Accountability - Uttam Acharya

1. Accountability-Uttam Acharya

2. Accountability: approaches and tools Uttam Acharya NASC

3. Session Objectives At the end of the session the participants will be able to: • Explain the concept of accountability • Explain reasons why accountability is important • Analyse approaches of accountability • Create linkages between accountability and public service delivery • Identify range of social accountability tools in practice

4. Session Outline • Importance and implication of being accountable • Approaches of accountability • How accountability improves public service delivery? • Accountability tools in practice

5. Exploring Accountability Group Activity: case studies Work in groups, on different levels. • Groups 1, 2 and 3 to work on the case study “Fatima” • Draw a picture on flip chart to show characteristics of “absent accountability” - using examples from the case study. • Discuss - What are the obligations of the service providers? • Groups 4, 5 and 6 to work on the case study “District Education Officer Panchthar”. The tasks are: • Draw a picture on flip chart to show characteristics of “present accountability” - using examples from the case study. • Discuss: What are the obligations of the service providers? You have 20 minutes for group work & 20 minutes (5 minute each group) for plenary.

6. Key Learning points • Citizens are entitled to receive public services and have rights to hold civil servants accountable. • Civil servants need to be proactive even if people are unable to hold them accountable. • The human cost of unaccountable governance is manifolds higher (especially to WPEs) than the economic cost.

7. Key Learning points • A single person can make the difference if he/she holds him/herself accountable • An accountable civil servant can create favorable environment to promote accountability • Power dynamics, linked to socio-economic and cultural factors affect relationships between service providers, users and other actors – which in turn determines who can influence the quality of a service,

8. Key learning points • The poor and disadvantaged tend to have less ability to influence the quality of services, • The quality of services depends on the relationships between the “providers”, e.g. government, and the “user” e.g. citizens, • The quality of services depends not only on supply (by providers) but also on the ability of citizens to demand services, • Proactive role of state is essential for ensuring the access of WPEs on public services

9. What is accountability ?

10. Accountability • Is a key component of governance • Is being answerable for what is done • Can be defined as the obligation of power-holders to account for or take responsibility for their actions. • Government organisations, administrators are accountable to citizens, users of public services and the law

11. Accountability and Obligation • Every accountability relationship begins with an obligation. • If there is no obligation, there is no accountability to enforce. • When political candidates are elected to public office and government officials accept executive positions, • they are not supposed to have free reign to do as they wish.

12. Importance of Accountability • Better governance • Efficient public service delivery • Engaging citizens • Ensuring rights of WPE • Empowering WPEs

13. Government Officials/power holders responsible • Their conduct—theymust obey the law and not abuse their powers. • Their performance—theymust serve the public interest in an efficient, effective and fair manner. • All states have some form of mechanisms to promote or ensure accountability of public actors

14. Discussion • Accountable government • Unaccountable government

15. Social Accountability • Civic engagement in the process of making state accountable • Ordinary citizens participate directly or indirectly in holding service providers to account • Public officials are called on to inform stakeholders and to justify to them their behavior, actions and results.

16. Approaches of Accountability • Individual: • Institutional: • Collective:

17. Approaches • Individual: ethical, personal obligation • Institutional: political, administrative, legal • Collective: civil society, informal group, community

18. Revisit, restructure Institutional(Structure and system) Capacity building Collective (Society, WPEs, CSOs) Empowerment, awareness, experience sharing Social Accountability Individual(Service Provider) Improved public service delivery How accountability improves public service delivery ?

