Participatory budgeting processes a sign of better governance
By Carolyn Knapp, 12 May 2005

The Third Committee on Human Development and Civil Society (CHDCS), among other topics, discussed ways to promote more direct citizen engagement in the process of governance, specifically through participatory budgeting processes. Greater involvement by all stakeholders, especially civil society organizations can help promote effective use of public resources, deter corrupt practices, and achieve more sustainable outcomes. Accordingly, input into pro-poor decision-making requires that governments move away from traditional centrally managed, closed budgetary processes and frameworks -- which may concentrate on fiscal restraint -- and move toward more equitable policy choices and ways to effectively raise resources and use them in a transparent manner.

Members recommended that CSOs be involved beyond the planning and development of the budgetary process to include budget execution, implementation and monitoring. Forming district oversight committees and budgetary committees at the ministerial levels as entry points can facilitate CSOs’ participation in national budgeting.

To enhance participation, ECA emphasizes the importance of having an appropriate legal framework for CSOs to be able to effectively join in national policy debates. For example, a Freedom of Information Act is critical for them to access necessary information to meaningfully contribute in the budgeting process without fear of prosecution or other recriminations. Relatedly, CSOs need to ‘earn’ their place in the deliberations through more credible research and wider dissemination of their budget analyses.

More a more thorough discussion of the topic, feel free to contact Mzwanele Mfunwa at 33259.