Postcommunist countries established various forms of legal and institutional frameworks for protecting minorities. But it has become increasingly clear that securing the broader inclusion of minorities at various government levels requires a participatory system of governance. Local authorities are important agents, because it is they who implement multiethnic policies close to those affected. Their task is to design policies that are responsive to ethnic diversity, through representation of or direct involvement by minorities. But effective implementation is often hindered by central government control, skewed administration of law, insufficient technical expertise, and inadequate resources. These barriers should be overcome as soon as possible and legal and institutional reforms supplemented to create a political culture that embraces multiethnicity in public administration.

The Managing Multiethnic Communities Project (MMCP) is an in-house policy research project of LGI. The project addresses the needs of governments by developing various resources and programs to improve their capacity for accommodating ethnic diversity, promoting participation in public life, and providing equal access to public goods and services provided by the state.