The MENA-OECD Governance Programme

ThE MEna-OECD gOvErnanCE prOgraMMEshare knowledge and expertise to modernise public governance

disseminate standards and principles of good governance

support the reform process in the mena region

The organisaTion for economic co-operaTion and developmenT

The OECD is a unique forum where the governments of 34 democracies

work together to address the economic, social and environmental

challenges of globalisation. The OECD is at the forefront of efforts to

understand and to help governments respond to new developments

and concerns, such as corporate governance, the information economy

and the challenges of an ageing population. The Organisation provides

a setting where governments can compare policy experiences, seek

answers to common problems, identify good practice and work to

co-ordinate domestic and international policies.

Contents

The mena-oecd governance programme: a strategic partnership 2

FOCus On FivE kEy arEas 3 1. Open governments 4

2. Efficient machinery of government 6

3. Gender equality 10

4. Local government 13

5. Rule of law 14

MulTilaTEral iniTiaTivEs 15

COunTry prOjECTs 17

FOrThCOMing highlighTs 24

sElECTED publiCaTiOns 24

ThE prOgraMME´s gOvErnanCE sTruCTurE 25

DOnOrs 26

COnTaCT Back cover

MEna-OECD gOvErnanCE prOgraMME . 1

The MENA-OECD Governance Programme is a strategic partnership between MENA and OECD countries to share knowledge and expertise, with a view of disseminating standards and principles of good governance. The Programme closely co-operates with national institutions, regional and international organisations, universities, bilateral donor agencies, and representatives of the civil society.

The Programme strengthens collaboration with the most relevant multilateral initiatives currently underway in the region. In particular, the Programme supports the implementation of the G7 Deauville Partnership (Governance Pillar) and assists MENA countries in meeting the eligibility criteria to become a member of the Open Government Partnership. Through these initiatives, the MENA-OECD Governance Programme acts as a leading advocate of managing the ongoing transition process in MENA countries.

The Programme provides a sustainable structure for regional policy dialogue as well as for country specific projects. The projects correspond to the commitment of MENA governments to implement public sector reforms in view of unlocking social and economic development and growing expectation among citizens to benefit from quality public services, inclusive policy making and transparency.

By drawing on its network of peer experts and policy-makers, the MENA-OECD Governance Programme brings together high-level practitioners from MENA and OECD countries. Through constantly exchanging best practices, providing capacity building seminars and implementation support, the MENA-OECD Governance Programme helps foster a more social and economic development in the region.

a sTraTEgiC parTnErship

2 . MEna-OECD gOvErnanCE prOgraMME


FOCus On FivE kEy arEas

1. open governments Open and inclusive policy making,

citizen participation

Digital government and innovation in the public sector

public sector integrity and anti-corruption frameworks

3. gender equality institutional frameworks for gender

equality, including in private and public employment

reform to fi ght legal discrimination and support gender-sensitive policy frameworks

5. rule of law performance of justice institutions

4. local government reform to reduce disparities

between territories and citizens

institutional capacity building at the (sub-)national level

local development based on policy recommendations

2. effi cient machinery of government

Effi cient and eff ective budgeting and expenditure frameworks

regulatory reform and administrative simplifi cation

peer dialogue between senior budget offi cials and procurement leaders

OpEnnEss TransparEnCy parTiCipaTiOn

TrusT

2. Application of corruption prevention tools:

Asset declaration and codes of conduct;

3. Engagement of independent institutions and their role in

promoting integrity;

4. Participation of citizens and civil society in developing policies

to prevent and fi ght corruption.


mena-oecd WorKing groUp on civil service and inTegriTY (Wg i)

By uniting policy practitioners from the MENA region and

OECD countries engaged in promoting integrity and preventing

corruption, WG I acts as the leading network to promote

regional dialogue on public governance reform for integrity,

innovative anti-corruption strategies and institutions.

implementing the steering group conclusions of february 2015, Wg i is currently engaged in a regional policy dialogue on the:

