​

Effective sustainable development requires local solutions to local problems. Abt applies a political economy lens to all our programs to understand how incentives and motivations interact with rules and structures affect power dynamics, resource distribution, and information asymmetry—and which interests are at stake. We then use an equity lens to ensure representation of all interests in the process of articulating problems and identifying solutions that are politically feasible and technically appropriate. Through our commitment to localization, we team with local actors so our shared contextual knowledge informs our understanding of the coalitions or networks that can shape or advance policy and institutional reform (or block them). We also use system-aware, contextually appropriate approaches to design, implement, and monitor our programs to achieve better results for everyone.