SDC has made viable contributions to the development of cost-effective and sustainable Water and Sanitation solutions at the local level. However, these solutions have not been scaled up, and the lack of access to public services in rural areas remains important. It has become increasingly clear that a fundamental improvement of public services in rural areas is only possible under two conditions: (i) local authorities can generate additional resources and/or receive higher fiscal transfers, and (ii) women and men are more actively involved in the management of local affairs. 

The LG domain aims to enhance participation in local development and decision-making, to further improve public service provision in rural areas, and to promote an effective decentralization. All these  have a strong focus on the inclusion of excluded groups (poor rural population, Roma, people with disabilities). 

With regard to local participation, SDC is supporting initiatives that allow community members to jointly tackle shared challenges, such as the creation of healthy environments, cultural spaces, or access to various improved public services. SDC is also investing in civic education, working in schools and communities  to equip adolescents  with vital life skills, and raise their civic consciousness and respect for diversity. Community-based CSOs are  being strengthened and their involvement in the policy cycle at local and national levels is facilitated. 

SDC is working with citizens and CSOs so as to equip them with the skills needed to demand more accountability and better services from LPAs and service providers. 

To address the chronic underfunding of services in rural areas in a more sustainable way, SDC is supporting the Government of Moldova in the implementation of local governance reforms, with a focus on effective  decentralization, inter-municipal cooperation, and regionalization of services. 

SDC collaborates with the Moldovan Congress of Local Authorities (CALM) and supports advocacy efforts towards a genuine local autonomy, together with governmental and non-governmental actors committed to reforms.