Social Accountability 2015-2018

Project completed
Tanzania © SDC

The Social Accountability Programme extends support to the three leading Tanzanian advocacy organisations in the field of policy advocacy, health and agriculture, Policy Forum, Sikika, and ANSAF. Each plays a key role in enhancing transparency and accountability of public resource management at national and local level, scrutinizing public resource data and empowering citizens and local organizations to engage more effectively in public oversight. 

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Tanzania
Employment & economic development
Governance
Health
Agriculture & food security
Human rights
Rule of Law - Democracy - Human rights
Industrial policy
Decentralisation
Public sector policy
Health systems strengthening
Agricultural policy
Public finance management
Primary health care
Human rights (incl. Women's rights)
Medical services
01.04.2015 - 31.12.2018
CHF  5’030’000
Background

Tanzania’s public accountability culture and systems are characterized by relatively weak structures of checks and balances in favour of a strong executive and by a lack of transparency vis-a-vis the public. Corruption is perceived as being high in the public sector. Despite of this, some positive developments could also be noted over the past years. At national level, oversight institutions such as the parliament and the National Audit Office (NAO) have started playing a more pronounced role questioning the Government around public resource management. The yearly parliamentary debate on the national budget becomes more lively and critical every year. The lack of accountability and grand corruption are widely reported in the mainstream and social media and talked about in the public sphere. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have also become more vocal, scrutinizing the Government performance. Whilst the latter is mostly concentrated in urban areas, and given the country’s size and the time it takes to achieve systemic change, the challenge of lacking accountability is still tremendously big in Tanzania.

Objectives

Improved service delivery in health and agriculture in areas of SDC Social Accountability partners’ work.

Target groups

Direct beneficiaries: CSO partners at national and local level; citizen composed Social Accountability Monitoring Committees; Local Government Authorities in areas of  partners’

Ultimate beneficiaries:  Citizens, small holder farmers, health facility users, health officials.

Medium-term outcomes

1.    Civil society and citizen engagement - Citizens and CSOs are engaged more effectively in decision making, oversight and advocacy in the public resource management cycle.

2.    Health service accountability - Increased  government accountability in provision of quality, accessible and affordable health care services

3.    Agricultural policies - enhanced smallholder farmers’ influence in local and national policy making.

Results

Results from previous phases:  

a)  Outreach: SAP partners trained and engaged more than 50 local CSOs on Social Accountability Monitoring (SAM), and SAM was implemented in 42 districts (out of 169) all over the country.

b)  SAP partners became lead CSOs to advocate on accountability: Sikika, ANSAF and Policy Forum are now recognized as lead advocacy CSOs in their respective sector, including by Government and Parliament. 

c)  Enhanced CSO influence on the national budget process: CSO partners’ joint lobbying has led to citizen-friendly changes in the national budget, e.g. reducing unnecessary spending in the health budget by 18% and an increase in the agriculture budget by 5%.

d)  Instances of improved service delivery at local level thanks to SAM exercises; e.g. improved functioning of health facilities in Kiteto and Ileje districts, construction of irrigation facilities for agriculture in Ulanga district.

e) Key lesson learnt: Social accountability initiatives should not only provide support to the “demand side” (citizens), but also to the “supply side” (public officials) to foster their understanding of public resource management and to build a relationship of trust between authorities and citizens.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
  • DANIDA, DfID, Comic Relief, American Jewish World Society, OSIEA, Canada, Ireland


Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    5’030’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    3’931’241
Project phases Phase 3 01.01.2019 - 31.12.2023   (Completed)

Phase 2 01.04.2015 - 31.12.2018   (Completed)

Phase 1 01.09.2009 - 31.12.2014   (Completed)