1. Alignment and integration of anti-corruption and open

government strategies;

Open governments

chair:Morocco

co-chairs:spainTurkey

Annual meeting of Working Group I on Civil Service and Integrity, 24 March 2015 , Paris

1

kEy OuTCOMEs

by using the political momentum for open government reforms, governments should exploit synergies in anti-corruption and open government strategies.

anti-corruption tools should be developed in an inclusive manner and build on eff ective enforcement mechanisms.

independent institutions, anti-corruption agencies and Ombudsmen can act as crucial intermediaries between governments and citizens to promote integrity.

nEXT sTEps

OECD was invited to conduct a regional study on integrity.

youth issues shall be integrated in Wg i.

independent institutions can play a key

role in fi ghting corruption and ensure fair

and equal treatment of citizens by the

public administration.

delivering on the steering group conclusions, Wg ii is working in the following thematic areas:

1. Assessing the implementation of open government and

citizen participation policies in the MENA region by

administering the OECD Open Government Survey;

2. Assessing current e-government and ICTs policies

and initiatives against the new principles of the OECD

Recommendation on Digital Government Strategies.


mena-oecd WorKing groUp on open and innovaTive governmenT (Wg ii)

Technological innovations bear the potential of redefi ning the

relationship between governments and citizens. WG II supports

MENA countries in exploiting the potential of open government,

digital government and innovation policies for more accountable

and participatory governance and responsive public sectors.

chair:Dubai

co-chairs:south koreaitaly

Annual meeting of WG II, 8 February 2015 , Dubai

1

kEy OuTCOMEs

Open government policies: should meet the demands of citizens and business, contribute to national policy goals, and be measured against concrete outcomes.

Open data: critical element in supporting economic growth, improving public services, promoting transparency and accountability.

innovation: considering context allows innovative practices to be aligned with regional priorities.

nEXT sTEps

Drafting of the regional study “Benchmarking Digital Government Strategies in the MENA Countries”.

next Wg ii meeting: February 2016, Dubai (TbC).

Open governments

2. Discuss priorities in budgeting and public fi nancial

management reform (e.g. expenditure prioritisation,

performance budgeting and medium term expenditure

frameworks).

mena-oecd senior BUdgeT officials neTWorK (mena-sBo / Wg iii)

Public budgets are key policy documents to reconcile policy

objectives and are thus subject to special requirements with

regard to transparency and accountability. The MENA-SBO

is a unique forum for exchanging best practice to modernise

governance structures and operations for more effi cient,

transparent and participatory budgeting and public fi nancial

management processes.

The mena-sBo is the leading regional forum of budget directors to:

1. Gather OECD and MENA delegates and international experts

(IMF, World Bank);

chair:abu Dhabi

co-chair:sweden

7th annual MENA-SBO meeting, December 2014, Abu Dhabi

2


kEy OuTCOMEs

The new OECD Principles on Budgetary Governance were highlighted as a useful tool to create the multi-pronged framework needed for good public fi nancial management (pFM).

Each participating country had the opportunity to present its latest budgeting developments, challenges, and opportunities; this provided insight that was highly welcomed by participants.

nEXT sTEps

hosting of the 2015 MEna-sbO by the Qatar Ministry of Finance in Doha.

increased collaboration with the region to spread OECD best practice and help build pFM capacity (e.g. through topical meetings / seminars).

Effi cient machinery of government

manage regulatory reform in eight

MENA countries;

2. Introduces tools to increase

transparency and ensure good quality

of new regulations;

3. Provides recommendations based

on the Regional Charter for Regulatory

Quality (2009) and the OECD

Recommendations on Regulatory Policy

(2012).

mena-oecd WorKing groUp on regUlaTorY reform (Wg iv)

Enhancing the regulatory environment through systematic

consultation, the use of regulatory processes and tools and

reviews of the stock of legislation is a common concern of MENA

countries. WG IV promotes a forum for MENA countries and

international experts to exchange on good practices in regulatory

reform.

