Case study Bolivia

15 October 2009Anke van Dam

The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SNV and VNG started the pilot in 6 African countries

Bolivia was added afterwards SNV and the Netherlands Embassy in

La Paz started an investigation to identify counterparts

The topic is not new, regulations to promote transparency, social control and accountability already existed

2005 Evo Morales elected with 54% as first indigenous president

Reaction to a political crisis: social exclusion; few work opportunities and low incomes; crisis of traditional political parties; corruption

Approval through referenda of 4 (out of 9) autonomous departments

Approval of a new Constitution in January 2009: social inclusion; recognition of indigenous rights and protagonism; different autonomies (including social control)

In the context of autonomic processes and decentralization

In autonomies: promote social participation; inclusion; strengthening Public Administration (different levels)

50-65% of public investment is at decentralized levels

Focus on impact of public investment on living conditions and practices of social control

Since 1994 Popular Participation law existed Watchdog Committees

The civil society organizations will control the public administration at all levels and the public, mixed and private institutions that administrate public funds

It will also control the quality of the public services

The civil society will organize themselves to define the structure and composition of the participation and social control

Stimulate the transparent use of information and resources in all levels and institutions of the public administration

Accountability as a twofolded process: transparency in the beginning and accountability (rendición de cuentas) at the end of the process

Process in which access to information on goals, results and impact of public interventions is provided to the beneficiaries and there is strong participation of actors and sectors concerned in the beginning and the end of the process

Work with the local governments and through this with civil society

Establish agreements with the central (Ministry of Autonomies) and local governments

Characterization of the beneficiaries Identification of the appropriate

communication means to inform the beneficiaries

Make the results explicit ‘Transparentation’ of the intermediate results Final evaluation of results (rendición de

cuentas) Systematization of the experiences

7 public investment projects at the level of departments

In Santa Cruz and Cochabamba there exists accountability in the public investment policy

Ministry of Autonomies implements a transparency policy

Social dialogue at the different levels between government and civil society

Political process: elections (national and local) Sustainability: change of authorities (include

accountability in the programs; information sharing with beneficiaries)

Role of civil society (stimulate empowerment, establish different types of communication, knowledge building)

Isolated actions not embedded in the institutions (integrate the activities in institutional capacity building process)

Institutionalize the accountability process in both government (central and local) and civil society

Define and implement the appropriate communication instruments taking into account the different publics, the indigenous groups and different languages

Analyze the character of the different autonomies and the role accountability should play