A/HRC/31/33
holders, and can be a powerful tool in strengthening all levels of planning, budgeting,
implementation, reporting and oversight. In Cambodia, for example, the Government has
institutionalized social accountability at the level of local government by adopting the
Strategic Plan on Social Accountability for Subnational Democratic Development. The
strategy acknowledges that each subnational council is primarily and directly accountable
to local citizens, in the interests of transparency and the promotion of people’s participation
in making decisions on the allocation, use and management of resources and the provision
of public services.
30.
Civil society plays a vital role in ensuring social accountability by means of such
practices as public expenditure tracking and social auditing. One non-governmental
organization informed OHCHR that, in Zambia, it assisted caregivers in the use of
community score cards, designed to assess the quality of health services in Lufwanyama
district. On the basis of the score-card results, a public hearing was held in which
community members and health services providers discussed findings and agreed on ways
forward to improve health services in the district. 25 Similarly, Plan International informed
OHCHR in its submission that it had piloted a scorecard approach, the “Because I am a
Girl” programme, in Uganda and India to help marginalized and excluded girls and young
women to assess the availability and quality of city services that guarantee children – and
particularly adolescent girls – free and safe circulation in the city, and to negotiate
improvements with city authorities. On the basis of the assessment of services by scorecard
and following an interface meeting between community members and service providers
(facilitated by adolescent girls), improvements were made to the services provided in both
countries. The review of investments in the safety and protection of adolescent girls also
helped the city authorities to redirect budget allocations to the priorities raised by
marginalized girls.
31.
To facilitate the participation of children and adolescents in programmes for
accountability, States need to develop skills to understand and analyse budgetary processes.
In Kenya, Plan International has helped to build the capacity of young citizens by providing
them with training on budgeting and service delivery procedures. The initiative is based on
information and communications technology and the media as critical enablers for young
people’s participation, and helps local authorities and non-State actors to ensure transparent
and participatory decision-making at the county level. Young people learn how to use
social accountability tools as an effective means to negotiate priorities with service
providers. At the same time, the capacity of county authorities in budget analysis, gender
responsive budgeting and youth and children’s rights programming is strengthened, as is
their ability to debate the sector-specific implications of budget allocations with citizens.
C.
International and regional commitments and accountability
mechanisms
32.
International policy commitments and human and child rights obligations can assist
in ensuring accountability for investment in the rights of the child. In Sri Lanka, for
example, the Government used Human Rights Council resolution 28/19 as a basis for
consultations on investment in the rights of the child with a wide range of stakeholders
within the Government itself and with representatives of civil society. Through this process,
the Government and civil society actors have gained an insight into the importance of
investing in children. In June 2015, the Government adopted a national agenda on child
rights governance, which includes clear commitment to increase investment in children.
25
Submission from Save the Children.
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