Accountability (जवा�फदे�हि�ता�)

Uttam AcharyaNASC

Session ObjectivesAt the end of the session the participants will be able

to:• Explain the concept of accountability • Explain reasons why accountability is important• Analyse approaches of accountability• Create linkages between accountability and public

service delivery

Session Outline

• Meaning of Accountability and social accountability

• Accountability and obligation• Importance of accountability• Approaches of accountability• Linkages accountability and public service

delivery• Case on accountability/responsiveness

Accountability• Is a key component of governance• Is being answerable for what is done• Can be defined as the obligation of power-

holders to account for or take responsibility for their actions.

• Government organisations, administrators are accountable to citizens, users of public services and the law

Accountability and Obligation

• Every accountability relationship begins with an obligation.

• If there is no obligation, there is no accountability to enforce.

• When political candidates are elected to public office and government officials accept executive positions, – they are not supposed to have free reign to do as they

wish. – Instead, they take on certain obligations when they step

into their positions of power.

Kinds of obligation• Political (people, constituents)• Financial• Managerial• Administrative • Ethical/ moral• Performance( making progress towards goals)

Government Officials/power holders responsible • Their conduct—they must obey the law 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

Social Accountability• Civic engagement in the process of making state

accountable• Ordinary citizens participate directly or indirectly in

holding service providers to account• Public officials are called on to inform stakeholders

and to justify to them their behavior, actions and results.

Importance of Social Accountability

• Better governance • Efficient public service delivery • Engaging citizens • Ensuring rights of WPE• Empowering WPEs

Approaches

• Individual: ethical, personal obligation • Institutional: political, administrative,

legal• Collective: civil society, informal group,

community

How accountability improves public service delivery ?

Individual (Service

Provider)

Individual (Service

Provider)

Institutional (Structure

and system)

Institutional (Structure

and system)

Collective(Society,

WPEs, CSOs)

Collective(Society,

WPEs, CSOs)

Social AccountabilitySocial Accountability

Capacity building Capacity building

Empowerment, awareness, experience sharing

Empowerment, awareness, experience sharing

Revisit, restructureRevisit, restructure

Improved public service delivery

Improved public service delivery

Accountability relationship - usersPolicy MakersPolicy Makers

UsersUsers ProvidersProviders

VoiceVoice

Client powerClient power

Service compactService compact

Indirect channelIndirect channel

Direct channelDirect channel

IntermediaryIntermediary

Bridging mechanism of accountability

Demand Side

Citizen

Demand Side

Citizen

Supply side

State

(Central and Local)

Supply side

State

(Central and Local)

IntermediaryCSOsMediaPrivate sectorI/NGOs Political partiesCivil society

IntermediaryCSOsMediaPrivate sectorI/NGOs Political partiesCivil society

Features of Democratic Accountability• Human Rights – existing covenants to which the GoN has

agreed• Relationships – politicians, civil servants , citizens – who is

accountable to whom?• Responsibility – are people ready to be held to account for

something that the government has done?• Power – the need for checks and balances in places where

people exert power• Participation – does this open up spaces for new actors and

new roles?• Transparency – the need for access to information to support

accountability• Rule of law – need for clear consequences of misconduct

and/or negligence

The philosophy : SA

• The philosophy behind social accountability centers on the role of empowerment and information in enhancing government commitment and service delivery.

How

• Building social accountability through community mobilization, training, dialogue and collective actions.

• Social accountability engages social movements that demands accountability through mechanisms

The SA8000® standard• The SA8000® standard • It is one of the world’s first auditable social

certification standards for decent workplaces, across all sectors(industry).

• It is based on conventions of the ILO, UN and national laws.

• The SA8000® standard spans industry and corporate codes to create a common language for measuring social compliance

SA8000® Elements• Child Labor• Forced and Compulsory Labor• Health and Safety• Freedom of Association and Right to Collective

Bargaining• Discrimination• Disciplinary Practices: Treat all personnel with dignity and

respect

• Working Hours ( 48 hrs/week) • Remuneration (wages sufficient to meet basic needs )

• Management Systems

Case discussion

• Question

Queries

Thank you