public sector accountability: being accountable and holding accountable

PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTABILITY: Being Accountable and Holding Accountable

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the topic participants will be able to:

Define accountability, Explain the characteristics of the

supply and demand sides of accountability,

Explain the tools of holding and being accountable

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Linking Integrity and Accountability

I = a C(A E) C-

Accountability:Enabling stakeholders to check that we do what we say we do.

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What is Accountability?

Accountability refers to the process of holding actors responsible for their actions which focuses on ‘answerability’

Two different forms of accountability- Soft: usually formal processes in which

actions are held up to specific standards Hard: more rigorous minimum standard,

including sanctions and/or remedies for wrongdoing (Fox 2007).

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Video Case

Willing DEO can make difference (Gyan Mani Nepal) What factors made him think and

act differently to others? What he did to make others

accountable?

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Accountability Tools (Few)

Public HearingParticipatory PlanningSocial AuditCivic EducationPublic expenditure tracking system, etc.

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Accountability: Demand & Supply, and Horizontal & Vertical

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Demand and Supply of Public Services

Demand Side

Citizen

Demand Side

Citizen

Supply side

State

(Central and Local)

Supply side

State

(Central and Local)

IntermediaryCBOsMediaPrivate sectorI/NGOs Political partiesCivil society

IntermediaryCBOsMediaPrivate sectorI/NGOs Political partiesCivil society

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Demand and Supply of Public Services

Demand Side

Citizen

Demand Side

Citizen

Supply side

State

(Central and Local)

Supply side

State

(Central and Local)

IntermediaryCBOsMediaPrivate sectorI/NGOs Political partiesCivil society

IntermediaryCBOsMediaPrivate sectorI/NGOs Political partiesCivil society

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Horizontal and Vertical Accountability

Vertical

Horizontal

Executive Civil service/public sector

Legislature

Oversight Institutions

Citizens

DiagonalVertical

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Social Contract

There is always agreement (may not be written) between the state and society (people) for mutual protection and welfare Eg. People agree to pay tax in return of public services from the state

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Social Contract and Accountability Framework

Individual (Service

Provider)

Individual (Service

Provider)

Institution (Structure

and system)

Institution (Structure

and system)

Collective

(Society, Excluded,

Community of Practice)

Collective

(Society, Excluded,

Community of Practice)

AccountabilityMechanism

AccountabilityMechanism

Improved public service delivery

Improved public service delivery

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Bridging the Gaps

How do we bridge the gap between demand and supply? Accountability mechanisms and tools -

constructive engagement between actors Build civil service capacity Revisit and restructure institutional

arranges that hinder effective and efficient service delivery

Empower and promote awareness among people for creating demands

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What Makes Public Institutions Accountable?

Be Accountable Rules & regulations of

the state Standardization of

services Self realization to the

‘social contract’ Capacity building of

public institutions Transparent work

culture Capacity building of

oversight agencies Regular feedback

Hold Accountable Making citizens

aware to service standard

Access to information

Empowering citizens Civic engagement

and citizen oversight

Regular feedback Citizen’s voice and

accountability mechanism

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Thank You