19. Indirect channel Policy Makers Intermediary Service compact Voice Providers Users Client power Direct channel Accountability relationship - users

20. Intermediary CSOs Media Private sector I/NGOs Political parties Civil society Supply side State (Central and Local) Demand Side Citizen Bridging mechanism of accountability

21. How can govt. be more accountable to WPEs ?

22. How can Govt. be more accountable to WPEs • Proper utilization of the government machinery in implementation of law and order • Strong reward for carrying out exemplary work and punishment for not fulfilling duties • Proper allocation of resources • Internalization of system and process • Support • Revision and reformulation of existing laws • Attitudinal change towards the issues of WPE • Capacity building of government • Government employees should be honest • Govt. should be sensitive and responsible towards WPE 

24. The philosophy : SA • The philosophy behind social accountability centers on the role of empowerment and information in enhancing government commitment and service delivery. • Using Social Accountability tools

25. How • Building social accountability through community mobilization, training, dialogue and collective actions. • Social accountability engages social movements that demands accountability through mechanisms

26. Tools of Social Accountability • Video

27. Tools of Social Accountability • List out the tools of SA

28. Tools of Social Accountability • Check List of Entitlements (Citizens are alerted to the various rights and entitlements that they have through different government bodies ) • Check list of Relevant Laws, Policies, Regulations that affect a Citizen's Life • Citizen Charter • Participatory Planning • Civic Education (The value of education about civic matters, how the state works) • Public Expenditure Tracking (learning of the size of the budget , how the budget is spent ) • Check list of Standards & Indicators( formulated quality standards for public services) • Community Score Card (can be used by both service providers and service receivers for effectiveness of public services) • Citizen Report Card (How those who receive services are satisfied or dissatisfied with those services and can report this to the responsible authorities) • Public Hearing • Public Audit (seek transparency and accountability in regard to investment in local development projects ) • Public Revenue Monitoring (monitor the income that is being received by government bodies • Citizen Complaint Structures( complaints against wrong-doers ) • Multi-stakeholder Groups ( together to achieve the common agreed objectives) • Budgets of Local Bodies (VDC, DDC & Municipality) • Participatory Budgeting • Community Led Procurement (citizens role in procuring goods and services) • Declaration of Assets • Right to Information (Citizens have the right to demand and receive information ) • Understanding Conflict of Interest (possible conflict between the public and personal interest) • Integrity Pact (agree combined to avoid corruption)

29. Tools of Social accountability 1. Information Tools 2. Accountability and Integrity Tools 3. Participatory Development Tools

30. 1.Information Tools • Citizen Charter • Check List of Entitlements (Citizens are alerted to the various rights and entitlements that they have through different government bodies ) • Budgets of Local Bodies (VDC, DDC & Municipality) • Right to Information (Citizens have the right to demand and receive information ) • Check list of Relevant Laws, Policies, Regulations that affect a Citizen's Life

31. 2. Accountability and Integrity Tools • Civic Education (The value of education about civic matters, how the state works) • Public Expenditure Tracking (learning of the size of the budget , how the budget is spent ) • Check list of Standards& Indicators( formulated quality standards for public services) • Community Score Card (can be used by both service providers and service receivers for effectiveness of public services) • Citizen Report Card (How those who receive services are satisfied or dissatisfied with those services and can report this to the responsible authorities) • Public Hearing • Public Audit (seek transparency and accountability in regard to investment in local development projects ) • Public Revenue Monitoring (monitor the income that is being received by government bodies • Citizen Complaint Structures( complaints against wrong-doers )

32. 3. Participatory Development Tools • Multi-stakeholder Groups( together to achieve the common agreed objectives) • Participatory Planning • Participatory Budgeting • Community Led Procurement (citizens role in procuring goods and services) • Declaration of Assets • Understanding Conflict of Interest (possible conflict between the public and personal interest) • Integrity Pact (agree combined to avoid corruption)

33. Social accountability tools enables to • Promote citizen's engagement • Build trust towards public service providers • Increase transparency & access to information • Grievance redress • Standardization of public service delivery • Enhancing accountability and citizen oversight

34. Conclusion • Obligation of state and public servants towards society and people is important • Absence of accountability breaks the social contract • Need to focus more on WPEs • Accountability is meaningful when combined with responsiveness and integrity

35. उपसंहार • आराबप्युचितम् कार्य मातिथ्यम्गृहमागते छेत्तुम्पार्श्वबती छायाम् नोपसम् हरतेद्रुम ll • क्रियासिद्धी सत्वेभवती महताम् नोपकरणये l • यत्नेक्रिते यदि नसिद्ध्यति क्वत्र: दोष ?l

37. Queries Thank you