Capacity Development for

Accountability and Voice

Dafina GerchevaCapacity Development Practice LeaderOctober 1st, 2008 Sofia, Bulgaria

Presentation Outline

• Why CD?

• How to develop capacity for A&V?

• Three results area we support

Capacity Development Responses:

1. Institutional Reform and Incentives

2. Leadership Development

3. Education, Training and Learning

4. Accountability and Voice Mechanisms

CD Responses - What Works

1. Institutional Reform and Incentives

• Describe the policies, procedures and processes that institutions have in place to legislate, plan and manage for development (both intra and inter)

2. Leadership Development

• Leadership is the ability to influence, inspire and motivate people, organizations and systems to achieve their goals

CD Responses - What Works

3. Education, Training and Learning

• Knowledge refers to the creation, absorption and transfer of information and experience towards effective development solutions

4. Accountability and Voice Mechanisms

• Denotes a relationship between rights holders (citizens) and duty bearers (such as government departments, municipalities, ministries, or other public service providers)

CD Responses - What Works

Accountability:

• Complex concept involving the need for responsibility for govt. behavior (adherence to a set of rules and procedures related to the interactions with citizens in the process of decision making and resource allocation); and responsiveness (what govt. provides to citizens)- the product

• Indispensible pillar of democratic governance which compels the state, private sector and civil society to focus on producing pro-poor development outcomes

• At the front and center of the Public Sector Management Reform process of the 90s

CD Response: Accountability

• How can voice ensure the accountability of public institutions, and how can one improve performance of the state to adequately meet citizen’s needs?

• Developing capacities of governments and citizens is a strategic entry point for promoting democratic governance, inclusive growth and human development

• The CD assets and needs emerging from the capacity assessment to determine the selection of most relevant and appropriate CD responses

CD Response: Accountability

• Grounded on the Human Development value base

• Supports long-term investments

• Helps identify the A&V mechanisms that are appropriate for different context

• Strengthens national ownership and leadership

• Helps prioritize and sequence interventions

CD Approach

• Efforts to enhance the enabling environment for A&V tend to focus on improving the formal “rules of the game”:

- support for drafting new civil society legislation;

- advocating legal reforms for freedom of

information;

- supporting the creation of watchdog organization

and public oversight and arbitration bodies (e.g.

Parliament, Ombudsman, NHRI, AC Agencies)

using CA-CD packages

CD at the Enabling Environment

• Entails support to both the supply side of service delivery (the systems and processes of public institutions), and the demand side (e.g. CSOs).

CD at the Organizational Level

Supply Side Demand Side

- Improving the capacity to

generate, analyze and

disseminate information;

- Establish internal checks

and balances e.g: performance

management systems;

- Strengthen technical, fiscal,

programme management and

procurement systems

- Strengthening the capacity of

CSOs/NGOs or other groups

to conduct research and

analysis;

- Advocacy, networking and

coalition building;

- Support to improve the

internal governance

• Enhancing the capacity of civil servants to be client-oriented, responsive to citizens’ needs, capable for providing quality services and engaging in consultative planning and budgeting process (equipment, training, TA, knowledge transfer, coaching and mentoring, leadership development)

• Strengthening the capacity of citizens/clients to exercise their voice (increasing awareness of issues, rights and opportunities for civic engagement and empowerment, enhancing ability to turn this awareness into action)

CD at the Individual Level

1. Clarity of accountability systems inside institutions

2. Facilitation and strengthening of stakeholder feedback

3. Support to overall voice mechanisms

Three Results Areas We Support

Clarity of accountability systems inside institutions

Checks and balances: RBM, institutional arrangements, focus on horizontal accountability

Regulatory and oversight capacity of public institutions over non-state sub-contracted service

providers: private sector, CSOs, PPP

Results Area #1

Entry points for UNDP in supporting capacity development of

these organizations for A&V include:

• Supporting governments in establishing institutions in line with international principles and standards (Paris Principles) and based on best practices and lessons learned globally.

• Supporting institutions in developing effective organizational management systems, processes and procedures needed to fulfill their mandate (e.g. Kazakhstan)

• Supporting institutions in developing capacities for effective engagement with public (e.g. Moldova) and other govt bodies

• Developing public awareness of these institutions and the recourse mechanisms available through them (e.g. anti-corruption campaigns Bulgaria).

Example: Public Oversight Mechanisms

Facilitation & strengthening of stakeholder feedback

Capacities to participate in monitoring- both of state

and non-state M&E actors Independent partner review mechanisms; scanning

what systems exist national/international; government

and non-government, respond in SWAp/DBS settings

Identify and strengthen feedback loops, with

institutional responsiveness and enforcement

mechanisms

Results Area # 2

Entry points for UNDP support:

• Training on statistical literacy for local governments and communities

• Supporting institutions in establishing RBM and performance management systems

• Facilitating East-East exchange of knowledge and networking

Example: Capacity to generate, analyze and disseminate information

Support to overall voice mechanisms

Understanding of group techniques used in citizens report cards/community score cards; community participation with public information disclosure; social watch groups

Advocacy on literacy and civic education

Links to language reform

Access/participation measures and its impact on accountability

Results Area # 3

Entry points for UNDP support:

• Supporting the design of client voice mechanisms (e.g. participatory planning and budgeting, CRC, CSC, urban observatories, etc.)

• Supporting the analysis and design of social auditing practices (e.g. independent budget analysis, PETS)

• Supporting civic education and public information campaigns

Example: Public Oversight Mechanisms

Thank You