By The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), in collaboration with the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) and with the financial support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, has been implementing the project titled “From Disclosure to Impact: Deepening and Broadening Open Contracting in Malawi/Africa.” Over the course of two years, the project has aimed to enhance health and education service delivery in Malawi, specifically in the targeted districts of Lilongwe and Salima, by promoting the disclosure of public procurement information, public participation, efficiency, value for money, fair business practices, and competition in public contracting.
The project has set forth several result outcomes to be achieved. Firstly, it seeks to enhance transparency by facilitating the disclosure of contract information in the targeted sectors in Malawi. Secondly, it aims to increase citizens’ participation in government processes, ensuring that their voices are heard and taken into account. Thirdly, it aims to promote fair business practices within the target sectors, fostering an environment of equal opportunities and ethical conduct. Lastly, the project aims to improve the responsiveness of government entities in the target sectors towards Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), taking into consideration the findings and recommendations from contract monitoring.
To achieve these goals, the project has established specific milestones. It has conducted radio talk-shows and stakeholder engagement meetings to raise awareness among the general public about access to information laws and regulations, thereby strengthening public demand for transparency and accountability. Furthermore, it has provided capacity-building initiatives for community members, CSOs, and journalists in the target districts, equipping them with knowledge on access to information and public procurement processes. As a result, citizen participation in demanding transparency and accountability has increased.
However, the project has faced certain challenges throughout its implementation. One significant challenge is the low pro-active disclosure of public procurement information by government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. This lack of transparency stems from an institutionalized culture of secrecy, which has hindered citizen participation and fair business practices within public procurement processes. Additionally, there is a limited awareness and understanding of the importance of transparency, citizen participation, and fair business practices in public contracting, not only among government entities but also among businesses, CSOs, and community members.
Comments