Making Policies and Action more Transparent...
DfID KaR Action Research for Improving Transparency, Quality and Effectiveness of Pro-Poor Public Services through the use of ICTs
Despite considerable investment, public services in most developing
countries are widely perceived to be unsatisfactory and deteriorating.
The poor and disadvantaged in developing countries suffer in relation
to delivery of public services. Firstly, they lack access to those
services due to physical, financial, informational, political and other
barriers. Secondly, they lack effective mechanisms for feeding back
their complaints, views and requests in relation to those services. As
a result, public services to the poor lack transparency, accountability
and quality. The poor and the disadvantaged are particularly vulnerable
as they rely completely on the state for accessing critical services
like drinking water, health and education. There is no `exit’ option
available to these users to seek an alternative provider in case of
dissatisfaction with the service provided. (Gopakumar K et al 2002)
The project, Improving Transparency, Quality and Effectiveness of Pro-Poor Public Services through the use of ICTs, focuses largely on access to information and the inadequate state of grievance redress and feedback mechanisms on services to poor women and men and the opportunities for ICT to strengthen those mechanisms.