Programa de rendición de cuentas en Nepal (PRAN) en inglés

Initially created by the World Bank, this program seeks to respond to the significant governance and development challenges that Nepal is facing. It looks mainly to develop the capacity of civil society and government actors to promote social accountability. The program provides grants to civil society organizations, who are selected through a competitive process, working on capacity-building initiatives with government bodies at different levels (local, district and national) in order to promote a public financial management that is functional, transparent, accountable and efficient. CECI is performing the role of Grant Manager and provides technical assistance on Social Accountability tools.

Acting on Public Financial Management

Initially financed through the State and Peace Building Trust Fund (SPBF), PRAN received in 2012 funding from another trust fund, the “Nepal Public Financial Management Multi-Donor Trust Fund” (MDTF). It allowed to strengthen the use of social accountability tools to improve Public Financial Management (PFM), and promoted civil society engagement on PFM issues at the local and national level.

CECI acted as a facilitator, supporting Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in two ways: helping citizens become aware of the existing government services they are entitled to; and give local government actors the tools they need to actually offer these services with transparency, efficiency and social accountability. 

Civil Society Organizations as Key Actors 

The second stage of the project (July 2015–December 2016) focused on the central role CSOs can play to build sustainable and functional relationships with governments at the local community—and even national—level. 

The objective was to improve PFM through more efficient accountability. This was to be done by carrying out certain activities to strengthen the knowledge and skills of CSOs and other non-state actors. The project aimed to effectively promote and implement social accountability approaches in order to enhance government responsiveness, accountability and transparency, with constructive engagement with the government of Nepal. It supported CSOs, through competitive grants, to pilot innovations in social accountability and the development of social accountability tools.

At the same time, PRAN supported Nepali CSOs in their commitment to help citizens in demanding better governance from authorities. It is important that these requests come from the ground up, to provide a solid foundation for the principles of good governance. 

Main Results Achieved 

• Significant increase in the number of local social accountability practitioners
• Citizens are better aware of their roles, responsibilities and rights
• Effective and increased use by the citizens of the social security allowances they are entitled to. This was made possible by local structures like Ward Citizen Forums (OSEFW), Citizen Awareness Centers (CACs), etc.
• Establishment of grievance redress mechanisms in the village development committees, which have contributed in the maintenance of transparency and holding the service provider accountable
• Local update of the necessary documents related with social security allowances
• Significant increase in the participation of disadvantaged groups, including women an Dalit, in local activities (planning process)