Jennifer Burdett is a development specialist with 18 years of experience designing and managing donor-funded programs in the education and governance sectors. Her areas of expertise include rule of law, anti-corruption, and civil society strengthening. She has managed large-scale and complex programs aimed to improve government accountability and quality services delivery, access to justice and…
Sharon Van Pelt is the former lead for Chemonics’ Democracy and Governance Practice.
In 2011, the Jordanian government committed to a wide range of decentralization reforms so citizens could become more directly involved in the plans and programs of their local governments. Decentralizing government operations also empowered municipalities and other local government bodies to provide for and respond to Jordanian citizens. The USAID Jordan Cities Implementing Transparent, Innovative,…
In Tanzania, civil society organizations (CSOs) are calling on the government to become more responsive to citizens’ needs and to make its decisions more transparent so citizens can better hold it accountable. The USAID Capacity Development for Partners of Accountability Program (CDPA) provided CSOs with technical and advocacy support to empower citizens involved in these…
Over the past decade, Ukraine’s citizens have bemoaned the lack of accountability and transparency within the country’s judicial system. An independent, impartial, and accountable judicial sector is fundamental to the protection of Ukrainians’ basic rights, the fair resolution of disputes, and stable economic and political development. The USAID Fair, Accountable, Independent, and Responsible (FAIR) Judiciary…
Haitians tend to perceive justice as inaccessible to most citizens, especially in rural areas, and the pursuit of justice as costly and lengthy. The USAID Haiti Justice Sector Strengthening Program (JSSP) improved the country’s legal framework, protected citizens’ lawful rights, and increased accountability and oversight within the justice system. JSSP’s primary local counterparts are the…
An efficient network infrastructure is integral to helping a government operate smoothly. The USAID Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) project supported the Haitian government to restore and expand the country’s IFSM-related network infrastructure. IFMS set up the hardware and software systems and also trains government ministries in these systems to increase their efficiency. The project’s…
Decades of authoritarian leadership in Nigeria have done little to promote good governance or collaboration between governmental institutions and nongovernmental organizations. To support the implementation of key democratic reforms in Nigeria, the USAID Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) program helped civil society organizations and citizens become more involved in reform processes. Encouraging citizens to…
“Reducing corruption stands at the heart of the recently established Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” The World Bank made this statement in its November 2016 brief on anti-corruption, and the concept doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise. Corruption, inefficiency, and lack of transparency often hurt vulnerable groups the most, putting up barriers and distorting access to…
Improving government accountability has been a goal of democracy programming in the development world for years. Practitioners of governance reform have tended to pursue increased accountability by focusing on two individual factors of the equation: transparency, by opening up government decision-making processes and increasing access to information; and participation, by increasing citizens’ voices through strengthened…
Access to information is a fundamental right. More than 100 countries worldwide have adopted right to information (RTI) legislation, which are laws regulating public access to information, particularly from public institutions (sometimes referred to as access to information or freedom of information laws). These countries are increasingly recognizing the connection between good governance, accountability, and freedom of…
How can the global development community improve governmental transparency and accountability? This week, civil society actors and partners are gathering in Bogota to consider this question, and specifically, the role of civil society in promoting positive change while spurring accountable practices and institutions. Chemonics’ projects often engage local actors in strengthening accountability. Through these efforts,…