Development of an Indicators Model for Transparency of Brazilian Municipalities Institutional Development (BR0059)

to develop a proposal of indicators for transparency of the institutional development of the Brazilian municipalities with the aim of providing comparative information for public managers and citizens on the progresses and basic challenges of the municipal management.

Commitment 2.22. Development of an Indicators Model for Transparency of Brazilian Municipalities Institutional Development

Commitment Text: To develop a proposal of indicators for transparency of the institutional development of the Brazilian municipalities with the aim of providing comparative information for public managers and citizens on the progresses and basic challenges of the municipal management. 

Responsible institution: Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA)

Supporting institution: None

Start date: Not specified                          End date: 14 December 2014

Commitment aim

The commitment sought to use the methodology and reach of the Survey of Basic Municipal Information (MUNIC) to create indicators on key questions that can impact transparency, such as the existence of transparency portals and specific legislation. The lack of a municipal transparency index was the motivation for the commitment.

Status

Midterm: Substantial

As a result of the June 2013 technical cooperation agreement between the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) and the Office of the Comptroller General (CGU), a questionnaire with municipal transparency indicators was formulated and applied nationally in 2014. The new questions dealt with topics such as free public access in access centres, the creation of tele-centres, the installation of computers with Internet access at public schools, and the existence of access to information legislation and transparency portals. At the midterm review, however, the MUNIC had not yet been published.

End of term: Substantial

According to the government’s self-assessment, IPEA published the proposal of indicators for municipal institutional development.^{[Note 80: Brazilian Institute for Applied Economic Research, “Proposta Ipea sobre Modelo de indicadores de gestão para cidadania municipal plena CGU OGP,” 4 August 2016, http://bit.ly/2hWfUvq. ]} The document was created on 4 August 2016, outside the dates of the action plan. As a result, completion of the commitment remained substantial.

Did it open government?

Access to information: Did not change

The key product of the commitment that could have improved open government practices (i.e., city-level transparency indicators) was completed after the end of the action plan. As such, this commitment did not change the status quo of open government in the country during the period evaluated by this report. 

Carried forward?

The commitment is not included in the next action plan. If the government revisits it in the future, the IRM researcher advises promoting open data records, and making use of structured mechanisms for participation to discuss the research survey with civil society.