Budget Transparency and Participation 2

This study is the product of a comparative research project examining government transparency and civil participation in nine African countries. The project involved civil society organisations in Botswana, Burkina Faso, Namibia, Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia, working in liaison with the Africa Budget Project of IDASA’s Budget Information Service in South Africa.

The book focuses on: the legal frameworks for transparency; clarity of roles and responsibilities; public availability of budget information and the comprehensiveness of budgets; systems of enforcing civil society and legislative participation in the budget process; and the role of donors. The aim of the book is to encourage civil societies in Africa to advocate more transparent, timely, accurate and comprehensive information that will enable participation in public debates, and hold governments to account.