Advancing Local Governance in Fragile Settings: Evidence from Northeast Syria

Effective local governance in fragile, conflict-affected settings underpins sustainable peace and community resilience. When central institutions are weak or absent, local governance structures fill the void. However, interventions to bolster local governance suffer significant challenges that undermine implementation and sustainability. Previous research suggests that more representative processes advance governance outcomes and improve legitimacy. That said, there is limited evidence regarding specific participation and engagement of vulnerable groups in local governance, especially in fragile settings. More specifically, there is sparse research on the Syria context, and recent political shifts and emerging dynamics underscore the urgent need for new insights into how governance can be strengthened on the country’s evolving path forward.

Using the context of Mercy Corps’ Catalyzing Community Resilience in Northern Syria (CCRNS) program, this research examines how the role of youth in governance programs can shift power and decision-making within and to vulnerable communities. Additionally, the study examined how local partnerships and participatory approaches to governance programming shape community engagement and responsiveness to governance structures, particularly with fragile and evolving government structures as seen in Syria.

The CCRNS program—funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)— used Mercy Corps’ signature approach to community mobilization and participatory planning, CATALYSE, which promotes inclusive civic engagement, decentralized decision-making, and the empowerment of marginalized groups. We found that by anchoring decision-making in participatory planning and engagements that were representative, these systems rebuilt trust, strengthened social cohesion, and advanced governance.

Specifically, the study shows that:

• Empowering youth as change agents advances local governance. CCRNS turned vulnerable youth into credible community brokers by pairing dedicated youth committees with practical training in communication and problem-solving. Empowered to negotiate service fixes and relay residents’ priorities, these young leaders boosted both government responsiveness and community trust, demonstrating that youth participation can directly strengthen local governance in fragile settings.
• Shifting power to the communities builds trust between community members and local authorities. By empowering youth committees to gather community priorities and secure rapid fixes, CCRNS shifted decision-making power back to residents, creating a visible feedback loop that rebuilt trust in local authorities. This iterative, community-driven process demonstrates that when citizens see their voices translated into concrete service improvements, vertical trust in government can recover even in highly fragile, post-conflict settings.
• Fostering fairness and engagement through CATALYSE strengthens social cohesion.  The CATALYSE approach strengthened social cohesion in Al-Diriyah through mixed-group trainings in that it fostered empathy and broke down stereotypes among IDPs, returnees and long-term residents. Participants reported shifting from aggression to calm, collaborative problem-solving, while shared tasks built trust across social divides.
• CATALYSE influenced positive shifts in societal expectations for women and men. Equal representation of men and women on CCRNS youth committees unexpectedly shifted social norms in Al-Diriyah. The training empowered women to participate alongside men in public decision-making, visibly challenging norms that once barred collaboration of men and women. As community members observed women negotiating with authorities and shaping household decisions, resistance gave way to acceptance, demonstrating that pairing formal quotas with practical skills development can create meaningful shifts in entrenched roles in fragile settings.

Based on these findings, governments, donors, civil society, and implementing actors should consider the following:

• Institutionalize and sustain youth‐led governance bodies by embedding rotating youth committees into local decision-making, mentoring new members, and spreading CATALYSE skills throughout the community.
• Mainstream fairness-centered, mixed-group trainings to strengthen social cohesion and expand women’s public and household influence.
• Fund community-driven governance mechanisms to ensure accountability, resilience, and long-term local ownership.