Social Accountability

Reiner Forster, SDVJanuary 25th, 2005

Enhancing citizen voice and client focus in governance and service delivery

Note: This interactive learning module, designed by Social Impact, was commissioned by the World Bank’s PREM Poverty Group and developed in collaboration with SDV, WBI and the PREM Public Sector Group. Supported by a concept paper, it is a generic introductory-level module which may be adapted to suit different target audiences and time frames.

What is Accountability?• Accountability is the obligation of power-

holders to account for or take responsibility for their actions.

• Power-holders: holding political, financial or other forms of power, e.g. public officials, private employers, donors, service providers, traditional leaders, NGOs.

• Key area: government or public accountability • builds on the implicit ‘social contract‘ between

citizens and public officials.

• obligation of public officials and the right/ entitlement of citizens

What are public officials responsible for?

• Their conduct—they must obey the law, rules, procedures and not abuse their powers.

• Their performance—they must 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.

How can accountability be ensured ?1. Rules and Regulations –

administrative procedures, audits, code of conduct…

2. Bring in Market Principles – privatization or contracting out to private sector and NGOs

3. Independent Agencies – ombudsman, vigilance committees …

There has been vary-ing success with these. What has

been learnt is that suc-cess often

depends on direct parti-cipation of the people

4. “Social Accountability”

What is Social Accountability?

SAc is an approach towards building accountability• that relies on civic engagement,• where ordinary citizens and/or their organizations

participate directly or indirectly in exacting accountability

SAc mechanisms can be initiated and supported by the state, citizens or both, but very often they are demand-driven and operate from the bottom up.

SAc mechanisms include many actions and tools that citizens, NGOs and media can use to hold public authorities accountable.

Social Accountability Mechanisms include... Social audits Independent budget analysis by CSOs/ Think

Tanks Public budget hearings Citizen juries Civil society monitoring of performance of

public agencies Investigative journalism Right to information movements Election Watch

Why is Social Accountabilityimportant ?

Social Accountability

Good Governance

Development Effectiveness

Empower-ment

WDR 2004: Making Services Workfor the Poor

Poor people Providers

Policymakers

A framework of accountability relationships

Voice Service Compact

Client Power

Social Accountability Mechanisms

Social accountability

Civilsociety

Democracy & citizenship

Participatory development

Decentralization & public sector reform

Transparency/Anti-corruption

Rights

Related Concepts in Democracy and Governance

Participatory Public Expenditure Management Cycle

Budget Formulation Porto Alegre, Brazil

Performance Monitoring Citizen Report Cards India and Philippines

Budget Review & Analysis

Gujarat, India

Expenditure Tracking Uganda

Civic Engagement

Community Scorecards Process

Community Gathering

Performance Scorecard Self-Evaluation Health Staff

Interface Meeting

Feedback and Dialogue

Immediate ImprovementsIssues for Follow-up

Accountability

Transparency

More drugs available

Preparatory Groundwork

Better Services

Instit. Reform

s

Building Blocks of SAc

Advocating andnegotiating

change

Rallying supportand building coalitions

Going public

Building an information/evidence base

Mobilizing around entry point

SAc Critical Success Factors1. Political context and culture 2. Access to information 3. The role of the media 4. Civil society capacity 5. State capacity 6. State-society synergy 7. Institutionalization

Potential Benefits and Risks of SAcBenefits• Improved governance• Poverty reduction• Citizen voice and empowerment at the macro level, especially

for the poor• Enhanced transparency• Reduced corruption• Strengthened social capital• Strengthened public sector reforms and decentralization

Risks• Raised citizen expectations• Lack of sustainability or institutionalization • Mechanisms may not result in service improvements• Depth of citizen involvement may be superficial• May involve a small group of “well behaved” NGOs,

professionals and centrist politicians

Final Thoughts1. Social accountability has potential to improve

the responsiveness of governments and other power holders to the needs of local people – especially those with ‘less voice’.

2. There is a wide range of social accountability mechanisms arising from specific needs, power relations and a desire for improving services. All sectors/regions have some relevant experience.

3. Each social accountability mechanism has a specific social, political and economic context with attendant benefits and risks. The success of one mechanism in a local context in no way guarantees success in another.