PUBLIC AFFAIRS CENTRE

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PUBLIC AFFAIRS CENTRE

• MISSION STATEMENT
• IDENTIFY AND PROMOTE INITIATIVES THAT
  FACILITATE A PRO-ACTIVE ROLE BY CITIZENS TO
  ENHANCE THE LEVEL OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY AND
  PERFORMANCE
• A KNOWLEDGE DRIVEN - ACTION SUPPORT ORGANIZATION

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MANDATE...

• REPORT CARDS / OTHER RESEARCH
• ACTION SUPPORT / ADVOCACY
• CAPACITY BUILDING / ADVISORY SERVICES
• INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

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Governance Crises

• Poor Access to Public Services - Inefficiency
• Indifference, Collusion with vested Groups - Non
  Responsiveness
• Rampant corruption, Extortion by Agents
  Middlemen- Weak Accountability
• Loose Systems Weak Integrity - Abuse of
  discretion

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Why Weak Collective Response

• Lack of EXIT Options
• Episodic Nature
• Threat of Reprisal
• Information Barriers
• Low / No Trust in any formal mechanism

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How to Make a Change...

• From Coping to VOICES by Citizens
• From Shouting to Counting by Activists
• From Reaction to Informed Action
• From Episodic Responses to Organised Action
• Systematic Demand Driven Changes

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IMPROVING GOVERNANCEThe PAC Approach

• COMMENCE WITH CREATING DEMAND FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE
• FOCUS ON STRONGLY FELT NEEDS AND ISSUES
• COMPARE PERFORMANCES OF DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS
• INITIATE DIALOGUE WITH STAKEHOLDERS
• FACILITATE PROBLEM SOLVING FORUMS/ACTIONS

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WHY? Report Cards...

• Generate user feedback on public services
• Provide opportunities to citizens/groups to
  demand more accessibility, responsiveness
  accountability from service providers
• Encourage service providers to introduce citizen
  friendly practices
• Create an environment to facilitate demand
  mobilisation - awareness creation, issues on
  exclusion vulnerability, Rights-Based
  strategies

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What a Report Card can DO!!

• Generates User Feedback on services
• Converts widespread individual issues into
  Collective Issues
• Quantifies, Classifies Ranks Services/Agencies
  across qualitative quantitative issues
• Provides information on Hidden Costs
• Creates a BASE to launch practical ACTIONS

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Steps in Conducting a Report Card

• Issues identified through FGDs
• Designing instruments
• Identification of a scientific representative
  sample from the city population
• Survey by Independent Agency
• Collection of Qualitative Data
• Report always in Public Domain

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EXPERIENCES WITH REPORT CARDS

• Some Snapshots

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BENCHMARKING CIVIC SERVICES IN BANGALORE - The
Satisfaction Scores (General Households)
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BENCHMARKING CIVIC SERVICES IN BANGALORE - The
Bribery Matrix (General Households)
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BENCHMARKING CIVIC SERVICES IN BANGALORE -
Corruption The Urban Poor
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A CITIZENS REPORT CARD ON KARNATAKAS
GOVERNANCESectoral VOICES
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Interactions with Agencies

• Matrix of key Disablers

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BATF SURVEY ON IMPROVEMENTS ON CRITICAL PROBLEMS
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Type of Information Generated

• Accessibility Usage
• Satisfaction with individual services
• Responsiveness of Service Providers
• Cases of Bribes
• - Extortionary Vs Voluntary
• Willingness to Pay for better services

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From REPORT CARD TO ACTION!A Strategic Framework

• Which Services / Agencies are Crucial?
• How Vulnerable are these Users?
• Design of Short-term Long-term strategies
• Identifying support constituencies Partners
• Identifying Quick-wins for momentum
• Identifying Capacity Building Resource
  Requirements

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Making Advocacy Effective !!Some Insights

• Felt Need for an Objective Credible Database
• Focus on Services / Agencies ? NOT Individuals
• Presence of a LOCAL CHAMPION
• Conducted by Independent Technically Competent
  Local NGOs / Professional Groups
• LOCAL OWNERSHIP PROGRAMMES

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WHAT REPORT CARDS ACHIEVED...

• CREATING PUBLIC AWARENESS
• WIDE PRESS COVERAGE, WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS ETC.
• STIMULATING AGENCY REFORMS
• INTERNAL REVIEW BY BDA, IPP Study, PROACTIVE
  RESPONSES IN MUMBAI AHMEDABAD.

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WHAT REPORT CARDS ACHIEVED...

• STRENGTHENING CIVIL SOCIETY INITIATIVES
• SWABHIMANA MOVEMENT - SERVICE DELIVERY
  IMPROVEMENTS, ELECTORAL TRANSPARENCY.
• CAPACITY BUILDING FOR PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS
• ADVOCACY NGOs AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS-
  FEDCOT, SEWA, RKS, UNDP
• REPLICATIONS/ADAPTATIONS BATF, Bangalore
  Governance Score Cards - Bangladesh Social
  Weather Project - Philippines