Increasing Voice and Transparency Using ICT Increasing Voice and Transparency Using ICT Tools: (E-Government, E-Governance)Tools: (E-Government, E-Governance)

PRMPS Workshop: Decentralization and PRMPS Workshop: Decentralization and Intergovernmental Fiscal ReformIntergovernmental Fiscal Reform

March 26, 2003March 26, 2003

Arsala DeaneArsala Deane

adeane@worldbank.orgadeane@worldbank.org

World Bank E-Government Websites: World Bank E-Government Websites:

http://www1.worldbank.org/publicsector/egov/http://www1.worldbank.org/publicsector/egov/

http://www.developmentgateway.orghttp://www.developmentgateway.org

http://www.infodev.orghttp://www.infodev.org

Presentation StructurePresentation Structure

World Bank Experience To DateWorld Bank Experience To Date Some Conceptual IssuesSome Conceptual Issues Case Studies – Successes and FailuresCase Studies – Successes and Failures Challenges Challenges Critical Success FactorsCritical Success Factors

What is E-Government?What is E-Government? E-GovernmentE-Government: The use of ICT tools such as : The use of ICT tools such as

Internet, mobile computing and cellular phones by Internet, mobile computing and cellular phones by government to streamline processes and transactions. government to streamline processes and transactions.

The resulting benefits include:The resulting benefits include:– Make the working of the government more Make the working of the government more

efficient and effectiveefficient and effective– Disseminate information about government Disseminate information about government

procedures and rulesprocedures and rules– Save costs and capture revenueSave costs and capture revenue– Improve service delivery to citizens and Improve service delivery to citizens and

businesses and other arms of governmentbusinesses and other arms of government

What is E-Governance?What is E-Governance?

Citizen Involvement in Decision Citizen Involvement in Decision MakingMaking: Giving citizens a voice : Giving citizens a voice in gov’t planningin gov’t planning

Increased Access to Information: Increased Access to Information: empowering citizens and civil empowering citizens and civil society with knowledgesociety with knowledge

More Transparency:More Transparency: increasing increasing the openness of government the openness of government processes and procedures, processes and procedures, reducing intermediariesreducing intermediaries

Civil Society Strengthening:Civil Society Strengthening: Empowering civil society to Empowering civil society to create a meaningful public debatecreate a meaningful public debate

E-GovernanceE-Governance implies the use of ICT channels to change the way implies the use of ICT channels to change the way citizens and businesses interact with government to enable:citizens and businesses interact with government to enable:

World Bank Supporting E-Government ProjectsWorld Bank Supporting E-Government Projects

Country Public Sector

reformE-Gov't

ApplicationsPreparatory Technical

AssistanceArgentina xAlbania x xBolivia x

Bulgaria xChile x

Colombia xEcuador x

El Salvador xGuatemala x x

India x xIndonesia x x x

Jordan x x xLithuania x

Macedonia x xMexico x

Mozambique x xNicaragua x

Nigeria xPakistan xRussia x x

Saudi Arabia xSri Lanka x xThailand xTunisia x xUkraine x

Venezuela x xVietnam xYemen x

3 Stages of E-Government/E-Governance 3 Stages of E-Government/E-Governance EvolutionEvolution

Information Dissemination Interactive

TransactionsOnline Monetary TransactionsPaying taxes, fines, fees

Disclosure of budgets, assets of civil servants

Rules, regulations

Publishing Procurement Notices online

Requesting Forms online

Filing Grievances

Commenting on Legislation

Less about technology and more about a process of reform in the way government conducts its business, delivers services, and interacts with citizens.

Enabling Factors for E-Applications

Part of Broader Reform Efforts

Access to ICT Infrastructure

Institutional Capacity

ICT can contribute towards public sector reform goals if the ICT can contribute towards public sector reform goals if the following 6 key dimensions are taken into consideration in design following 6 key dimensions are taken into consideration in design

and implementation phaseand implementation phase

E-Skills for Citizens and Government

Political Will

Relevance to Citizen Needs

Local Gov’t Responsiveness in Madhya Pradesh, IndiaLocal Gov’t Responsiveness in Madhya Pradesh, India Gyandoot: 40 rural cyber cafes. (Gyandoot: 40 rural cyber cafes. (www.gyandoot.netwww.gyandoot.net), Serving ½ million ), Serving ½ million

inhabitants in rural areas.inhabitants in rural areas. Total cost: $50,000 for network, set up of one kiosk is $1, 250Total cost: $50,000 for network, set up of one kiosk is $1, 250 Nearly 35 Services ProvidedNearly 35 Services Provided

– Commodity marketing information services and village auction siteCommodity marketing information services and village auction site– Applying for a copy of land records, driving license, caste certificateApplying for a copy of land records, driving license, caste certificate– Filing a complaint in local language: Hindi e-mail Filing a complaint in local language: Hindi e-mail

Impact: Impact: – Government: More responsive, transparent, accessible.Government: More responsive, transparent, accessible.– Community:limit role of intermediaries and travel time. Complaints Community:limit role of intermediaries and travel time. Complaints

responded to within one week.responded to within one week. Challenges: Challenges:

– Lack of Institutional Capacity: Inadequate value delivered to clients -- Lack of Institutional Capacity: Inadequate value delivered to clients -- unsolved grievances and price data not updated.unsolved grievances and price data not updated.

