Platforms for Citizen Engagement: The Foundation of Democracy

Building, nurturing and strengthening platforms that help citizens access information and hold functionaries accountable for their roles not only serve as an articulation of altruism but also facilitate greater transparency and accountability in public programmes

I n recent times, whenever there is any talk about pro-poor development agendas, there is also a mention of ensuring transparency and accountability in the implementation of programmes. Whether it is in the context of policy objectives, programme guidelines, project plans or log frames, the intent of delivering transparency and accountability in governance is widely prevalent.

What do we mean by ‘ensuring transparency and accountability in the implementation of public programmes’? Broadly, the intent of delivering transparency and accountability can be shown through the provision of platforms that facilitate citizens, as individuals and as collectives, to participate in governance. Transparency and accountability are an imperative component for any implementation structure’s interaction with its beneficiaries, whether the former is represented by the State or by an NGO. It includes a bundle of measures that allows a pro-active disclosure of information and helps citizens to hold implementation structures accountable for their duties.