Association for Integrated Development (AID Balochistan) in partnership with National Endowment for Democracy (NED) initiated a project “Strengthening and Engaging Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Public Sector Accountability” in Loralai District The main objectives of the project are to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations and enable them to conduct and engaged in accountability of public sector organizations/ institutes in Loralai district

The project interventions were mainly designed keeping in view capacity building of civil society organizations, mapping and needs assessment of local CSOs, formation of  “Public Accountability Forum” organizational development, public accountability mechanisms, data collection and advocacy skills

 

Major Accomplishment of this Project:

Mapping, Assessment & Strengthening of SCOs:

conducted a survey of local civil society organizations in Loralai to select 15 potential organizations for capacity building trainings. They prepared a training manual on organizational development, structure and procedures, role of civil society, information collection, situational analysis, budget monitoring & tracking, right-to-information laws, media strategy, monitoring and evaluation techniques, advocacy skills, reporting and proposal development.

 

Formulation of Public Accountability forum:

AID Balochistan formulated PAF forum for 30 participants of Loralai district, with the help of this forum, all CSOs will able to link with each other and actively working on public sector Accountability with the line departments, local government representatives, civil society, media and stakeholders in Loralai. AID Baluchistan is currently running the secretariat of PAF.

Proposals:

AID Baluchistan requested concepts notes from PAF partners organizations to monitor public sector projects, evaluate completed projects, analyze policies, track performance, and implement laws and policies related to development and public services.

PAF approved concept notes, launched public accountability campaign, completed activities successfully, and shared findings, gaps, flaws and information in coordination meetings.

Chief Minister Policy Reforms Unit (CMPRU): continuously participation of CMPRU with AID Baluchistan in Public Accountability forum activities in throughout project.

Monitoring: AID Baluchistan with the support of PAF members conducted several monitoring visits of CSOs during their field activity and provided guidelines and support.

Overall impact on the project objectives:

• The outmost impact of the project is that the project provided a space/ platform and encouraged civil society to discussed public accountability as an issue because it was a new concept for the people of the Loralai district. The project strengthened the capacity of civil society organizations on public sector accountability.
• Coordination mechanism has developed among civil society organizations on public accountability through Public accountability forum.
• The project improved the organizational development of CSOs and ensured transparency and accountability within organizations. Enabled grass root level civil society organizations to developed proposals/concept paper, launched field activity, collect data and analyses it, prepared reports. It was an opportunity for CSOs to nourish their innovative ideas, provide the tools, techniques, knowledge, skills, methodologies, strategies and information on public accountability mechanism and its importance.
• engagement of civil society organization on public accountability, the civil society organizations initiated public sector accountability programs, public sector accountability programs take significant role within their thematic areas, new ideas in local context developed for public accountability, initiated public accountability projects within the target area, civil society contributing for public accountability, linkages and coordination developed among state departments and civil society organization.
• During implementation phase community stakeholder, teachers, health practitioners, community and political leader were aware about public accountability.
• Coordination with policy maker, government officials, elected representatives and political leader strengthened and improved.
• CSOs committed that they will consider public accountability as cross cutting them in their programs.
• Project is a wakeup call for state institutions to ensure transparency and accountability mechanism, increased public accountability systems within line departments, improved public sector accountability in district Loralai, Increasing transparency in state departments, decreasing corruption in government and its departments. Elected representatives, legislatures and local government elected representatives take concrete steps for formulation of policies, removing gaps, finding and flaws of policies drafts and policy reforms.
• Chief Minister Policy Reforms Unit (CMPRU) is recognized unit working on institutional strengthening of government institutions by bringing policy reforms. The project has a great impact that CMPRU was onboard by PAF members and requested to proposed policies to ensure accountability & transparency in public sector organizations.