– Poor access to ICT infrastructurePoor access to ICT infrastructure– Results in problems of sustainability – economic viabilityResults in problems of sustainability – economic viability

E-Democracy in Yalova Municipality, Turkey E-Democracy in Yalova Municipality, Turkey

Interactive municipal services offered through website. Interactive municipal services offered through website. Delivery model: Internet Kiosks, contact centers, municipal Delivery model: Internet Kiosks, contact centers, municipal

personnelpersonnel Information Provided:Municipality budget and cash flow, Information Provided:Municipality budget and cash flow,

tenders and their results, Assets of City Council Memberstenders and their results, Assets of City Council Members E-Democracy: E-Democracy:

– Citizens can put forward their views onlineCitizens can put forward their views online– Citizens vote on investment proposalsCitizens vote on investment proposals

Impact:Impact:– All investments at the district level have to be in accordance with All investments at the district level have to be in accordance with

public views expressed by citizenspublic views expressed by citizens– Rustempasa District: 75% of all investments have been made with Rustempasa District: 75% of all investments have been made with

citizen participation and inputcitizen participation and input– Citizens can voice their needs and prioritiesCitizens can voice their needs and priorities– ChallengesChallenges: : ICT literacy and Monitoring CapabilitiesICT literacy and Monitoring Capabilities

NGOs use E-Governance to Create an Informed NGOs use E-Governance to Create an Informed Citizenry in Lithuania Citizenry in Lithuania

Citizen Advisory Services in Lithuania: An intermediary between the Citizen Advisory Services in Lithuania: An intermediary between the municipality and citizen.municipality and citizen.

Provide information and offer consultative advice on legal, social and Provide information and offer consultative advice on legal, social and other issues, and influence the development of social policies locally. other issues, and influence the development of social policies locally. Target clients come from socially vulnerable groups (youth, elderly, Target clients come from socially vulnerable groups (youth, elderly, unemployed).unemployed).

Set up of 15 offices, some of them located within municipal offices Set up of 15 offices, some of them located within municipal offices with volunteer advisors. Offices provide access to Internet and to with volunteer advisors. Offices provide access to Internet and to CDROM that provides information on laws, social services, setting CDROM that provides information on laws, social services, setting up of business.up of business.

Citizens seek advice and information on: social security; health care; Citizens seek advice and information on: social security; health care; employment; housing; human rights; legal advice; education and employment; housing; human rights; legal advice; education and training; business; customs duties. training; business; customs duties.

Goal: help to promote effective, transparent and accountable public Goal: help to promote effective, transparent and accountable public administration and policy making and create informed citizenry.administration and policy making and create informed citizenry.

The Challenge of E-GovernmentThe Challenge of E-Government

Political will and culture of openness is criticalPolitical will and culture of openness is critical Citizen and Government capacity to interact over Citizen and Government capacity to interact over

online channelsonline channels Transparency of processes/automation is seen as Transparency of processes/automation is seen as

threatening to jobsthreatening to jobs Institutional capacity to adapt to new way of doing Institutional capacity to adapt to new way of doing

things: can government effectively respond?things: can government effectively respond? Few efforts made to create assessment tools to Few efforts made to create assessment tools to

evaluate e-government projects – evidence is evaluate e-government projects – evidence is anecdotalanecdotal

Critical Success Factors:Critical Success Factors: Political Leadership required for guiding government agency through Political Leadership required for guiding government agency through

transitiontransition ICT is not a magic bullet, can contribute to better governance only ICT is not a magic bullet, can contribute to better governance only

when it is used as a tool to complement broader reform initiativeswhen it is used as a tool to complement broader reform initiatives Policies need to support new processes: I.e. Information Access and Policies need to support new processes: I.e. Information Access and

Disclosure PoliciesDisclosure Policies Citizens are the e-government experts: e-government services should Citizens are the e-government experts: e-government services should

be piloted with the full participation of citizens before a government be piloted with the full participation of citizens before a government invests in a project. (citizen steering committees, focus groups, invests in a project. (citizen steering committees, focus groups, NGOs can help with design and evaluation)NGOs can help with design and evaluation)

Citizens who participate must receive some “return on involvement.”Citizens who participate must receive some “return on involvement.” ICT is a neutral tool, can contribute to decentralization in the right ICT is a neutral tool, can contribute to decentralization in the right

institutional environment and committed reform agenda.institutional environment and committed reform agenda.

Thank You

Arsala Deanehttp://www1.worldbank.org/publicsector/egov/