The OECD Review of Regulatory Reform in the Middle East and North Africa (2013):

1. Assesses the implementation of OECD regulatory policy

principles, strategies and institutional arrangements to

chair:Tunisia

co-chairs:Franceitaly

2


Main FinDings

MEna countries implement reforms for greater regulatory transparency but explicit policies for a government-wide approach are lacking.

MEna countries lack systematic reviews of existing regulations.

Training and capacity-building is largely provided on an ad hoc basis.

rECOMMEnDaTiOns

Design a consistent whole-of government regulatory policy.

adopt legislative drafting standards across government; develop a strategy for reducing high administrative burdens.

Design a central institutional mechanism within government.

Effi cient machinery of government

WhaT do We learn from The reporT?

consultation procedures ex-ante impact assessments

2 Effi cient machinery of government


0

5

4

3

2

1

0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

ad hoc/informal consultation of

stakeholders

public can propose regulations

systematic

use

some laws/r

egulations

no mechanism

s

num

ber of countries

public hearings

legal requirement for consultations

(ad hoc) publications prior to approval

Conferences, workshops and

seminars

Data based on the report (Total: 8 countries) Data based on the report (Total: 6 countries)

stocktaking report of mena countries procurement systems (in progress):

1. Identifi es whether and to what degree reforms have been

undertaken and measures progress against OECD Principles

for Enhancing Integrity in Public Procurement;

2. Identifi es common challenges that will inspire activities

to support MENA countries in implementing modern,

transparent and effective public procurement systems;

3. Results from the initial survey were compiled into a draft

report, and MENA countries are invited to continue sharing

updates at Network meetings and workshops.

iniTial sTOCkTaking rEsulTs

special provisions among the MEna countries surveyed to encourage the participation of sMEs, encourage national enterprises, and encourage green procurement.

Encourage SMEs participation

Encourage national enterprises participation

Encourage green procurement

Egypt yes yes no

jordan no yes no

libya no no no

Morocco yes yes yes

Tunisia yes yes no

yemen no yes yes

2Effi cient machinery of government


Meeting of the MENA-OECD Network on Public Procurement, 26-27 September 2013, Seoul

mena-oecd neTWorK on pUBlic procUremenT

The MENA-OECD Network on Public Procurement assists

MENA countries in designing and implementing effective

reform to modernise procurement systems for greater integrity,

transparency, effectiveness and value for money.

mena-oecd gender focUs groUp “Women in governmenT plaTform”

Women play a critical role in demanding

openness, social justice and equal

access to opportunities. The MENA-

OECD Gender Focus Group promotes

legal equality as well as equality of

opportunity and political voice.

The report on “Gender, Law and Public Policies: Trends in the Middle East and North Africa” (2014) provides recommendations on:

1. How to bridge the gender gap:

Eliminating gender-based

discrimination;

2. Strengthening institutional frameworks for promoting

gender equality;

3. Enabling women’s access to decision making posts in the

public sector.

gender equality3

Main FinDings

almost all countries ratifi ed the Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women but reservations on key articles prevail.

While gender equality strategies and institutions to promote women’s empowerment exist, they are unevenly integrated in the policy process.

Women have experienced advances in access to decision-making posts, still mobility restrictions and discrimination in labour laws remain.

rECOMMEnDaTiOns

amend legal frameworks to remove gender-based discriminations and strengthen accountability mechanisms.

integrate international standards in gender equality strategies; strengthen capacities, mandates and coordination of institutions.

strengthen policies related to work-life balance and equal access; address social barriers and traditional gender stereotypes.


gender equality

WhaT do We learn from The reporT?

significant disparities prevail with regard to female representation in mena countries´ legislatures

disparities between men and women increase as one climbs the organisational ladder

