Catalog

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p. 6 of 34 BACK | NEXT Executive Summary Introduction Good governance defined The elements of good governance Accountability Participation Predictability Transparency Interlinkages among the elements of governance The Bank’s concern with governance quality The Bank’s approach to governance issues Promoting the elements of good governance in Bank operations The Bank’s modalities for enhancing governance in DMCs Resource implications Reporting arrangements

Governance: Sound Development Management : The elements of good governance

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Participation

The principle of participation derives from an acceptance that people are at the heart of development. They are not only the ultimate beneficiaries of development, but are also the agents of development. In the latter capacity, they act through groups or associations (e.g., trade unions, chambers of commerce, nongovernment organizations [NGOs], political parties) and as individuals (e.g., through letters to newspaper editors, participating in radio and television talkshows, voting). Since development is both for and by people, they need to have access to the institutions that promote it (e.g., representative bureaucracies).

Participation is often related to accountability, but not necessarily so. In representative democracies, where citizens participate in government through the electoral process, public officials are, indeed, accountable ultimately to the electorate. This may not be the case, however, in other political systems (although accountability is still important). For all economies, though, the benefits of participatory approaches can be considerable. These include improved performance and sustainability of policies, programs, and projects, as well as enhanced capacity and skills of stakeholders.

At the grass roots level, participation implies that government structures are flexible enough to offer beneficiaries, and others affected, the opportunity to improve the design and implementation of public programs and projects. This increases “ownership” and enhances results. At a different level, the effectiveness of policies and institutions impinging on the economy as a whole may require the broad support and cooperation of major economic actors concerned. To the extent that the interface between public agencies and the private sector is conducive to the latter’s participation in the economy, national economic performance (comprising the combined contributions of the public and private sectors) will be enhanced.

Participation in economic life by agents other than the state would cover not only the role of the private sector, but also the activities (growing in recent times) of NGOs. These elements of civil society offer an alternative means of channeling the energies of private citizens. They can be helpful in identifying people’s interests, mobilizing public opinion in support of these interests, and organizing action accordingly. Being close to their constituents, NGOs can provide governments with a useful ally in enhancing participation at the community level and fostering a “bottom-up” approach to economic and social development.

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