From the Ground Up: Improving Government Performance with Independent Monitoring Organizations

Contents

v Contents Preface ix Acknowledgments xi Chapter 1 Improving governance from the ground up 1 Organization of the book 5 The 16 independent monitoring organizations 7 Support from the Transparency and Accountability Project 8 Note 13 Chapter 2 Gather the budget data 14 Integrated Social Development Centre, Ghana 15 El Centro de Investigación de la Universidad del Pacífico, Peru 17 Bandung Institute of Governance Studies, Indonesia 19 Centre for Budget and Policy Studies, India 21 Institute for Urban Economics, Russian Federation 22 Conclusion 26 Notes 27 Chapter 3 Follow the money 28 El Centro de Investigación de la Universidad del Pacífico, Peru 29 Pusat Telaah dan Informasi Regional, Indonesia 37 Institute of Policy Analysis and Research, Kenya 41 vi Contents Institute for Development and Social Initiatives, Moldova 45 Conclusion 46 Notes 47 Chapter 4 Examine the spending 50 Center for Democratic Development, Ghana 51 Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas Para el Equidad y el Crecimiento, Argentina 55 Institute of Policy Analysis and Research, Kenya 61 El Centro de Investigaciones Económicas Nacionales, Guatemala 64 Gdansk Institute of Market Economics, Poland 69 Conclusion 71 Notes 73 Chapter 5 Recommend solutions 77 Center for Democratic Development, Ghana 78 Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas Para el Equidad y el Crecimiento, Argentina 79 Societatea Academica din Romania, Romania 81 Indo-Dutch Project Management Society, India 83 Conclusion 84 Notes 85 Chapter 6 Disseminate and advocate 86 Center for Democratic Development, Ghana 87 El Centro de Investigaciones Económicas Nacionales, Guatemala 88 Centre for Budget and Policy Studies, India 89 Centro de Análisis y Difusión de la Economia Paraguaya, Paraguay 91 Gdansk Institute of Market Economics, Poland 92 2A Consortium, Albania 94 Conclusion 95 Notes 96 Contents vii Chapter 7 Possibilities and lessons of independent monitoring 98 Lessons about independent monitoring organizations—from each step and the process as a whole 99 The future of monitoring governments 103 References 105 Index 109 Figures 2.1 Map of resource flows to healthcare facilities in Peru 19 4.1 Rates of teacher absenteeism during the week of fieldwork in select Ghanaian public primary schools, 2008 53 4.2 Class time lost due to teacher absenteeism in 31 schools in Florencio Varela and San Martín, Argentina, 2007 57 4.3 Delays in delivery of meals, milk, textbooks, and school supplies for students in the Department of Guatemala, 2008 68 Tables 1.1 Key differences between external and internal accountability 3 1.2 Independent monitoring organizations supported by the Transparency and Accountability Project 9 2.1 Actual expenditure as a share of planned expenditure for health in three regions of Ghana, 2002–06 (percent) 16 2.2 Actual expenditure as share of planned expenditure for education in three regions of Ghana, 2002–06 17 2.3 Government spending on health and education in the Russian Federation, Chuvash Republic, and Kaliningrad Region, 2004–06 24 3.1 Pharmaceutical shortages in 14 health facilities in Metropolitan Lima, Peru, 2008 33 3.2 Supply shortages in 14 health facilities in Metropolitan Lima, Peru, 2008 33 3.3 Comparison of responses from the health network and 12 health facilities in Metropolitan Lima, Peru, about pharmaceuticals provided under the National Health Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis, 2008 34 viii Contents 3.4 Comparison of responses from the health network and 14 health facilities in Metropolitan Lima, Peru, about pharmaceuticals provided under the vaccination program, 2008 35 3.5 Success in filling personnel needs in 14 health facilities, in Metropolitan Lima, Peru, 2008 36 3.6 Problems with the seven school funding schemes covering 38 elementary and secondary primary schools in Serang Regency and Gresik Regency, Indonesia, 2007 38 3.7 Disbursement amounts and dates for Nairobi’s eight constituencies, 2007 42 3.8 Number of scholarship beneficiaries, according to IPAR and the Kenyan Ministry of Education, 2004–07 43 3.9 Scholarship disbursements, according to IPAR and the Kenyan Ministry of Education, 2004–07 (Kenyan shillings) 44 4.1 Frequency of absenteeism during the week of fieldwork in select Ghanaian public primary schools, by gender and urban or rural location, 2008 (percent) 53 4.3 Shortfall due to lost class hours in 31 schools in Florencio Varela and San Martín, Argentina, 2007 58 4.4 Recorded absences of key public healthcare staff in Machakos District, Kenya, 2008 62 4.5 Resources...