Strengthening Civil Society to Improve Accountability(Completed)

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TitleDetails
Project TitleStrengthening Civil Society to Improve Accountability
Supported ByNational Endowment for Democracy(NED)
Project DurationOne Year (Feb 2015 – Jan 2016)
Project Objectives1. To analyze budgets of the provincial government and share reports with partners and stakeholders for debate and policy influence.
2. To form a network of different civil society organizations, academia and NGOs named “Citizens Network for Budget Accountability, CNBA” for monitoring of the budget at district level.
3. To provide facilitation and technical support to CNBA so that it can continue to efficiently monitor the use of public funds and take initiatives to make the relevant public authorities accountable.
4. To inform and sensitize key officials of district so that they could positively respond to demands of civil society by establishing transparent procedures, implement participatory budgeting, effective monitoring and democratic accountability of the use of public funds
5. To provide platforms for discussion on main concerns related to development priorities of the present government.
6. To provide technical assistance to district governments in developing their own districts websites where the budget of last three years can be placed.
7. Advocacy for transparency and public participating in the budget making process.
Geographic FocusPunjab
Target Groups and beneficiariesGeneral Public and District Governments of the Punjab.
PublicationsDistrict Budget Punjab-Study of Budget Making Process at District Level
DescriptionWith the support of National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) has been implementing a project on “Strengthening Civil Society to Improve Accountability” since February 2006. Initially, the project was implemented only in the Rawalpindi district but, later, its scope was expanded to district Jhang in 2008-09 and district Khushab in 2009-10. Main objective of the project is ‘to promote democratization by establishing and strengthening mechanisms of enhanced public participation in monitoring and accountability of use of public funds by public authorities in the districts of the Punjab. In 2013-14, CPDI will take the gargantuan step of widening the scope of the project further to cover all 36 districts of the Punjab.
The project will consist of a comprehensive study of budget process in 36 districts of the Punjab. This study will look into the budget making process at district level with the lens of accountability, transparency and public participation. As a result of this study, long-term engagement will be made with district governments to improve the process of budget making. Civil Society Organizations, academia and NGOs from different districts will be involved for the accomplishment of this purpose and a network named “Citizens Network for Budget Accountability” will be made. CPDI will provide facilitation and technical support to CNBA so that it can continue to efficiently monitor the use of public funds and take initiatives to make the relevant public authorities accountable.
Under this program CPDI will also be giving these district governments the technical support for developing their website where the budget of last three years will be placed. This would be a step towards open and transparent district government.