Transcript Monitoring and Evaluation in Local Government

Monitoring and Evaluation in Local
Government – the next wave?
Democracy must be built through open societies
that share information.
When there is information, there is enlightenment.
When there is debate, there are solutions.
When there is no sharing of power, no rule of law,
no accountability, there is abuse, corruption,
subjugation and indignation.
Atifete Jahjaga
Introduction
O Constitution – Section 195
O Municipal assessment and accountability tools
O Purposes of evaluation
O Participatory M&E
O M&E as a progressive space for improved
democracy
O Key focus areas - Causality, civic society role,
gender empowerment, capacity development
O Accountability leadership
Basic values and principles governing public
administration – Section 195
1. Public administration must be governed by the democratic values
and principles enshrined in the Constitution, including the following
principles:
a)
A high standard of professional ethics must be promoted &
maintained.
b)
Efficient, economical and effective use of resources must
be promoted.
c)
Public administration must be development-oriented.
e) People’s needs must be responded to, & the public must be
encouraged to participate in policy-making.
Basic values and principles governing public
administration – Section 195
f) Public administration must be accountable.
g) Transparency must be fostered by providing the public
with
timely, accessible and accurate information.
h) Good human-resource management & careerdevelopment
practices, to maximise human potential, must be cultivated.
i) Public administration must be broadly representative of
the South
African people.
MUNICIPAL ASSESSMENT TOOL(V1.3)
Areas of assessment;
O Planning
O Human resources
O Financial
O Service delivery
O Community engagement
O Governance
(Municipal self assessment – discuss results with
stakeholders – develop improvement plans – M&E
of improvement plans)
Municipal Accountability
Tools
O Municipal Council – municipal mayor
O Committees (audit, ward)
O Elections – providing details to the public
O Peer accountability – executives reporting to
the municipal council
O Administrative accountability – municipal
manager (budgets and service delivery)
Characteristics of good
governance
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
Citizen engagement
Transparency
Accountability
Equalities agenda and social inclusion – gender,
ethnicity, race
Ethical and honest behaviour
Equity – fair procedures and due process
Ability to compete in a global environment
Ability to work effectively in partnerships
Sustainability
Respect for the rule of law
Bovaird and Loffler (2003)
M&E CREATING A PROGRESSIVE SPACE
IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
O Inclusive democracy to undertake
O
O
O
O
O
O
transformation
Enhanced engagement of stakeholders
Improved governance – transparency and
reporting
Empowerment of communities and gender
Value for money – service delivery
Sustained local economic development
Responsible citizenship
PURPOSES OF EVALUATION
O Merit/value – What value has the intervention
O
O
O
O
added?
Improvement – What improvement has the
intervention produced?
Compliance – policies, procedures, protocols
(malicious compliance ?)
Knowledge what new knowledge has
been gained?
Evaluator – role and learning (Mark and Julnes
2000)
Participatory M&E
O Engage stakeholders from the conceptualisation
O
O
O
O
O
phase to decide on all aspects of the
intervention.
Does not make M&E elitist
Manages stakeholder power dynamics to create
win-win situations
Creates open dialogue – through continuous
teaching and learning
Enhances relevance and ownership
Provide continuous support for sustainability
Causality and attribution of
outcomes
O Outputs and outcomes need to be measured
O
O
O
O
against the set targets.
There is a need to clearly demonstrate that that
the outputs and outcomes have indeed occurred
due to the intervention.
For example, there is a need demonstrate the
causality between civic unrests and the level of
service delivery, Are there any other factors that
encouraged the civic unrests?
Analysis of causal effects is currently weak.
Theory-based evaluation needs to be
strengthened.
ROLE OF CIVIC SOCIETY
O Agent of change
O Undertake oversight role
O Introduces power balance
O M&E capacity development
O Sustained ownership
O Protectors (custodians of democracy)
GENDER EMPOWERMENT
O Historical marginalisation of women
O Key participants in (local) economy
O M&E capacity development
O Create awareness of expected outputs and
outcomes.
O Provide key skills for future programmes and
projects
M&E CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
O Understanding the theories and principles
O Identify the contexts – “one size does not fit all”
O Awareness of the different tools and their relevance
O Project management
O Performance management
O Research methodology
O Statistics
“We have a problem when the same people who make
the law get to decide whether or not they themselves
have broken the law.”
― Michel Templet
ACCOUNTABLE
LEADERSHIP
O WHAT SHOULD BE DIFFERENT?
O Place peoples/communities interest first (Servant leadership with
a portfolio of evidence)
O Provides sustained support for M&E (commitment)
O Transparent and open (conduct is always ethical)
O Comfortable to hold others accountable (focus on performance
management)
O Manages power dynamics amongst politicians, administrators,
communities and remaining stakeholders (Creates a balance)
O Enhances effectiveness, efficiencies and excellence (adds value
through M&E)
“Each day you are leading by example. Whether you realize it or not or
whether it's positive or negative, you are influencing those around
you.”
― Rob Liano
CONCLUSION
O M&E is also a higher order management function.
O Participation of all stakeholders are critical for M&E
O
O
O
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to be successful.
Participatory M&E could create a progressive space
for inclusive democracy.
Civic society must be a key stakeholder in M&E
interventions.
Key issues to be prioritised are causality, gender
empowerment and capacity development.
Successful M&E requires accountable leadership.
THANK YOU
“A body of men (or women)
holding themselves
accountable to nobody ought
not to be trusted by anybody.”
― Thomas Paine