Social Accountability Programme

Project completed
Tanzanian citizens
Tanzanian citizens © FCS

Against the backdrop of shrinking civic space in Tanzania, the Social Accountability Program supports four key accountability Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the country. It aims to enhance transparency and accountability of public resource management at national and local level and to empower citizens – including youth and women - and local organizations to engage effectively in public oversight, decision making and advocacy on social issues of concern.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Tanzania
Employment & economic development
Governance
Agriculture & food security
Vocational training
nothemedefined
Business support & economic inclusion
Public sector policy
Agricultural policy
Democratic participation and civil society
Public finance management
Agricultural services & market
Decentralisation
Domestic revenue mobilisation
Vocational training
01.01.2019 - 31.12.2023
CHF  9’440’000
Background Accountability and transparency have been on the decline and the space for citizens to participate in political decision making is shrinking. Parliamentary oversight is weakening as many laws are prepared by the Executive and subsequently rubber stamped.  Limited political opposition due to a ban of political rallies and frequent deflections to the ruling party have all but silenced critical voices in parliament. Re-centralization has altered accountability processes which are increasingly carried out in a top down manner by the Central Government. This has led to some perceived service delivery improvements as well as reduced (petty) corruption at the local level. CSOs are under scrutiny and face increased administrative and financial harassment at all levels. However, improved internal governance and adapted strategies – focusing mostly on non-confrontational, evidence based approaches – allow them to remain effective agents of change.
Objectives Enhanced responsiveness and accountability of public authorities, both at national and local levels, which leads to more inclusive and equitable public policies and better services for women, men and youth in Tanzania.
Target groups
  • Direct beneficiaries: CSO partners at national and their members and grantees at local levels;
  • Indirect beneficiaries: Social Accountability Monitoring (SAM) and Public expenditure tracking Surveys (PETS) Committees and local animators, Local Government Authorities (LGAs) in areas of partners’
  • Ultimate beneficiaries: Citizens, and citizen groups e.g. women groups, smallholder farmers and youth platforms
Medium-term outcomes
  • Citizens’ voice, including women and youth in influencing decision-making processes on issues that concern them, is increased.
  • Partner CSOs are more effectively influencing   policies regarding public resources management both at the national and local level.
  • Civic space is preserved and dialogue between public officials and CSOs improves.
Results

Expected results:  

  • More than 100 lobbying and advocacy meetings at local and national levels.
  • Increased coverage of accountability interventions by CSO partners.
  • Findings from social accountability interventions and national budget analyses are disseminated to public officials and citizens including women and youth.
  • Continuous organizational strengthening and professionalization of each national CSO partner activities undertaken.


Results from previous phases:  

  • Capacity Building and service delivery improvements: More than 160CSOs were trained and engaged in social accountability monitoring in 95 districts across the country, including mainland and Zanzibar.  Close to 100’000 citizens have benefited from over 30 service delivery improvements.
  • Enhanced CSO influence on national resource allocation debate: CSO increased influence on national policy discussions, especially around natural resource governance (Policy Forum) and agriculture (Agricultural Non-State Actors’ Forum -ANSAF). 
  • SAP partners increased joint efforts in learning and promoting social accountability: Foundation for Civil Society (FCS) and Policy Forum are recognized as key leaders in Social Accountability Monitoring (SAM), shaping the national agenda. 


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
Private sector
Swiss Non-profit Organisation
  • HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation
  • Foreign private sector North
  • 4 Civil Society Organisations: Foundation for Civil Society (FCS), Policy Forum (PF), Agricultural Non-State Actors’ Forum (ANSAF) and Twaweza East Africa (Twaweza)


Other partners
Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), UK’s Department for International Development (DfID), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), Wellspring Philanthropic Foundation (WPF), Hewlett Foundation and Ireland are co-donors to the four contract partners
Coordination with other projects and actors

CSOs/programmes: Good Financial Governance (GFG) program; Accountability Program in Tanzania (AcT2), SDC’s Regional Program on Social Accountability, anti-corruption, MVIWATA, Media program, Health Basket

Government: President’s Office for Regional Administration and Local Government (PORALG); Ministry of Agriculture

Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    9’440’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    9’061’038
Project phases

Phase 3 01.01.2019 - 31.12.2023   (Completed)

Phase 2 01.04.2015 - 31.12.2018   (Completed) Phase 1 01.09.2009 - 31.12.2014   (Completed)