1. Promoting Responsive
Governance in Bangladesh
By
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
DG, ACC
--- th Senior Staff Course
BPATC
27 October 2016 at 6.30 pm
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Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
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Background
The 2011 uproar in Tunisia, Egypt, and other Arab countries is the spontaneous calls for
governance reform. These events were not driven by a small group of intellectuals, nor
were they funded by donors. Instead, they reflect sincere expressions of ordinary people for
a state that is more responsive, more inclusive, and capable of conducting policies based on
principles of responsive human rights.
The call is for a state that respects human dignity and social justice, while serving its
citizens more effectively.
The events in the Arab world, therefore, are a warning to leaders who take their power for
granted. These are also a reason for rethinking governance theory and practice.
The 2015 World Public Sector Report (WPSR), titled Responsive Public Governance,
presents the need for public governance to become more responsive in order for the State
to lead the implementation of sustainable development.
Responsive Governance requires responding efficiently and effectively to people’s real
needs.
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Responsive Governance (WPSR)
Responding efficiently and effectively to people’s needs
Meeting increasing public demands and addressing declining public trust
Competent, diverse and ethical public servants
Engaged citizens and empowered communities
Multi-channel service delivery and e-participation
Web-based and mobile services in addition to traditional ways
Enhancing accountability to fight waste, mismanagement and
corruption
Enhancing Transparency
Ensuring Social Accountability
New kinds of citizen engagement
™Growing reliance on networks and partnerships & on enhanced
collaboration across sectors
Coordinator rather than Provider
™More diverse, flexible organizational forms
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Key Elements of Responsive Governance
Responsiveness is ‘the degree to which government listens to what people want and acts on it,
and to which public policies and institutions respond to the needs of citizens and uphold their
rights’ (DFID 2015 Edwards and McGee 2014).
Its aim is for transparency that results in accountability and has outcomes that empower citizens.
To give real meaning to responsiveness, government needs to create suitable and adequate
processes for citizen engagement in local affairs.
Responding efficiently and effectively to people’s needs;
Engaging citizens and empowering communities as well as providing for multi-channel service
delivery and e-participation
Multi-sector cooperation and increased public participation are identified as a necessity for
responsive governance
9. Meaning of Responsive Governance
Responsiveness is a core value of governance that ensures equal
participation, equal treatment and equal rights before the law.
All people – including the poor, women, ethnic and religious minorities,
indigenous peoples and other disadvantaged groups – have the right to
participate meaningfully in governance processes and influence decisions
that affect them.
It also means that government institutions and policies are accessible,
accountable and responsive to disadvantaged groups, protecting their
interests and providing diverse populations with equal opportunities for
public services such as justice, health and education etc.
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Why Responsive Governance is important
Some countries have made rapid economic progress, but these gains
have not been distributed:-
Equally or equitably, either between
Or within different groups.
Thus social unrest prevails.
Hampers real economic development
Responsive governance recognizes and addresses the poor levels of
achievement in the human development index, poor maternal and child
health, poor literacy rates and high levels of school drop-outs, violence
against women in all its forms and manifestations, social injustice and
gender inequalities.
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11. Lack of Responsive Governance
It widens the gap between rich and poor
Quality of service delivery seriously hampered
Value for money is not realized
Effectiveness of the governance is underutilized
It excludes women, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities,
victims of natural disasters and others.
It prevents them from exercising their human rights
It creates embedded social inequities and economic inequalities.
It ignores the needs and interests of the most disadvantaged and
marginalized groups
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12. Forces for Responsiveness
• Use Information technology
• Web-based Communication
• Public Hearing
• Social Audit
Public Private Partnership
• Information Fair
• Good Governance Act
• Using Social Accountability tools
• Need based approach
• Realizing Value for Public Money
• Strong Anti-corruption policy and practices.
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13. Core values of Responsive Governance
Integrity Trust
Consider people equally without
prejudice or favour
Appreciate difference and
welcome learning from others.
Act professionally with honesty,
consistency and impartiality.
Build relationships based on
mutual respect.
Take responsibility for situations,
showing leadership and courage.
Uphold the law, institutions and
democratic principles.
Place the public interest over
personal interest.
Communicate intentions clearly
and invite teamwork and
collaboration.
Maintain code of conduct Provide non-partisan advice.
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14. Core values of Responsive Governance
Service Accountability
Provide services fairly with a focus
on customer needs.
Ensure quality service
Be flexible, innovative and reliable
in service delivery.
Take responsibility for decisions and
actions.
Engage with the not-for-profit Provide transparency to enable
public scrutiny.
Focus on quality while maximising
service delivery.
Observe standards for safety.
Service charge should be minimum
as much as possible
Be fiscally responsible and focus on
efficient, effective and prudent use
of resources.
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15. Benefits of Responsive Governance
It
• Improves service delivery
• Promotes transparency and
accountability
• Makes government more democratic,
participatory and informed by
engaging citizens
• Fosters collaboration, creation,
and innovation
• Makes policy decision more relevant
and reflective of citizen needs and
concerns
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16. • General Governance Practices
• Controls instead of facilitation
• Asking for too much information
• Burden of proof thrown on Citizen
• Too many areas of discretion
• Complexity of rules & regulations
• Heavy reliance on systems not on results
• No concept of quality assurance
• No concept of compensation for delayed service
• Jurisdiction overlapped and duplicated in many cases
• Decision is in suspense
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Challenges
Nobody can be better off without making
anybody worse off
Interests are interrelated
Governance does not benefit both always
If you stand for poor, rich raised voice
If you stand for rich, poor does not react
If you stand for poor, at your danger, poor will not
protect you
Your own position is at risk for the time being
In short run, society faces conflict
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The core values are underpinned by 18 principles or - if you prefer – behavioural indicators.
As we read some of these, I think what will strike you is many of the principles could equally apply in private sector and not-for-profit organisations, too.
For example:
Under Integrity - take responsibility for situations, showing leadership and courage.
Under Trust – build relationships based on mutual respect and communicate intentions clearly and invite teamwork and collaboration.
But, as you would expect, there are a number which are very specific to public sector entities and the conduct of employees who work in them.
For example:
Place the public interest over personal interest – under Integrity.
Provide apolitical and non-partisan advice - again under Integrity.
And, moving to the next slide ….
Under Accountability – provide transparency to enable public scrutiny.
The principles in the ethical framework, which are specific to public sector employment, are addressed throughout the Behaving Ethically resources.
