Social Accountability

Category: Policy Areas | Back to Glossary

TransparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More of public service deliveryTo ensure that citizens of all groups are better supported by the government, OGP participating governments are working to improve the quality of and access to public services. Commitments in this are... More is not enough on its own; giving citizens opportunities to monitor progress on the ground and hold their governments accountable improves the quality of these services.

Technical specifications: Process of a public review of government performance (by citizens or through intermediary CSOs) to determine if the reported expenditures match the actual disbursement of funds or delivery of services on the ground. Includes forums (formal or informal), mechanisms, and processes that enable the public to provide input and for officials to listen and provide public responses on government activities. (These commitments must have the input, listening, and response elements.)

See also: Public ParticipationGiving citizens opportunities to provide input into government decision-making leads to more effective governance, improved public service delivery, and more equitable outcomes. Technical specificatio...