Tools to Support Transparency in Local Governance Presentation

Tools to Support Transparency in Local Governance Presentation at the Workshop on Transparency and Accountability, 5 th Global Forum on Re-inventing Government Mexico City, November 2003 Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 UN-HABITAT, slide number 1

The context and challenge n Global trend towards urbanisation Increasing poverty and insecurity l Unsustainable urbanization patterns requiring preventive and adaptive approaches l Limited local government implementation capacity is main bottleneck l n New approach to ‘good governance’ Local authorities as ‘enablers’ l Emphasis on partnership for service delivery l Focus on inclusiveness of access to city benefits and decision making l Promising innovations, but need to scale up l Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 UN-HABITAT, slide number 2

The missing link “The key ingredient to realizing more inclusive cities is neither money nor technology, nor even expertise or legislative change (although all these are important), but good urban governance. ” The Global Campaign on Urban Governance, Concept Paper, 2 nd Edition, March 2002 Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 UN-HABITAT, slide number 3

Local Government “Urban governance is the sum of the many ways individuals and institutions, public and private, plan and manage the common affairs of the city. It is a continuing process through which conflicting or diverse interests may be accommodated and cooperative action can be taken. It includes formal institutions as well as informal arrangements and the social capital of citizens. ” Civil Society Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 Private Sector

Proposed Principles of Good Urban Governance n n n n Sustainability Subsidiarity Equity Efficiency Transparency and Accountability Civic Engagement and Citizenship Security Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 UN-HABITAT, slide number 5

Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003

Examples of Practical Measures n n n n Consultations to build strategic vision for community Local Agenda 21 processes City Statute: legislation to promote inclusion Transparent fiscal transfers for weaker local authorities Equal access for women to local level decision-making Clear cost and quality targets for provision of public services City Convenants on timeliness of administrative services Participatory budgeting City Youth Parliaments - Junior City Councils Integrity Pacts between Local Govt and companies bidding Community based crime prevention approaches Town Hall meetings Open and constructive media debate on local issues and many more practical measures … Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 UN-HABITAT, slide number 7

Urban Governance Toolkit Series n n n Participatory Urban Decision Making (PUDM) Sept. 2001 - E & S Transparency in Urban Governance (with Transparency International) - 2003 - E Participatory Budgeting (with UMP-LAC PB network) - 2003 - E & S Local-to-Local Dialogues (with Huairou Commission, 2003) - E Urban Governance approaches to Water and Land issues (2004) Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 UN-HABITAT, slide number 8

Local Government Municipal Front Office Independent Audit Debt Management Disclosure of Assets Local Leadership Training Building Bridges Conflict Management Participatory Budgeting Local-to-Local Dialogues Vulnerability Assessment Building NGO/CBO Capacity Civil Society Integrity Pact Commercialization of Services Urban Governance Index Urban Poverty Profile Urban Bribery Index City Consultation Urban Pact Report Cards Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 Code of Ethics for Professional Associations Private Sector

Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 UN-HABITAT, slide number 10

The Participatory Process and Tools which Support It IV: Follow Up and Consolidation Feedback • Monitoring Tools • Programme Evaluation • Institutionalisation Participatory Urban Decision Making I: Preparatory and Stakeholder Mobilsation • Municipal Checklist • Stakeholder Analysis • Profiling • Vulnerability Assessment • Gender Responsive Tools III: Strategy Formulation and Implementation II: Issue Prioritisation and Stakeholder Commitment • Action Planning • Programme Formulation • Demonstration Project • EMIS • Conflict Resolution • Proposition Paper • Facilitation • City Consultation • Urban Pact • Stakeholder Working Group Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003

Local Transparency: Expected Development Outcomes n n n n More equitable and effective service delivery Increased accountability, civic engagement and strengthened citizenship Enhanced legitimacy of local government Improved policy design and implementation Greater leveraging of resources from stakeholders Increased urban investment Reduced corruption Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 UN-HABITAT, slide number 12

Transparency Toolkit: Intervention Strategies Assessment and Monitoring: understanding the degree of transparency in local governance, while creating a base-line against which progress in improving transparency can be measured; n Access to information: measures to improve stakeholders’ access to information; n Ethics and integrity: tools for clarifying what is expected from professionals and elected leaders; n Institutional reforms: including both administrative procedures and structural innovations; n Targeting specific issues: using specific issues as an entry-point for improving transparency. n Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 UN-HABITAT, slide number 13

Other features… 35 tools in 5 categories n The toolkit explains, for each tool: n the purpose; l the impact on transparency; l how the tool works in practice; and l a case study to illustrate successful application of the tool l Users are encouraged to add more tools and case studies for inclusive in future edition of the toolkit n Publication by end 2003 n Outline handouts available at this workshop. n Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 UN-HABITAT, slide number 15

www. unhabitat. org/campaigns/governance/ Thank you! Tools to improve and measure the quality of urban governance - Mexico City, Nov. 2003 UN-HABITAT, slide number 16