This program has ended

Open Up Contracting was part of a five-year-long strategic partnership between ARTICLE 19, Hivos, IIED and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which ended in 2020. On this page you will find all evaluation documents.

 

Aim

To ensure citizens have equal and inclusive access to public goods and services and can meaningfully engage in public resource allocation and policy decisions.

Where

Bolivia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Philippines, Tanzania

Why

When governments spend taxpayers’ money on contracts with private companies to provide public goods, services and infrastructure, there is too often room for bad planning, mismanagement and corruption. In many countries, staggering amounts of tax money are not used as planned and fail to deliver promised results. However the public contracting process is complex, opaque and difficult to understand.

How

In Open Up Contracting, Hivos and ARTICLE19 work with local civil society, media, activists, businesses and civic watchdog organizations to develop their ability to conduct oversight of these deals. This way they can effectively advocate to change policies and practices, or start strategic litigation, so public contracting becomes more transparent, accountable and efficient. The program also gives citizens insight into how governments and businesses obtain and spend (public) money so they, too, can become involved in holding their authorities to account.

Results achieved

The lobby and advocacy initiatives of 18 civil society partners have influenced national and local authorities to take concrete steps to make public contracting processes more transparent and accountable, as well as efficient in their respective countries. In their work, partner organizations have benefited from targeted support from Hivos to further develop their lobby and advocacy capacities.

Period and budget

2016-2020, €12.5 million

Partners

Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (donor), and implementing partners ARTICLE19, School of Data, Engine Room