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Overview of the Governance Scenario in South Asia – challenges and ways forward.

Overview of the Governance Scenario in South Asia – challenges and ways forward. Richard H olloway, Co- ordinator , PRAN at CUTS/COPSA/ANSA Workshop, Kathmandu 18-20 Sept 2012 . Contents. Clarifying “Governance” Politics – is it a dirty word? “Good Governance”

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Overview of the Governance Scenario in South Asia – challenges and ways forward.

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  1. Overview of the Governance Scenario in South Asia – challenges and ways forward. Richard Holloway, Co-ordinator, PRAN at CUTS/COPSA/ANSA Workshop, Kathmandu 18-20 Sept 2012

  2. Contents • Clarifying “Governance” • Politics – is it a dirty word? • “Good Governance” • The Situation in Nepal and the experience of PRAN • Why is social accountability necessary? Why are good laws not being implemented? • The Role of our CSOs

  3. Clarifying “Governance” “Governance” reflects the decision making structures and institutions in a country or region. It answers the questions: • Do decisions get made effectively, and in accord with the rule of law? • Do the institutions for decision making operate effectively, and in accord with the rule of law?

  4. In general, the answer is “NO” Important Governance institutions (e.g. the Executive, the civil service, the judiciary, local government – even traditional and religious Institutions) are increasingly subverted by decision making based on partisan politics And partisan politics are often a front for personal accumulation of power and wealth.

  5. “Politics” does not have to be a dirty word A politician is a person with a cause or a platform - a collection of ideas about how a country should be run in order to benefit the citizens of that country.

  6. However…. All over South Asia “politician” is used as a dirty word because people think that it means a person beholden to a particular ideology (or power group) whose aim is: • to benefit that group, • often by harming others, • and with a strong tendency for corruption to benefit individuals

  7. “Good Governance” As used by the UN, “Good Governance” does not mean simply effective governance, but governance that reflects the needs of the poor and marginalised. Those of us interested in social accountability are interested in good governance in this sense.

  8. Good Governance in South Asia? All over South Asia we have laws, policies, regulations and practices which are intended to benefit women, the poor, the marginalised, but which are often not applied, or not implemented properly. Why is this so?

  9. In Nepal… There are many and strong attempts in legislation to reduce gender, caste and class discrimination There are also positive discrimination laws which recognize the backward position of such people and seek to improve it. I think it is likely that there are similar laws all over South Asia

  10. Examples from Nepal • Financial incentives paid to mothers to deliver babies in district hospitals • Scholarships for dalits • Old age and disability pensions • Proportions of local government block grants given to women, dalits, janjatis Examples from your countries ? Good policies which are not well implemented ?

  11. However …. From 18 months work with PRAN, we find: • People at whom the laws are directed do not know they exist, and do not know their entitlements • People responsible for enacting such laws have not done so adequately • Even if people know their entitlements, they do not know how access them

  12. Social Accountability As we know social accountability is about helping people to get their entitlements, and learning different ways of doing so e.g. tools. But reflect on why this is necessary….

  13. Why are good laws not being implemented? Because those responsible for implementing them: • Never believed in them in the first place? • Have never followed the laws up with regulations and budgets? • Find them too difficult to administer? • Ignore them because of impunity, or lack of pressure to implement tem • Divert the funds to a political party? • Divert the funds to their own pockets?

  14. The Role of our CSOs It is important to learn Tools for Social Accountability, and to teach their use, but… • After we have taught about entitlement, • After we have talked about government responsibility, • After we have taught about good governance, Have we empowered the poor and marginalised to demand their entitlements and continue to do so after our CSO and its program has moved on?

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