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Kuwait

Share of men

Share of women

Qatar***

Yemen*****

Bahrain*

Jord

an

Oman**

Saudi Arabia***

*Syria

Djibouti

Morocc

o

United Arab Emira

tesEgypt

Iraq

Tunisia

Lebanon

Algeria

Perc

enta

ge o

f sea

ts in

Par

liam

ent

Egypt Jordan Tunisia

Morocco Bahrain Palestinian Authority

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

49%

40%

9%

73%

TOP MANAGEMENT

Full and part-time employees, as of 2010

MIDDLE MANAGEMENT

26%

78%

23%18%

-6%

69%

-18%

58%

Dis

pari

ties

bet

wee

n pe

rcen

tage

sof

wom

en a

nd m

en e

mpl

oyed

Notes: *bahrain had no elections between 1975 and 2002; ** Oman had partial suffrage in 1994 and universal suffrage in 2003; ***Qatar only has women’s suffrage for municipal elections,**** saudi arabia has announced suffrage for 2015; ***** The data for yemen is according to the year of suffrage for the Democratic republic of yemen. The arab republic of yemen had women’s suffrage in 1970.

3


mena-oecd gender focUs groUp: high-level seminar “gender, laW and pUBlic policY: Trends in The middle easT and norTh africa”

The main objectives of the seminar on 17-18 november 2014 in amman included:

1. Identifying and addressing strategic challenges faced by

MENA countries in closing remaining gender gaps;

2. Generating dialogue and exchange of good practices in

eliminating gender-based discrimination in laws and

policy-making;

3. Discussing and promoting necessary conditions for women’s

empowerment in public life.

High Level Seminar on Gender, Law and Public Policy: Trends in the MENA, 17-18 November 2014, Amman


3 gender equality

COnClusiOns

amend inclusive legal reforms are required both on national and local levels

Fostering gender equality across the MEna region will contribute to social and economic well-being of citizens.

advancing gender diversity in public life contributes to trust in government and in public institutions in the MEna region.

Developing capacities across the public sector is crucial to enable change.

Developing inclusive and gender-responsive policies is necessary for economic growth and requires a whole-of-government approach.

removing reservations on CEDaW is vital for advancing gender equality in the region.

ThE sEMinar

brought together over 100 government senior offi cials, gender experts and key representatives from civil society organizations from MEna and OECD countries.

Was organised in cooperation with the arab administrative Development Organization (araDO) under the patronage of her Majesty Queen rania al abdullah of the hashemite kingdom of jordan.

benefi ted from the support of Centre of arab Women for Training and research (CaWTar) and the spanish agency for international Development Cooperation (aECiD).


focUs groUp on local governmenT

Regions are the place where citizens and policies meet.

The Focus Group on Local Government assists MENA countries

in assessing and strengthening the capacities of public

institutions on the local level and citizens´ ability to participate

in the decision-making process.

The mena-oecd open government project Tunisia – case studies on local governments (sfax, gabés):

1. Assessment of the implementation of open government

policies at the local level;

2. Peer review with representatives from Bilbao (Spain) and

Milan (Italy).

local government 4

Main FinDings

Tunisia’s centralised governance structure has been limiting citizen participation, transparency and accountability mechanisms.

Tunisia’s transition is hampered by the split between the capital and the rural southern areas.

Distributing responsibility across levels of government and stakeholders is a way to capitalise on the demands of the revolution.

bEnEFiTs OF OpEn gOvErnMEnT

generate trust to facilitate collaboration between public offi cials, private sector and ngOs in sfax.

improve environmental sustainability and protect local jobs in gabés.

rECEnT prOjECT

The OECD conducted a case study of ajloun and Zarqa municipality in jordan (May 2014) and will conduct another in Tangier and Fez, Morocco (2015).


rule of law5

2. improving legal security for citizens and businesses;

3. Fostering trust in government and promoting social and

economic performance.

reinforcing rUle of laW for economic and social developmenT

MENA countries have expressed a strong demand for OECD

assistance in reinforcing Rule of Law principles for economic and

social development. The MENA-OECD Governance Programme

delivers on this demand through its country projects with Egypt

and Yemen and capacity building programmes to increase respect

for the rule of law and elevate citizens’ confi dence in the integrity

of the judiciary system and of other public institutions.

in line with the objectives of the g7 deauville partnership, mena Transition fund, the rule of law pillar assists mena countries in:

1. Increasing the effi ciency and public trust in the judicial

bodies and court system;

aChiEvEMEnTs

Establishment of an OECD stream of work on justice (justice performance, access to justice and aDrs).

