Providing a Model for Ensuring Citizens’ Rights in Tehran Municipality

Abstract

The realization of citizens’ rights within administrative systems, particularly in urban management, is regarded as one of the principal indicators of good governance, transparency, and accountability. The objective of this study was to design and validate a model for ensuring citizens’ rights in Tehran Municipality and to identify the dimensions and components influencing it. In terms of purpose, this research is applied, and in terms of approach, it adopts a mixed-methods (qualitative–quantitative) design. In the qualitative phase, the initial dimensions of the model were identified through a systematic review and thematic analysis and were subsequently refined through semi-structured interviews with experts in public law and urban management. In the quantitative phase, the extracted model was tested using a descriptive–survey method and structural equation modeling among staff members of the central administrative units of Tehran Municipality. Convergent and discriminant validity were assessed through the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) index and the Fornell–Larcker criterion, respectively, and reliability was examined and confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability. The results indicated that the “level of awareness of citizens’ rights” (β = 0.76), “implementation of policies and citizens’ rights” (β = 0.76), and “behavior and experience” (β = 0.72) exerted the greatest influence on ensuring citizens’ rights. Moreover, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, organizational structure, organizational culture, and follow-up strategies demonstrated positive and statistically significant effects (p < 0.01). At the descriptive level, transparency in executive practices showed the highest mean among employees, whereas experiential learning exhibited the lowest mean among citizens. The findings suggest that the realization of citizens’ rights in Tehran Municipality requires synergy among awareness, effective policy implementation, professional employee conduct, efficient oversight, and a responsive organizational culture. Moving beyond purely legal frameworks toward the practical and lived experiences of citizens constitutes the most important strategy for enhancing citizens’ rights in urban management.