Search Results for: Citizen Engagement World Bank

After accumulating decades of experience and expertise, what is the next step for those who still want to contribute? Seeking an answer to this question is what brings many retirees to join the Partnership for Transparency Fund (PTF).

The World Bank has committed extensive funds to help its member governments respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of these programs and speed of their development leaves them vulnerable to corrupt practices and mismanagement by the public agencies responsible for their implementation. In particular, the early replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA) in 2021, specifically designed to assist underdeveloped countries cope with the effects of COVID-19, will not be able to achieve its full potential or intended impact unless steps are taken to safeguard against misuse and inefficiencies. This risk can be mitigated by an accompanying accountability mechanism, a role which can be filled by civil society.

As COVID-19 swept the globe, the Partnership for Transparency Fund (PTF) adjusted our operations to meet the moment and directly support civil society efforts to both assist and monitor emergency response programs, ensuring help reached those who needed it most. PTF’s COVID-19 response portfolio has included support for civil society organization (CSO) partners in four countries, working on five projects designed to encourage citizen engagement in monitoring COVID-19 relief programs. These projects have not only successfully achieved their stated objectives, but demonstrate the way in which CSO involvement enhances the efficacy of government response programs which may prove essential in future vaccination campaigns.

The pledge by G7 leaders to donate one billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to countries in need is laudable, but must be coupled with a strategy to ensure equity, integrity, and transparency of distribution campaigns, according to PTF advisers.

As countries undertake the world’s largest vaccination drive, the innovation, expertise, and community reach of civil society organizations should be a key component. Given the unprecedented scale of this undertaking, as well as the numbers and logistics involved, this will be extremely challenging. A key but previously underutilized set of actors can step in to alleviate the burden: civil society organizations.

As protesters laid siege to the US capitol last month, many wondered whether the United States’ imperfect democracy would survive. “Democracy has prevailed,” US President Joe Biden said in his inaugural address, and indeed it has for now. However, Myanmar has not been as fortunate, facing a coup on February 1, 2021 when Myanmar’s armed forces seized power. However, the strengthened voice of civil society and a new generation of activists will determine how the next steps unfold.

Expertise: Anti-Corruption, Civil Society Capacity Building, and Social Accountability

The international development community’s response in the coming months and years will be crucial to prevent widespread health and economic fallout. But large and fast disbursing programs will present massive opportunities for graft and the misuse of funds, particularly in health - from the initial procurement stage to the long supply chains characterized by a large number of individual transactions. Provision for systematic civil society engagement in COVID19 programs can significantly enhance their impact by mitigating the diversion of funds. We are working with partners to adjust ongoing activities and timelines in the Gambia, Philippines, Myanmar and Malawi. We have provided funding to partners for new projects in India, Ghana and Uganda to jumpstart rapid response programs. We expect to expand similar programs in line with major international donor response and recovery programs around the world, particularly those supported by the World Bank. We’re motivated to stay vigilant during this crisis and emerge stronger. We are a unique community - now is an important time to stay in touch and work together. Reach out to us at info@ptfund.org to explore partnership opportunities. COVID19 Citizens' Transparency Initiative for Uganda In Uganda, the Anti Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU), is supporting civic engagement in the implementation of COVID19 funds and resources with the aim of contributing to increased efficiency and economy.  The project employs a multi-approach strategy comprising of supporting medical workers to provide information on COVID19 preventive measures, procurements and distribution of supplies and media engagements, citizen-led monitoring of public expenditures, working with investigative journalists to unearth waste, and constructively engaging with authorities to provide feedback to improve implementation. It will initially target the Kasangati Health Centre IV, which serves over 140,000 citizens, over a six-months period to test the model for nationwide scale-up. LEARN MORE COVID19 Response Projects in India PTF and the Indian Development and Relief Fund (IDRF) are co-funding two similar projects to provide relief from the adverse effects of COVID19 on migrant workers. India’s nationwide lock-down aimed at containing the epidemic has caused huge problems for vulnerable groups, including millions of migrant workers, who have been forced to leave the cities where they work with no support, no social security and no work. Many are not registered appropriately in local administration and so not able to access government relief programs. In Ganjam, Youth for Social Development (YSD) will create community awareness on preventive measures and provide safety hygiene kits, provide dry food and essentials, identify the left out poor (eligible families) and ensure they get entitlements, assist with institutional quarantine facilities at the Gram Panchayat level. They will also advocate with local and block and district government to recognize these poor and connect the benefits particularly the special assistance and other issues arising due to COVID19. YSD as member to the civil society group and IAG-Odisha working with the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) will also take the issues to the state level. LEARN MORE In Ajmer, the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) will implement a project to facilitate and complement local government’s efforts to provide immediate relief to migrant workers whose lives have been disrupted by the corona crisis. [...]

We are alive and kicking! Our physical office at the OpenGov Hub in Washington, DC is closed (pending further notice) but we are working from home, continuing to respond to proposals, staying in touch with our CSO partners and shifting budgets and timelines as necessary.

Recent years have witnessed concerns about issues of government effectiveness and accountability, particularly in the delivery of public services. Citizen engagement is increasingly recognized as a method to help improve development program effectiveness. This report reviews the unique initiative to enhance World Bank projects by promoting CSO engagement to demand better governance and offer recommendations for future accountability programming.