Transparency is one of the most powerful gauges of democracy. Open, accountable governments operate according to the rule of law, foster public scrutiny, and invite citizen participation.
      RTI's work in three local government initiatives--all supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)--is increasing transparency in Guatemala, Bulgaria, and Iraq. Local governance teams help municipalities create accurate financial systems, improve citizens' abilities to address their concerns with officials, and promote open government-citizen communication. RTI's efforts to develop transparency also help combat corruption. Bribery, cronyism, and fraud do not thrive in governments that, for example, report revenues and expenses based on standard accounting methods, ensure open tender and contract processes, and publish decisions. In helping Guatemala, Bulgaria, and Iraq integrate transparency into their governments, RTI also helps reform their legacies of corrupt practices.

Guatemala

      After four decades of armed revolution, Guatemala held democratic elections in 1984. Violence decreased following the revolution, but corruption remains a serious problem. Fraud, favoritism, and a preference for nonindigenous males in political power suppress opportunities for open, representative governance. Oversight mechanisms are weak, and citizens do not have effective avenues to address corruption.

Participants at an open session of the Uspantán Municipal Council plan for service delivery as part of the town’s strategic planning process. [PHOTO: José Domingo Conde for the RTI/USAID Guatemala Local Governance Program]

     RTI is helping Guatemalans develop transparency in a three-pronged approach to create accountability at the national and local levels of government and to engage citizens in community-based governing actions.
     At the national level, civil servants are learning to plan a budget and the procedures to follow for objective auditing. In addition, RTI's project team is assisting municipal governments and indigenous Guatemalans and women through the Community Development Councils (COCODES) and Municipal Development Councils (COMUDE). In this effort, citizens learn about laws that affect them and how to communicate with officials to protect their interests.
     RTI is also helping local governments develop financial reporting systems. With support from Guatemala's Ministry of Finance, integrated financial management programs are being installed to organize data, record expenditures, and produce reports. A Web-based contract and purchase system is being installed, and RTI is training users. The system helps municipal employees identify and obtain data that ensure rule-based decision-making in government awards.

Bulgaria

      In 1990, with the fall of Communism, Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and initiated democracy and a market economy. However, the former power structure retained extensive influence, and bribery within government and business continue to thrive. This pervasive corruption has undermined citizens' trust in government and stifled local economic development.

This poster, produced and disseminated by the RTI/USAID Bulgaria Local Governance Initiative, is generating interest in the project’s Transparency Campaign, which promotes accountability in Bulgaria’s local governments. The text reads “Transparency builds trust.”

     Recently, Bulgarians have identified corruption as a critical issue, and voters defeated some candidates perceived as corrupt. Similar concerns led the Bulgarian Parliament to approve a suite of laws that ensure citizens' access to national and municipal government information and officials, and that improve the accountability of municipal budgets.
     Working with the Foundation for Local Government Reform (FLGR), RTI has identified a core group of municipal officials who endorse transparency and are engaged in incorporating it into their policies and operations. With ongoing support from RTI and FLGR, this "Transparency Demonstration Team" is determining transparent practices already in place and establishing new ones. They have developed a checklist of transparency best practices--a meaningful yardstick of accountability that includes actions such as publishing budgets, holding public hearings, administering open contracting, announcing tenders for public procurement, and keeping records on rental property.
     Bulgarians are also taking advantage of the media to learn about transparency. In June, an FLGR radio show was broadcast throughout the country to explain transparency, why it is important to citizens, and its best practices.

Iraq

In Iraq, RTI is helping local governments increase transparency through a focus on citizen participation, communication, and financial structure. Iraqis, who have not practiced participatory democracy or policy making for over a century, had no institutional mechanisms to select local leaders, communicate with them, or hold them responsible for their performance. Participation was restricted to an elite group. Bribery, influence, and misuse of funds were endemic, and nepotism based on tribe or political status dictated public decisions.

Al Basrah’s Governorate Council and RTI’s staff discuss good governance practices during the Council’s June 2004 meeting. [PHOTO: RTI/USAID Iraq Local Governance Program, South Region Council Team]

     RTI's staff and consultants--including numerous Iraqi nationals--have trained more than 9,000 municipal council members on their responsibilities. RTI helps these officials foster accountability through the development of financial methods, including operating and capital budgets; training on tendering and bidding processes; and documentation of financial transactions. Council members are also learning how to hold public hearings and open meetings, and how to provide information about government activities to the media.
     In addition, RTI has spearheaded efforts to help Iraqi citizens develop neighborhood councils that perform watchdog roles. In Al Basrah, for instance, RTI's Local Governance Team introduced the concept of advocacy and helped new councils learn to monitor the use of funds and develop relations with provincial and city governments. In this way, informed citizens are helping ensure accountability in their local governments.

More information: Gary Bland,
e-mail gbland@rti.org

Where in the World is RTI is a bimonthly publication of RTI's International Development Group (IDG). This publication is intended to inform clients and partner organizations about RTI's global activities and research areas. RTI is dedicated to improving the human condition in developing and emerging countries. RTI staff have conducted international project work for over 25 years in 120 countries around the world. We offer a broad range of policy support, applied research and analysis, and other technical expertise in strategic planning, institutional development, and training. Our expertise is multisectoral and spans the fields of education, health, environment and natural resources, governance, finance, and information and communication technology.