The authors Iulia Cozacenco and Vlada Ciobanu reiterate that a community where all the inhabitants live well may be developed only if everyone makes an input. Public services, such as water supply and sewerage, waste management, lighting and road maintenance, etc. are the responsibility of the local public administration but their quality may be improved through involvement, vindication and monitoring by citizens. The authors also specify that a challenge for those who advocate on such issues is to draw the attention of the locals and the authorities, and to convince them that those must become a priority: "Garbage on fields, contaminated water, deteriorating soils and energy waste make our lives more expensive, more dangerous and quickly become a burden on the medical system. Our attitude may change only if we join efforts.”

The publication is addressed not only to non-governmental organizations or environmental activists, but also to other active citizens who want to contribute to a better environment and quality public services. The paper includes practical tools, ideas, models and steps to follow in order to hold a successful advocacy campaign. At the same time, the guide on "How to Run An Advocacy Campaign to Solve Local Problems" links the initiatives promoted in the field of public services with the cooperation with local administrations, or the solutions to local problems come with a sustainable partnership between LPAs and citizens.

Victoria Butuc-Guranda, Mayor of Dănceni village: “Mobilizing citizens is essential, especially when addressing an important issue for the community but also when there is a risk of making a decision that may have less desired effects for the residents. The best ‘weapons’ are mobilization and transparency of initiatives. This should be something natural, while decision makers become more responsible if they know they are in people's sight.”

Those interested in obtaining the publication "How To Run An Advocacy Campaign To Solve Local Problems" should contact API (tel.: 022210602, e-mail: rodica.malic@api.md).

The guide has been published within the project "Empowering Citizens in the Republic of Moldova," funded by the European Union and implemented by the Agency for International Cooperation of Germany (GIZ). The project partner for increasing the potential of visibility and communication and citizen engagement is the Association of Independent Press (API). The content of the publication belongs to the authors and does not necessarily reflect the visions of the EU or GIZ.