SOLVE Nepal Society of Local Volunteers Efforts

Project Name: Sustainable Use of Technology for Public Sector Accountability in Nepal (SUSASAN)
Date Started: April, 2017 – March, 2018
Funding Agency: GAC (Global Affairs Canada) through Center for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI Nepal)
Working areas: Bagmati and Konjyosom Rural Municipalities, Lalitpur District
Beneficiaries: Approx: 20000 Women and Marginalized communities including youths.
Project Objective: The main objective of the project is to leverage and mainstream integrated technologies for promoting good governance and social accountability in Nepal.

Sustainable Use of Technology for Public Sector Accountability in Nepal (SUSASAN) is a four-year project launched in 2017 that seeks to encourage equitable and inclusive participation – particularly from women and marginalized groups – during democratic decision-making processes through the use of integrated technology. SOLVE-Nepal is one of the implementing partner of SUSASAN project for Lalitpur district. SUSASAN is currently being implemented in two of the rural municipalities namely Konjyosom and Bagmati Rural Municipalities of Lalitpur district.

The overall objective of the project is to bridge the gap between public service providers and receivers specially the women and marginalized groups with the use of integrated technology. The rugged topography, residence of marginalized communities, especially women and marginalized population are not being able to have easy access to goods and services provisioned by the public agencies. The project aims to enhance the accessibility of women and marginalized communities to get more of the benefits of public services and at the same time, it envisages to assist public sectors for being more responsive and accountable in catering services to the marginalized group enabling them for ensuring constructive citizen engagement in democratic citizenry processes of local governments.

The project has been designed to provide technical and financial assistance to LGs for developing better and inclusive policies, practical programs and budget allocation so as to make the LGs more visionary, practical and accountable to citizen. Furthermore, to promote the practice of deliberative decision making in the LGs and to impart better understanding of democratic local governance through optimum engagement of women and marginalized groups and constructive citizen engagement for improving the access of vulnerable and marginalized communities to legal and economic opportunities have been felt necessary.

1. Enhancing Citizen Engagement and Influence: The project will enhance the capacity of citizens, WMG to participate in and influence decision making processes at local government levels, through integrated technologies.
2. Establishment of Techno-hubs: Established Techno Hubs (THs) at municipal/ rural municipal and community levels,within existing facilities of government, civil society organizations and in community centers. The Techno Hubs will also be used by the CSOs, communities, WMG, to access relevant data/information to hold local government accountable, developing off line mechanisms linkinng with online technology.
3. E-governance Capacity Building and Accountability: The project will work with local governments to build their capacity toward E-Governmence. The project will facilitate the development/ adaptation of technological governance tools and provide technical ongoing support for better use of the tools and mechanisms for data collection, information sharing and accountability.

Open Data: All the information and data of the RMs have been proactively disclosed through Data Portals. Information are in reusable formats. Training to Community Service Organization’s representatives on basic concept of open data and Budget Transparency.

Budget Transparency: Policies, programs and program wise budget allocation are disseminated to citizen in different forms through online and offline platforms.

Citizen Reporting: CRC and Exit Poll initiatives are being exercised by LGs to adopt these citizen reporting tools in public hearings of local governments to make the government more accountable.

Grievance Handling: Capacitate local governments to develop policies and guidelines such as: Grievance handling mechanism, ICT Management Guideline.
Orientation and training packages to citizen and LGs to handle the grievances, Local Level Planning process including 7 steps of planning mock drilling sessions.