Social Control Mechanisms for Greater Transparency and Accountability

1. Social Control Mechanisms for
Greater Transparency and
Accountability
Eduardo Flores-Trejo
24th Annual ICGFM International Conference
Public Financial Management in the Era of "The New Normal“ (May 2010)

2. Objectives
Present a citizen-drive initiative
(Advocacy and Assistance Centers)
1 aimed at fostering transparency and
accountability in partnership with the
public sector.
Outline its general results and impact to
date in Armenia, specifically as related to
2 addressing procedural and system level
inefficiencies leading to corruption.

3. Who is Responsible For
Bringing Transparency to
Public Finance?
1) Which public sector agencies?
2) Which role do other actors play in this
process?

5. Advocacy and Assistance
Centers (AACs)
• Operated by Armenian NGOs, AACs serve
as public complaint offices where victims of
corruption receive free confidential legal
assistance on a walk-in or call-in basis.
• Each AAC is equipped with a team of
experienced lawyers and support staff to
address the public’s corruption-related
concerns.

6. AACs Locations

7. AACs Key Functions
• Free legal assistance and support.
• Public education and awareness.
• Anticorruption reforms.

8. Results from the AACs Network
 Citizens requesting legal support from
the centers: 3,718
 Corruption related cases: 863
 Cases referred to Court: 133
 Cases referred to prosecution: 87
 Inefficiencies identified: 100

9. Transcending Impact
• Promoting the adoption of anti-corruption
reforms expand the impact of the AACs’
work.
• Beyond assisting individual victims of
corruption, AACs are directly involved in
addressing and correcting procedural or
institutional inefficiencies leading to
corruption.

10. Partnership with Government:
Key Element of the AACs’ success
• While maintaining their objectivity and
independence, civil society organizations
are successfully advancing policy reform
objectives in collaboration with
government authorities at all levels
(central, regional and local)
• Win-Win situation for all parties