Consultant:Writing a chapter on the relevance of access to information and communication for promoting social accountability and achieving the MDGs
The UNDP Oslo Governance Centre [OGC] was established in 2002 as a centre of excellence designed to provide support to the practical and operational work of UNDP in assisting partner countries in developing more democratic and effective forms of governance for sustainable peace and development. The OGC is a unit of the Democratic Governance Group [DGG] in the Bureau for Development Policy [BDP]. OGC consists of two units: Governance Assessment (GA) unit and Analysis and Learning unit (DGAL). The objective of DGAL is to codify, analyze and disseminate the results of UNDP’s work in democratic governance, with a view to informing democratic governance policy and programme. One of the focus areas of DGAL is related to strengthening civil society and social accountability. UNDP’s Civil Society Division, housed in the Partnerships Bureau (PB) is responsible for strengthening UNDP policies and methods to engage and collaborate more effectively and systematically with civil society and its organizations at all levels. UNDP’s Social Accountability Work. In an effort to further integrate social accountability principles into democratic governance programming, UNDP produced the ‘Guidance Note on Fostering Social Accountability’ in 2010. The note offers practical guidance to programme staff on how to incorporate the practices of social accountability into programming. It also highlights the experiences of several UNDP countries offices, notably Albania, the Philippines, Kenya, and the Pacific Regional Centre among others, in promoting social accountability. Further, many UNDP country offices are keen on integrating social accountability initiatives in their programmes and there is a growing demand for practical examples and lesson learnt in promoting social accountability. In response to this demand, OGC is currently establishing a database of social accountability and citizens’ monitoring initiatives implemented by UNDP and other actors on the Governance Assessment Portal (GAP). This database will be built with an explicit aim to systematize and share experiences and lessons learnt in the area of social accountability. Background to the comparative experiences publication, ‘Social Accountability for Improved Governance and Achievement of the MDGs’. Many of the successes in achieving MDGs have been made possible through strengthening governance, promoting inclusive national ownership, civil society and community involvement, in addition to international and regional cooperation and support. Social accountability mechanisms have provided a practical means to promote a critical aspect of localization of the MDGs i.e. local communities’ and CSOs’ involvement in setting targets and tracking the MDGs (particularly in education, health, and water and sanitation sectors). These mechanisms have also helped to improve institutional arrangements for service delivery and hold state institutions to account on service delivery. However, little attention has been paid to assessing the impact and effectiveness of such initiatives. Indeed, much is not yet known about whether and how the use of social accountability mechanisms has strengthened responsive governance, improved service delivery and contributed to the achievement of the MDGs. Nor has there been a concerted effort to understand what needs to be done to strengthen people’s voice, stimulate civic engagement, and build responsive institutions that deliver on the MDGs – within the context of urbanization, social exclusion, rapid advancements in information and communication technologies (ICTs), environmental challenges and climate change, and rising crises and fragile-state situations. Therefore, UNDP will produce a comparative experience publication that will explore emerging social, political, environment and ICT trends and illustrate how different actors, including CSOs, are responding to these trends and promoting people’s engagement in development processes, including the achievement of MDGs. It will examine how social accountability initiatives, when linked with governance processes, can help in developing people-centred approaches that could advance the achievement of the MDGs. The purpose of this publication is to present and analyse strategies and approaches that have been successful in bringing about responsive governance and policy change, including innovative approaches of civil society actors, UNDP and other development actors. In addition, the publication will also make recommendations towards enhancing social accountability programming within UNDP. The publication will specifically highlight experiences from across regions and contexts that have successfully promoted two-way dialogue between citizens, civil society organizations and state institutions, addressed social exclusion and increased civic engagement, and enhanced state actors’ responsiveness and accountability.
| |
Duties and Responsibilities | |
Objective of this Consultancy. UNDP is seeking a consultant to develop the chapter on the relevance of access to information and communication for promoting social accountability and achieving the MDGs. Specifically, the chapter will answer the following questions through examination of specific examples: 1. How is access to information and communication relevant for promoting social accountability and achieving the MDGs(introduction section)? 2. How is the accelerated development of ICTs, specially mobiles and social networks, affecting civic engagement, including engagement of marginalized and vulnerable groups? 3. How can ICTs enhance citizen voice, facilitate a better flow of information and enable state institutions to be responsive and accountable? Illustrate with examples (I.e, crowd-sourcing, SMS networks, etc.) ? 4. What is the role of the government, service providers, media, civil society organizations and other new actors in providing access to information and communication channels and promoting transparency and accountability? What has been the impact of ICTs in facilitating this role? 5. What are some of the key principles that should continue to inform the design of future access to information mechanisms and civic engagement technologies, and how can they promote social accountability? 6. What can UNDP do to strengthen its partnership and advocacy strategies with media, CSOs, and other actors that have achieved demonstrable success in this area? This question should be addressed in a separate section. In answering the above questions, the chapter should highlight key issues related to access to information and communication (including the role of technology), social accountability and the MDGs, ensuring that existing UNDP work in this area is fully used. The chapter might additionally look at what kind of MDG-related information should be made available to promote accountability. It may also examine whether governments need to rethink/change how they provide access to official information and how amenable governance structures are to be responsive and accountable, facilitating the free flow of information. Deliverables and Responsibilities. The key output of the consultant will be a chapter of approximately 6000 to 7000 words. Among other, 1. The chapter will address the questions and issues indicated in section 4; 2. It will also highlight other relevant issues that may have not been covered in section 4 but are nevertheless vital for promoting social accountability, strengthening governance and achieving the MDGs – within the context of access to information and rapid developments of ICTs and the media sector; 3. It will showcase innovative experiences, particularly from the south, on how access to information has promoted social accountability for the MDGs.
| |
Competencies | |
| 1. Track record of publication in access to information and social accountability; 2. Strong understanding of development programming and the current development agenda, including the MDGs; 3. Track record of research in democratic governance; 4. Excellent analytical and research skills; 5. Proven publication record in English; 6. Ability to write and communicate in a clear and concise manner.
| |
Required Skills and Experience | |
| Qualifications and Experience. 1. Advanced degree in social sciences, political science, law, international relations, development studies; 2. Minimum of 7 years international experience in the field of democratic governance; 3. Strong publication record in the field of access to information, social accountability and the MDGs; 4. Experience or knowledge of UNDP; its mandate and work in democratic governance, civil society, social accountability and MDGs; 5. Fluency in written and spoken English. Time frame The final chapter should be produced before 30th July, 2011. The author(s) should present a complete draft of the chapter for comments and input from the OGC and CSD. The final draft will incorporate all comments and suggestions. Payment A lump sum payment will be made following satisfactory submission of the final draft to the OGC. Supervision The consultant will be supervised by the Democratic Governance Advisor, Oslo Governance Centre. | |
| | |
| UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. |
Consultant:Writing a chapter on the relevance of access to information and communication for promoting social accountability and achieving the MDGs
Post a Comment