Transcript Engaging Citizens to Prevent Corruption for Better Public

Introduction
 The corrupt practices , regardless that it is a
global phenomenon , has its costly and negative
impact especially on the poor as well as on the
economics , political and the social fabric of the
society .
 Thus , Anti Corruption is every- ones business
.
Background
 The eight MDGs are inextricably linked to each
other.
 Corruption cross –cut all the goals and a major
obstacle to achieving them .
 Corruption increases poverty.
 Misallocate resources .
 Impede development sustainability .
 It is expected that if MDGs were successfully
achieved it will:
1.
Enhance the capability of each individual and
household to significantly improve their lives.
2. Raise the human development standards of
the poorest countries by the targeted year of
2015.
3. Provide a pathway towards global
development equity.
 (MENA) region – sharp disparities in terms of
development and resources.
 The GCC countries are on-track in achieving
most of the MDGs targets , the LDCs lag behind .
 A significant wide in- country disparities have
triggered the youth revolt.
Accountability and Corruption in the region
 Corruption broadly defined as the abuse of public
office for private gain, however, the corruption
phenomena is inclusive to the national
components namely governments officials, private
sector and NGOs, but it also involve foreign
enterprises and international organizations too
 Public accountability has two dimensions namely :
 Answerability and,
 Enforcement.
 Accountability, however, identified two sides :
 The supply side that relevant to the creation of new
agencies and mechanisms.
 The demand side that relevant to the social accountability
policies.
 Social Accountability means the constructive engagement
between citizens and government in monitoring the use of
public resources while allowing citizens to sustain their
assertion for reform .
 "shared accountability ":
1.
Accountability among the partners;
2. Accountability between each partner and its own
governing body-in the case of government to
parliament; and
3. Accountability to the arrangement's joint
coordinating body, in many cases.
 Citizens engagement usually focus on improving
government accountability and the social
accountability towards the public.
 Principles of effective accountability include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Clear roles and responsibilities;
Clear performance expectations;
Balanced expectations and capacities;
Credible reporting;
Reasonable review and adjustment;
Shared risk management.
 On the worldwide governance indicators 2009, only
two countries scored above 75% on the Government
Effectiveness, seven countries score more than 50%,
and four countries scored below 50% whereas four
countries scored below 25%.
 Worldwide governance indicators 2009, indicates
that regarding the control of corruption indicator
only two countries namely Qatar and the UAE (GCC
countries) have been ranked above 75%, whereas,
four countries have been ranked below 25% namely,
Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Libya. Iraq has been
ranked below 10%
 Worldwide governance indictors 2009, indicates that
non of the MENA regions' countries reach 35% on the
voice and accountability indicator. Actually fourteen
countries were below the 25%, the worst in the
ranking.
 The TI 2010 corruption perception index indicates
a serious corruption problem in the region.
 Asset Recovery become on the top of the priorities and
demands by all protestors .
Questions to be raised :
 "whether citizens are engaged, in the most critical
part, which is participation in the strategic planning
processes, relevant to the MDGs?
 whether the citizens engaged are capable,
knowledgeable, and skilled to contribute in the
planning process for the MDGs?
 How governments' officials in the region are acting,
not just talking, in relation to citizens engagement
regarding the discovery or the disclosure of corruption
practices?
Public administration's institutions and practices for
engaging citizens to prevent corruption in MDGs
 The involvement of citizens in government policy
development takes several models:
 The continuum or Sliding scale.
 The International Association of Public Participation
(IAP2) conceptualizes participation in five categories
of relationships :





Inform,
Consult ,
Involve ,
Collaborate ,
& Empower
 The governance system classified the main actors that
comprise a public sector governance into five
categories:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The central government executive, including cross-cutting
control agencies responsible for public finance and human
resources management, and front-line regulatory and
services provision agencies;
Formal oversight institutions outside the executive,
including the judiciary, parliament and other independent
oversight institutions;
Sub national governments and local communities, with
their own local arrangements for control and
accountability;
Civil society and private sector, both in their role as watchdogs (including the independent media and the recipients
of services and regulations and hence a potential source of
pressure for better performance; and,
Political actors and institutions as the apex, setting broad
goals and direction of the system as a whole.
 Pertinent category of MDGs partners and stakeholders,
Partners Involved:
 Government institutions.: a focal ministry must be
assigned:
 Overall leadership and co-ordination of programs'
implementation,

Providing an enabling policy, legal and political
environment which enhance accountability,
transparency, integrity, and responsive governance;

Promoting the involvement of civil society and the
private sector in the formulation, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of programs,

Local funding and mobilization;

