Citizens and Service Delivery : Assessing the Use of Social Accountability Approaches in the Human Development Sectors
Efforts by governments, donors, and civil society alike to improve governance, accountability, and development results on the ground have heightened attention to the idea that citizens can contribute to better public services by holding their polic...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000386194_20111124015750 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/2377 |
| Summary: | Efforts by governments, donors, and
civil society alike to improve governance, accountability,
and development results on the ground have heightened
attention to the idea that citizens can contribute to better
public services by holding their policy makers, providers,
and program managers accountable. While the use of social
accountability to improve services in low- and middle-income
countries is not new, the topic has gained currency in
recent years. This book looks at how this works in practice.
It aims to learn from the experiences gained from the
implementation of World Bank projects and from the small,
but growing, set of impact evaluations. The review is a
first step to identify lessons, knowledge gaps, and
questions for further research that can improve the use of
these tools in government policies and through programs
supported by civil society and donors, including the World
Bank. The book documents a diverse and exciting set of cases
the rapid adoption of access-to-information laws, the use of
public expenditure tracking surveys by civil society
organizations to 'follow the money' from central
government budgets to schools and health clinics, and the
incorporation of grievance redress mechanisms into the
design of conditional cash transfer programs. Many of the
examples discussed here are new initiatives, and some are
being evaluated now. Much will be gained from more
evaluation and the sharing of experiences across countries
developed and developing alike. |
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