Building Coalitions for Change : Venezuela Judicial Infrastructure Development Project
In the early 1990s, the Government of Venezuela urgently requested assistance from the World Bank to combat corruption, improve the business climate, and create a sense of transparency and involvement of civil society in state matters. The country&...
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| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2012
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2001/03/2828683/building-coalitions-change-venezuela-judicial-infrastructure-development-project http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11400 |
| Summary: | In the early 1990s, the Government of
Venezuela urgently requested assistance from the World Bank
to combat corruption, improve the business climate, and
create a sense of transparency and involvement of civil
society in state matters. The country's judicial system
was identified as the institution in which to begin such
reforms, because it was widely perceived as lacking
credibility and efficiency. The Judicial Infrastructure
Project aimed to improve Venezuela's enabling
environment for private sector development and to reduce the
private and social costs of justice. In December 1993, the
Bank began negotiations with the government to develop a
project that would address failings in the judicial sector.
This was the first stand-alone project of this type that the
Bank has funded. The project design was refined during
implementation, leading to greater participation and
ownership. Social Development best practice elements were
identified as: Organizational and institutional analysis to
ensure intended outcomes; institutionalized mechanisms for
participation and decentralized implementation; and ongoing
monitoring and evaluation of social development outcomes by
the government and community. Lessons learned included the
following: Effective partnership with civil society can make
a significant contribution to judicial reform. Capacity
building workshops aid in creating partnerships among
different groups of stakeholders. Measures to improve
transparency and efficiency can be developed with the help
of stakeholder consultation, which also builds ownership.
Improved performance, lower transaction costs, and greater
predictability in the judicial process increase public
confidence in institutions. |
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