parliamentary institutes as centres of excellencesals.gov.za/devseminar/2012/rdraman.pdf · october...

Rasheed DramanDirector Africa Programs

Parliamentary CentreAccra, GHANA

October 4, 2012

PARLIAMENTARY INSTITUTES AS CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Outline

The Emergence and Growth of Parliamentary Institutes The Case for Parliamentary Institutes The Building Blocks: They have to be Engineered About the Parliamentary Centre The Parliamentary Centre in Africa PC Approach to Parliamentary Development Work Challenges Lessons Learnt


The Emergence and Growth of Parliamentary Institutes

Parliaments play a very critical role in development yet they remain one of the most neglected arm of government

Organizations like the Parliamentary Centre exist to play a role that Parliaments themselves should be playing

In the last few years, through our support to Parliaments, we have started to replicate ourselves - Cambodia, Kenya, Ghana etc.

Parliaments are slowly ‘waking up’ to the realization that they have to take the issue of their capacity seriously

Democracy is here to stay so there could only be a growth of Parliaments and not the reverse


The Case for Parliamentary Institutes

• There’s a high level of electorates’ dissatisfaction with the performance of legislators across the world and Africa is no exception. This is demonstrated in the high turn over of MPs after each election: Senegal - 95%, Tanzania - 65%, Kenya - 85%, Zambia - 65% and about 50% in Ghana.

• This means that with each new parliament, capacity support has to start from scratch for a good number of MPs – a never an ending enterprise, in the face of dwindling donor funding.


The Case for Parliamentary Institutes - 2

• A concerted effort is thus needed to develop institutional memory beyond members of parliament – so focus on Parliamentary Staff and Institutes.

• Parliaments should be able to predetermine their capacity requirements (needs/gaps) to which in-coming supports would have to be aligned.

• To be sustainable, parliaments should make a deliberate effort to set resources aside for their own capacity development so that support from donors will only be supplementary.


The Building Blocks: They Have to be Engineered

Parliamentary Institutes do not just emerge; they have to be engineered

First, you need an assertive Parliament Second, a leadership with a clear vision Second, you need political will at the top hierarchy of

Parliament Third, there has to be willingness at the middle level to take

the idea and run with it Fourth, you need to secure the tenure of those who have to

implement the idea Fifth, you need resources. Best approach: incremental!


The Parliamentary Centre

Founded in 1968 to strengthen the capacity of Canada’s Parliament, the Parliamentary Centre has become one of the leading and longest serving NGO dedicated to the strengthening of parliamentary democracy around the world

Mission: is to assist in building the capacity of legislatures as

strong representative institutions and to assist legislators in developing their parliamentary knowledge, skills and leadership.


The Parliamentary Centre in Africa

The Centre's largest program is in Africa where more than 45 projects have been implemented in the last 20 years. Current program - CIDA-funded APSP for Budget Oversight

The Parliamentary Centre office in Africa is based in Accra, Ghana – PC’s work with the Parliament of Ghana spans two decades

In Kenya - PC with funding from CIDA is implementing a Project to support the Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training


The PC Approach

• Capacity Building/ Capacity Enhancement :

• Workshops• Seminars/Conferences • Online training

• Field visits/ Outreach Programs • Knowledge Exchanges/Study tours• Parliamentary Networking• Performance Assessment /African Parliamentary Index • Research and Publications


The PC Approach 2

Training - Workshops//Seminars/Conferences

Targeted - small group (participants - same country or from a number of partner parliaments)

Pre-agreed theme of interest to the beneficiaries/participants The APRN – financed - Austrian Development Agency (ADA)

(as at January 31st, 2012) had provided capacity building training to 593 MPs & parliamentary staff from 18 countries, and a further 91 parliamentarians and staff attended conferences sponsored by the project

The APSP for Budget Oversight funded by CIDA as at March 2012 had provided capacity building training to 584 MPs and 105 parliamentary staff .


The PC Approach 3

On-line Training Using an internet based platform, The APRN training

manual on Budget Oversight was tailored for online use. Registration and entire training carried out using the

Internet. Each module lasting approximately a week; The online sessions include

background materials shared by the instructor & assignments by the participants, complemented with

interactive chats among participants and the instructor.


The PC Approach 4

Outreach Programs through Use of Community Score Cards

This is a social accountibility tool that brings MPs closer to citizens but also gives them a first-hand account of how poverty policies are being implemented

Training/followed by interaction with citizens in communities using Community Score Card with a focus on Health, Water Services & Education


The PC Approach 5

Knowledge Exchange/Study Tours

Very useful complement to training and workshops Provide holistic approach to capacity enhancement of MPs and

Staff. Platforms for obtaining practical experience through

interactions with organizations visited. Promote interaction among MPs encouraging non-partisan

approach to their work, foster interaction between MPs and staff.


The PC Approach 6 - study tours ctd.

For Participants seeing things in action speed up learning & in most instances the knowledge gained is immediately translated to useful work upon return of the participants

Public Accounts Committee/Parliament of Ghana (delegation of 10) - Visit to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario ( 2010)

Study Tours Parliamentary staff from the South Sudan Legislative Assembly and Parliament of Rwanda study tour to the Parliament Ghana (Sudan and Rwanda Projects)

Members of the Finance Committee of Ghana’s Parliament visited the Parliamentary Budget Office in Uganda (Budget and Finance Unit project)


The PC Approach 7

Parliamentary Networking

African Parliamentary Poverty Reduction Network (APRN) involving 15 partner countries

African Parliamentarians' Network Against Corruption - APNAC - 20 Chapters on the Continent


The PC Approach 8 - Performance Assessment (African Parliamentary Index)

Dr. Draman, Hon. Mbau, Hon. Farah Maalim and H.E David Collins –June 7, 2011


The PC Approach 9 - Publications


Challenges

High MP turnover – losing MPs who have been trained and worked with

Donor funding landscape – dwindling direct support to Parliamentary Development

Complexity of Tracking and Demonstrating Results achieved


Lessons Learnt

• Non-partisan approach• Demand-driven/locally-informed approach• Participatory approach – Project Steering Committee • Trust• Commitment by partners• Patience/humility• Consistency in programming• Long-term approach


parliamentary institutes as centres of excellencesals.gov.za/devseminar/2012/rdraman.pdf · october...

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