Presentation of the draft version to the Governance Commission Designing a Sector Governance Approach for the M&E unit of the Governance Commission Liberia Presentation of the draft version to the Governance Commission 11 September 2012

Content of presentation Global trends in Governance Assessments Strategic considerations for doing a GA in Liberia Present the draft Sector Governance Approach Indicative Planning Draft lay out Annual Governance Report

What has the M&E unit done so far Designed a general M&E framework Established partnerships with UNDP/USAID Decided to go for a sectoral approach Initial contact with relevant ministries Team operational

Recent trends in Governance Assessments (1) from technical to political economy aspects (2) from global to country level (3) from numerical indicators to narrative trajectories (4) from quantitative to qualitative methods (5) from top-down to bottom-up approaches including multi-stakeholders (6) from supply to include demand side response (7) From effectiveness only to include legitimacy of policy action

Oslo principles for Governance Assessments How integrated in GA of GC Promote country ownership of governance processes and assessments GC is leading in the design of a Liberia specific Governance Assessment Strengthen the ability of people to hold their government to account Evidence based and in public domain. CSC empowers people to ask questions Apply a rights-based approach Integrated in Community Scorecard Strengthen governments’ capability to be responsive GA provides better information on citizen’s needs Strengthen accountability across government GA helps to compare sectors championing and peering Promote and protect space for citizens and civil society organizations to participate CSOs will be on the proposed Advisory Boards to the M&E unit, included in CSC Commit to transparency and access to information Transparency integrated in the principles, the GA reports will be public Encourage a culture of evidence-based policy-making Data poor setting but will gradually improve, perception is also evidence Embed the governance assessment in political realities Involve sector ministries in the design of Sector GA Align with national development priorities and political vision Tuned to PRS 2 objectives and ministries can integrate results in their Annual Plans Support democratic governance assessments at the local level Community Score Card

Objective of a Sectoral Governance Assessment: The Sector Ministry and Min Planning and Economic Affairs monitor what the Ministry has achieved in terms of input, output and outcome against predefined plans and targets as formulated in the mandate of the ministry, the PRS 2 and its annual plans. The Governance Commission assesses whether the way in which the Ministry uses its powers given by the citizens is in accordance with basic principles of good governance. A Governance Assessment looks at the process of managing public affairs and service delivery. Its focus is therefore on how and why the various ministries have (or have not) achieved what they had planned to do.

Objective of a Sectoral Governance Assessment: To measure the present quality of governance in a sector: Is the Ministry using its powers given by the citizens in accordance with the principles of good governance? With the objective: To indentify systemic gaps in governance that require improvement  policy advise To establish a baseline against which we can monitor future improvement To enhance the awareness about the importance of good governance and the internal capacity to enhance it To compare sector performance and to identify champions and establish peer relations between sector ministries To improve the transparency and social accountability of the GoL by making these reports public

Strategic considerations guiding the design of the GA approach for Liberia: Good enough governance using Appreciative Enquiry  Start from where the sector stands and not from where it should be Assessment will identify systemic weaknesses but not address individual cases of mismanagement GA process should be inclusive to enhance ownership and legitimacy, but also efficient  Advisory Board Governance in ministries will only improve if there is external pressure to do so  Address supply and demand side of governance GA will assess and build governance capacity (raising awareness). Use indexing methodology  able to compare sector ministries and progress over time

Actual Governance Assessment Approach 3 service providing Ministries: Ministry of Education Ministry of Health Ministry of Agriculture Two pronged approach. Why: Triangulation of findings  improves validity Gain insight in demand and supply side of governance Stimulates a mind shift towards responsiveness and social accountability

Actual Governance Assessment Approach Community Score Card: In order to include in the assessment the voice of citizens we will solicit the feedback from ordinary citizens on government performance in service delivery and governance . Interview groups of 20-30 citizens and front line service providers in 100-150 communities spread over Liberia.

Actual Governance Assessment Approach Sectoral Governance Assessment Context analysis (drivers & constraints for Good Governance) b. Actor and relationship mapping c. Stakeholder group meetings + questionnaire d. Ministerial good governance conference: Present findings from CSC Present results from Stakeholder groups and questionnaire Discuss and prioritize governance issues for action Draft an Governance improvement action plan

Indicative Planning: October 2012 Assessment methodology and lounged by the President October-Dec Community Scorecard exercises January 2013 Interviews of ministerial stakeholder groups at national level February 3 Ministerial conferences March Draft conclusions to the Ministries for AP 2013/2014 May Draft report ready for discussion and review by each Minister July Presentation of final reports to the President August Abstract of report in Annual Governance Report of GC

Proposed lay out of Annual Governance Report Foreword by the President of Liberia   Acknowledgement by the Chairperson of the GC 1. Introduction 1.1 The establishment of the GC (how, why and when was it established) 1.2 Mandate and functions of the GC (popular version) 1.3 Organisation and structure of the GC 1.4 Staff composition of the GC in 2012/2013 2. The state of Governance in Liberia 2013 Contextual analysis: what are the drivers and constraints of good governance in Liberia. 3. Progress report of the GC Achievements of CG in 2012/13 in relation to its mandate and annual plan (summary) 3.1 General policy advice 3.2 M&E unit 3.3 National Integrity 3.4 Decentralisation 3.5 Civic engagement 3.6 Public Sector Reform

Proposed lay out of Annual Governance Report cont. 4. Ministerial Governance Performance reports (to be expanded every year). 4.1 The state of Governance in the Ministry of Education (abstract of report) 4.2 The state of Governance in the Ministry of Health (abstract of report) 4.3 The state of Governance in the Ministry of Agriculture (abstract of report) 4.4 Comparison of ministerial governance performance on major principles of governance   In subsequent years progress reports of the previously assessed Ministries will be included 5. Conclusions and general recommendations of the GC 6. Future plans of the GC Annexes: Full ministerial governance reports

If not, in the long run it will lose. Thank you An uneducated man can be dominated just with bread and water. The educated man does not want this; he wants citizenship. Democracy has gained a moral victory, but the problem is the efficiency of democratic rule; it has to serve the people better than any other system. If not, in the long run it will lose. Thank you