OECD Trust strategy, including trust in justice institutions.

inclusion of justice data in 2013 Governance at a Glance.

nEXT sTEps

building an institutional framework to reinforce the rule of law component in the MEna-OECD governance programme.

Capacity building programmes to enhance the independence, autonomy and effi ciency of the judiciary in MEna countries, improve access to justice and increase public trust (e.g. introduction to legislative drafting, Cairo, april 2015).


MulTilaTEral iniTiaTivEs

mena-oecd open governmenT proJecT

1. The OECD assists Jordan, Lebanon, Libya,

Morocco, Tunisia and the Palestinian

Authority in reviewing and assessing

institutions, policies and practices supporting

the implementation of Open Government principles;

2. At the OGP Summit in London 2013, the OECD was confi rmed

as an offi cial Multilateral Partner Organisation of the OGP.

iMplEMEnTaTiOn TOOls

access to international policy instruments.

Capacity building and implementation assistance.

policy dialogue.

policy analyses and recommendations.

nEXT sTEps

Jordan: implement the 2nd Ogp action plan.

Lebanon: implement policies to join the Ogp.

Libya: include open government principles in state-building.

Morocco: pass a law that guarantees access to information.

PA: implement policies to join the Ogp. Tunisia: implement open government

initiatives (Ogp action plan) with citizens.

Whole of government coordination

Budget transparency

integrity

citizen participation

icT for og

the implementation of Open Government principles;

Angel Gurría, Secretary General, at the International Forum on Open Government, 30 September 2014, Paris

mena-oecd open governmenT proJecT

With the support of OECD analysis and training, MENA

countries are designing and implementing open government

policies and are engaging in a dialogue with civil society.

1st international forum on open government, 30 september 2014 in paris:

1. Foster an international policy dialogue and enhance the use

of open government to promote economic prosperity;

2. Explore new areas of open government such as youth, rule of

law, local government and open data and shape the OECD’s

future agenda.

Multilateral initiatives

kEy OuTCOMEs

OECD Open government reviews of Morocco and Tunisia.

Tunisia joined the Ogp in january 2014.

Countries established mixed steering Committees to guide their open government agenda and Civil society Organisations created Ogp networks.

Training in the areas of aTi, civic engagement, integrity and budget transparency.

nEXT sTEps

strengthening the centre of government to coordinate open government policies.

Developing open government policies at the local level.

Enhancing the capacity to eff ectively engage citizens and civil society.

addressing youth and gender issues and the use of iCTs.


International Forum on Open Government, 30 September 2014, Paris

kEy aChiEvEMEnTs

1. The Code of Conduct for public offi cials was signed by the head of government in October 2014.

2. implementation support to operationalise the code: 48 public offi cials participated in two train-the-trainers seminars in june/november 2014.

3. advocacy and awareness raising for good practices and tools in risk management, internal control as well as internal and external auditing among high-level representatives from the public adminsitration, control institutions, public enterprises and customs in two capacity building seminars in september 2014 and February 2015.

4. launching of the manual Aspects pratiques du décret 2014-2039 du 13 mars 2014: réglementation des marchés publics to facilitate the interpretation and application of the new legislation.

