Public Participation in Fiscal Policy Principles & Mechanisms Juan Pablo Guerrero #FiscalTransparency Stewards General Meeting Washington DC June 20-21, 2016 Washington, D.C.

GIFT Work on Public Participation GIFT’s work program on public participation in fiscal policy  Originated with GIFT High Level Principle 10: moving beyond disclosure to direct public participation  Eight country case studies  A series of workshops  Public consultation in 2015  Approved GIFT Participation Principles  Preparation of an associated Guide to help implement the Principles  Development of indicators to measure participation in fiscal policy 2

GIFT Work on Public Participation WHY a new set of principles on public participation?  Disclosure alone insufficient for accountability  Participation a right of citizens  Complement existing governance systems  To improve quality of policy design and implementation 3

GIFT Work on Public Participation High-Level Principle 10 GIFT’s ten High-Level Principles of Fiscal Transparency, Participation and Accountability were endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 (UNGA Resolution 67/218). Principle 10 establishes that “Citizens and non-state actors should have the right and effective opportunities to participate directly in public debate and discussion over the design and implementation of fiscal policies.” 4

GIFT Work on Public Participation 5

Principles of Public Participation in Fiscal Policy 6 Openness Provide full information on and be responsive with respect to the purpose, scope, constraints, intended outcomes, process and timelines, as well as the expected and actual results of public participation.

GIFT Work on Public Participation Principles of Public Participation in Fiscal Policy 7 Inclusiveness Pro-actively use multiple mechanisms to engage citizens and non-state actors, including traditionally excluded & vulnerable groups & individuals, & voices that are seldom heard, without discrimination on any basis including nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age or caste; & consider public inputs on an objective basis irrespective of their source.

GIFT Work on Public Participation Principles of Public Participation in Fiscal Policy 8 Respect for self-expression Allow and support individuals and communities, including those directly affected, to articulate their interests in their own ways, and to choose means of engagement that they prefer, while recognizing that there may be groups that have standing to speak on behalf of others.

GIFT Work on Public Participation Principles of Public Participation in Fiscal Policy 9 Timeliness Allow sufficient time in the budget and policy cycles for the public to provide inputs in each phase; engage early while a range of options is still open; and, where desirable, allow for more than one round of engagement.

GIFT Work on Public Participation Principles of Public Participation in Fiscal Policy 10 Accessibility Facilitate public participation in general by disseminating complete fiscal information and all other relevant data, in formats and using mechanisms that are easy for all to access, understand, and to use, re-use and transform, namely in open data formats.

GIFT Work on Public Participation Principles of Public Participation in Fiscal Policy 11 Transparency Support each public engagement by providing all relevant information, highlighting and informing key policy objectives, options, choices and trade-offs, identifying potential social, economic, and environmental impacts, and incorporating a diversity of perspectives; provide timely and specific feedback on public inputs and how they have been incorporated or not in official policy or advice.

GIFT Work on Public Participation Principles of Public Participation in Fiscal Policy 12 Proportionality Use a mix of engagement mechanisms proportionate to the scale and impact of the issue or policy concerned.

GIFT Work on Public Participation Principles of Public Participation in Fiscal Policy 13 Sustainability All state and non-state entities conduct on-going and regular engagement to increase knowledge sharing and mutual trust over time; institutionalize public participation where appropriate and effective, ensuring that the feedback provided leads to revision of the fiscal policy decisions; and regularly review and evaluate experience to improve future engagement.

GIFT Work on Public Participation Principles of Public Participation in Fiscal Policy 14 Complementarity Ensure mechanisms for public participation and citizen engagement complement and increase the effectiveness of existing governance and accountability systems.

GIFT Work on Public Participation Principles of Public Participation in Fiscal Policy 15 Reciprocity All state and non-state entities taking part in public engagement activities should be open about their mission, the interests they seek to advance, and who they represent; should commit to and observe all agreed rules for engagement; and should cooperate to achieve the objectives of the engagement.

GIFT Work on Public Participation Guide on Public Participation in Fiscal Policy Objectives Introduce a practical application of the principles through the lens of various mechanisms or practices taken from different countries Develop a practical manual with graphic learning tools, a discussion of lessons learned, categorization of practices and illustrations in a modular electronic document Inspire and support governments, and encourage them to make concrete commitments to increase fiscal transparency and public participation within the Open Government Partnership framework and elsewhere Provide practical support to MOFs and civil society actors in designing and implementing public participation mechanisms 16

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