Physical and organizational infrastructure.
•Private sector enterprises.
•The donors
•The UN system
•Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). As stated in the
AHDR 2009, Arab governments respond differently to
pressures from rights-based CSOs , additionally CSOs
also can contribute to partnership networks
significantly,
The Framework for Civic Engagement/ UN
Participatory Governance Institutions
Several participatory institutions have evolved:
I. The formulation of poverty reduction strategy
papers (PRSPs);
II. The national human development reports
(NHDRs), and comparable exercise;
III. Community engagement at the sub-national
(state/provincial) level; and
IV. Policy development through 'networking
governance', deliberative democracy', and 'direct
democracy.
V. The “Economic and Social Councils” (ESCs);
The Evolution of Economic & Social Councils
(ESCs):
1. First established 1948.
2. Are consultative.
3. Promote multi-stakeholders consultation.
4. Promote good governance and economic growth.
5. Generate national agreement on key economic
objectives.
 The relevant public participatory institutions
include :
Political parties.
II. Trade unions.
III. Public societies.
IV. NGOs, SCOs
Others in North Africa ,and the Middle East
include:
I.
2. Human Rights Capacity Building Project in
Egypt (BENAA)
3. The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights
(EOHR)
4. The National Democratic Institute (NDI)
5. Advisory Council on Human Rights (CCDH)
6.Jordan River Foundation , Jordan
7. Hashemite Jordan Fund for HRD.
3.Relevant good practices in other public institutions:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) initiatives, by
the World Bank and IMF.
National human development report initiative, by
UNDP.
Sub-national or provincial/ state level participation
initiatives, case of Queensland's, Australia.
Participatory budgeting, by several countries
including Porto Alegre's (Brazil), South Africa, and
Mauritius.
Civic engagement in civic local governance planning
and development, by Naga city, Philippines and case of
Bolivia.
VI. Governance and anti corruption (GAC), The World
Bank:






Focus its work on its mandate to reduce poverty- a
capable and accountable state .
Ensure that the work is country-driven
Adapt implementation to individual country
circumstances.
Engage with a broad array of stakeholders.
Strive to strengthen, not bypass, country systems.
Work with governments, donors, and other actors at
the country and global levels to ensure a harmonized
and coordinated approach.
Government institutions, practices and the citizens
engagement
 " The issue is not the fertility in institutions, rules and
regulation rather it is the impetus in proper and
genuine implementation".
 It is lack of awareness and poor enforcement of rules
and regulation relevant to anti-corruption that
practiced by the government institutions, is to be
blamed.
 The third Arab Report on the MDGs 2010 give a
gloomy view towards the status of most indicators and
results, especially for the LICs and the rural areas who
are suppose to be the main targets for the MDGs.
MDGs and Eradication of Corruption Issues
 The political dimension
 The institutional dimension:
 Accountability is towards the upwards as the priority
instead of the citizens or the public.
 Traditional and sluggish sector institutions.
 Integrity system in the public sector?
 The new public administration organized to give
impetus to the market as well as to address the concerns
of the poor and the marginalized.
 Practices in service delivery for achieving MDGs
 The identification of the main priorities for each
MDG
 MDGs must be part of the national development
plans
 Action plan ,must incorporate transparency,
accountability, and integrity measures
 Citizens who are included and engaged can play
a great role in shedding the light towards the
malfunctions and the corrupt practices
throughout all the different processes of the
education policies development and
implementation through teacher –parent
interrelationship
 Public Attitudes Towards Corruption Practices?
 The note worthy institutions of public admin. ?
 The public sector reform as a priority in terms of
the transformation to the new public admin.
institutions' image and model with the serious
citizen engagement?
 The utilization of ICT is expanding throughout the
independent media in raising corruption issues?
 Features of – the Social , Political and Legal – context
 There are a lot of promises for fighting corruption
whereas corrupt practices spreading widely.
 Buying votes in the elections process.
 The social fabric in the MENA region.
 Corruption is among the most rejected practices by
many in the region.
 Social systems genuinely support transparency,
accountability and integrity measures that eradicate
corruption and expose corrupt individuals or
institutions.
 The separation of power among the judicial, executive
and the legislative authorities is still not clearly
identified.
 What is really needed for the region is more than mere
public sector reforms.
 Governance reforms are needed for all components.
 This comprehensive reform, while very important for
each country , it requires several technical , financial ,
and leadership commitment , which defiantly are not
available in all countries alike.
Entry Points for Governance Reform/ World Bank
 This comprehensive program and its relevant projects in each
country must focus ,thoroughly on specific actions related to the
achievement of the MDGs by each government's national agenda or
strategic plan, where the reform project will incorporate:

Show-case of leadership .

Full commitment from government for the involvement of all
partners.

Identification of main priorities , strategic goals and action plans
including MDGs.

Attainment of national and local capacity in new public sector
management .

Adoption of replicable and appropriate delivery
mechanisms that agreed upon with local
communities.

Identification of collectively agreed upon measures of
transparency ,accountability ,integrity and monitoring
in tandem with governance principles and values.

Adoption of periodical reporting system .

Empowerment of all oversight institutions.
It is the responsibility of each government to enhance
and reform its governance.


This can be an" Arab Renauciance Program”
IN CONCLUSION :
 May be this is a dream, but it is possible
now more than ever as it will lead to the
region's prosperity , stability ,and mutual
trust among countries in one hand ,and
mutual trust not only between leadership
and the empowered and engaged citizens
but also among all governance
components and stakeholders .GOD
WILLING .