The proJecT

The project “Deepening Tunisia´s integrity foundations” builds on two previous phases of collaboration with the Tunisian government to reinforce integrity and good governance. based on an assessment of the institutional and legal framework resulting in the 2012 OECD Integrity Review of Tunisia, the second phase provided technical assistance in elaborating a code of conduct and implementing an eff ective asset declaration system, and examined the audit and control system (2013). since january 2014, with the fi nancial support of the uk arab partnership participation Fund, the project implements OECD recommendations by providing:

1. Train-the-trainers seminars to disseminate the values of the Code of Conduct;

2. Capacity building programmes to strengthen risk management practices and the audit and control system;

3. Capacity building programmes and a manual to increase transparency in public procurement and make eff ective use of the e-procurement platform;

4. Technical assistance in elaborating a legal framework for protecting whistleblowers.


COunTry prOjECTs – TUnisia i: promoTe inTegriTY and TransparencY in pUBlic governance

kEy aChiEvEMEnTs

5. providing tailored recommendations to align the draft law for protecting whistleblowers in Tunisia with international standards, in collaboration with unDp.

Train-the-Trainer programme for the Code of Conduct, 4-5 November 2014, Tunis

1. public fi nancial management: Enhancing performance-based-budgeting at the national and local levels and control and audit capacities;

2. local governance: building institutional capacities at the local level in line with the new Constitution.

accountability.The previous phase of the project (2013-2014) successfully supported Tunisia to publish its fi rst Executive budget proposal and Citizen budget, which allowed it to join the Open government partnership in january 2014. The current phase (2014-2016) assists Tunisia in the following key areas:


The proJecT

in line with the priorities of the Tunisian government to build eff ective institutions for political stability and inclusive growth, this project fi nanced by the german Transformation partnership, builds on the OECD’s assessment of the Tunisian budget cycle and the recommendations provided to increase budget transparency, effi ciency and

COunTry prOjECTs – TUnisia ii: effecTive governance To consolidaTe poliTical TransiTion and promoTe economic prosperiTY in TUnisia

rECEnT aCTiviTiEs

1. The high level seminar on strenghtening public Financial Management on 11 May 2015 in Tunis gathered 80 high-level public offi cials to discuss eff ective strategies for developing a strategic vision of public expenditures and promote good governance in public fi nancial management.

2. The seminar on promoting Decentralisation and regional Development in Tunisia on 15-16 june 2015 was the fi rst to bring together the secretary of state for local Communities and the secretary of state for Development, investment and international Cooperation. participants from the central and local level discussed regional inequalities and a whole-of-government approach to strengthen local governance, to promote horizontal and vertical dialogue and improve capacities at local level.

Minister of Finance opens the Seminar , 11 May 2015, Tunis


kEy aChiEvEMEnTs

1. at the national conference in january 2015 the role independent institutions play to promote good governance and open government was reinforced.

2. The Instance Centrale de Prévention de la Corruption (iCpC) and the Institution du Médiateur du Royaume set-up a common committee to jointly promote good governance.

3. 20 staff members of the institution du Médiateur participated in a seminar on strategic planning to draft their own strategic action plan in March 2014;

4. Consensus reached among participants for developing a single integrity online portal guided by Terms of References prepared by the OECD.

5. 30 government representatives discussed the implications of the iCpC’s power to conduct corruption investigation as defi ned in the new Constitution.

6. The OECD Communication Manual gives clear recommendations on how to improve information fl ows within government and with citizens.

The proJecT

The project supports the Institution du Médiateur du Royaume and l’Instance Centrale de Prévention de la Corruption (iCpC) in carrying out their new constitution mandate. it is fi nanced by the uk arab partnership programme Fund.

The project supports public institutions in implementing reforms and reinforcing capacities to provide quality services to Moroccan citizens.

The project provides:

1. a review of the institutional, legal and regulatory frameworks and management practices of the Institution du Médiateur and ICPC;

2. Capacity-building activities;

3. Citizen participation and communication measures;

4. support to the iCpC and the institution du Médiateur du royaume at the local level.

COunTry prOjECTs – morocco: fighT corrUpTion and engage ciTiZens


The proJecT

This MEna Transition Fund project of the g7 Deauville partnership is a joint-cooperation with the african Development bank, which supports:

1. Effi ciency and eff ectiveness in the delivery of justice;

2. Transparency and public participation in the rule-making process.

The project supports the implementation of an automated case management system for the Court of Cassation; build capacity to use new systems; reduce case delays and improve the provision of judicial services to the public. The project will further work with the Ministry of justice to build capacities in legislative drafting and strengthen mechanisms for public consultation in the rule-making process.

COunTry prOjECTs – egYpT: sTrengThening The rUle of laW – effecTive and TransparenT deliverY of JUsTice and rUle-maKing, mena TransiTion fUnd proJecT

kEy aChiEvEMEnTs

1. inauguration of the project at ministerial level on 25 september 2014 in Cairo.

2. Capacity building for the Court of Cassation and Ministry of justice with peers from OECD countries.

3. Consensus reached on developing a reform action plan on the priority recommendations to automate the court.

Project started in September 2014.

g7 deauville partnership – mena Transition fund project

Launching Conference of the MENA Transition Fund Project, 25 September 2014 , Cairo


The proJecT

This MEna Transition Fund project of the g7 Deauville partnership builds judicial capacity to improve integrity, the effi ciency and eff ectiveness of the court system and access to justice. it will provide technical assistance for the government of yemen in the implementation of the 2013 action plan within the framework of the strategy prepared by the Ministry of justice (Moj) in coordination with the Ministry of planning and international Cooperation. The project addresses four components:

1. assessing and peer reviewing the capacities of judiciary;

2. Enhancing judicial capacity and integrity, such as through “train-the-trainers” programmes for judges and a code of conduct for judges and prosecutors;

3. improving the judicial infrastructure and institutional capacities in the Moj;

4. improving court management and access to justice.

COunTry prOjECTs – Yemen: reinforcing The rUle of laW – developing The capaciTies of The JUdiciarY, mena TransiTion fUnd proJecT

kEy aChiEvEMEnTs

1. inauguration of the project at ministerial level.

2. Completion of the peer review assessment for the judiciary in yemen.

3. Consensus on the action plan to build capacities in the judiciary. study visit to the netherlands Forensic institute and seminar on Code of Conduct.


society participation;

2. improve gender sensitivity of parliament by responding to the needs of men and women in policies and structure;

3. secure women’s continued and equal access to parliament, by encouraging women candidates to run for election, changing electoral and campaigning laws and promoting gender equality legislation.

reforms and transformation on the ground. in this context, “feedback loops” or “learning loops” will offer a multi-level mechanism for interaction and new policy approaches among parliamentarians and policy makers in the region.

The intended impacts will be:

1. To make parliaments open, accountable and transparent through measures to promote greater gender awareness and increase Civil

The proJecT

This MEna Transition Fund project of the g7 Deauville partnership starting in autumn 2015 will support the eff orts of Egypt, jordan and Morocco to maximise women’s integration in public life and policy-making process.

More specifically, the project aims to “promote women’s participation in parliaments and policy-making” by :

1. Making legislatures transparent, equitable and gender-sensitive; 2. Empowering (potential) women parliamentarians and strengthening their capacity and skills at the national and local levels; 3. improving public consultation capacity of parliaments and women’s CsOs in law-making processes.

This will be complemented by regular regional policy dialogue as an integral part of this project. This dialogue is a cross-cutting element for the continuity of the knowledge sharing process for implementation of



COunTry prOjECTs – egYpT, Jordan and morocco: ToWards inclUsive and open governmenTs: promoTing Women’s parTicipaTion in parliamenTs and policY maKing, mena TransiTion fUnd proJecT

The proJecT

since 2009, the OECD is engaged in a partnership with the palestinian authority, the MEna-OECD initiative to support the palestinian authority (Mip), to assist in the implementation of core public governance reforms:

1. Fighting corruption;

2. strengthening the rule of law;

3. improving public service delivery.

The partnership is fi nanced by the government of norway and anchored in a solid institutional platform, coordinated by the Ministry of planning and administrative Development.

The project is fully operational with over 50 activities implemented, numerous OECD peers involved and permanent on-the-ground assistance provided by a local senior fi eld manager.

COunTry prOjECTs – palesTinian aUThoriTY: BUilding sTaTe-insTiTUTions

KeY achievemenTs

1. The pa Code of Conduct is aligned with OECD integrity standards;

2. The rule of law manuals support a systematic introduction of consultation mechanism in the decision-making process;

3. The e-government strategy is pioneering work to support better public service delivery;

4. The prime Minister announced the strategic objective of joining the Open government partnership (Ogp).


Forthcoming highlights selected publications

OECD Open Government in Morocco (English and French, 2015)

OECD Open Government in Tunisia (English and French, 2015)

Examen de lÓCDE du système de contrôle et dáudit de la Tunisie – Gestion des risques dans les institutions publiques (French, 2014)

Renforcer líntégrité en Tunisie: L élaboration de normes pour les agents publics et le renforcement du système de déclaration de patrimoine (French, 2014)

Women in Public Life – Gender, Law and Policy in the Middle East and North Africa (English, 2014)

Effective integrity in practice: Designing and implementing the code of conduct of the Palestinian Administration (English, 2013)

Palestinian Authority – E-Government Policy Document (English, 2013)

Palestinian Authority – E-Government Implementation Roadmap (English, 2013)

OECD Review of Regulatory Reform in the Middle East and North Africa – Implementing Regulatory Policy Principles to Foster Inclusive Growth (English, French and arabic, 2013)

OECD Integrity Review of Tunisia – The Public Sector Framework (English and French, 2013)

Consolider la transparence budgétaire pour une meilleure gouvernance publique en Tunisie (French, English and arabic, 2013)

second seminar on performance-Based Budgeting in Tunisia21 September 2015, Tunis

study visit to Justice institutions (g7 dp mena Transition fund project strengthening the rule of law)21 september- 2 October 2015, paris

Joint seminar with the ogp on “including civil society in morocco for open government”29 September 2015, rabat

launching conference “Towards inclusive and open governments: promoting women’s participation in parliaments and policy-making” (g7 dp mena Transition fund project)30 September 2015, rabat

seminar on the role of the parliament in increasing accountability October 2015, Tunis

8th annual meeting mena-senior Budget officials (Wg iii)3-4 november 2015, Doha

mena-oecd steering group meeting 9-10 november 2015, Morocco

high level conference on promoting gender mainstreaming: Towards gender sensitive policies December 2015, bahrain


The MEna-OECD governance programme’s governance structure

MEna Co-chair (Morocco) h.e. mr mohamed moUBdii Minister Delegate to the head of government in charge of the civil service and the modernisation of the administration

regional partners

arab administrative Development Organization (araDO)

Center of arab Woman for Training and research (CaWTar)

gCC

giFT-MEna

Middle East partnership initiative (MEpi)

international partners

anna lindh Foundation

European Commission

iMF

Open government partnership

union for the Mediterranean

unDp

World bank

OECD Co-chair (spain)h.e. mr ricardo dÍeZ-hochleiTnerambassador, permanent representative of spain to the OECD

1. integrity and civil service

mena-oecd Training centre of caserta (italy)

2. open government and innovation

3. mena senior Budget offi cials

4. regulatory reform

7. network of public procurement practitioners

6. focus group on local government

5. gender focus group “Women in government platform”

regional networks


civil society advisory Board

Donors 2013-2015

regional programme coUnTrY proJecTs

spain germanyTurkey united kingdom

usa MEpiitaly MEna Transition Fundg7 Deauville partnership

south korea France norway

abu Dhabi and Federal government of uaE

Qatar

www.oecd.org/mena/governance

contactsmr martin forsthead of the governance reviews and partnership [email protected]

ms miriam allam policy analystMEna-OECD governance [email protected]

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The MENA-OECD Governance Programme

Documents