Budget formulation process |26 June 2021
Some 20 young Seychellois complete training
Some 20 young Seychellois completed the training on Budget formulation process in Seychelles organised by the U.S. embassy and the Transparency Initiative Seychelles (TIS).
The training, which started on Tuesday June 22 and ended yesterday, was led by Michael Castro, a U.S. expert in budget transparency, participation, and accountability.
On the last day the participants were able to learn about problem-driven budget advocacy and analysis for improved social accountability.
They learnt about social accountability, understood the importance of identifying a problem, understood the importance of evidence-based advocacy and got the know-how on how to develop a budget advocacy plan.
Why are these capabilities needed? Civil society organisations (CSOs) and youth organisations emerge out of a need to build a culture of transparency, accountability, and participation in the policy-making and budget processes. Seychellois CSOs and youth organisations are now in a stage where they want and need to conduct evidence-based advocacy to establish a working relationship with government actors and hold the government to account in between electoral cycles.
CSOs need to collect data for evidence-based advocacy to push for reforms in various sectors and for improved government performance.
What tools do CSOs have to conduct evidence-based advocacy? CSOs and youth organisations have seral tools to enable social accountability. The most common are community/citizen score cards, social audits, and budget analysis. CSO-based budget analysis has solidified the importance of transparency, accountability, and participation and are now regarded as key reforms in public financial management. Budget analysis is the most effective tool that CSOs have to ensure public resources are spent with efficiency and efficacy; to ensure that allocations are made to improve the lives of the most vulnerable citizens; and to reduce corruption. CSOs throughout the continent conduct budget analysis to guide their evidence-based advocacy strategies that lead to improved allocations to social sectors; improved service delivery; and established trust between government and civil society.
Mr Castro was happy with the level of participation of the youth and noted that “the budget is a government’s most powerful tool to addressing poverty, inequities, and achieving equitable and sustained economic growth. Seychellois youth are a resource to the country which is why it’s so important for youth to understand all the intricacies of the entire budget process to be involved throughout such process”.
The chairperson of TIS, Christold Chetty, was also happy with the training and the number of youth that joined in.
“The future of any country lies in the hands of the youth who will live with all consequences of decisions of yesterday and today. It is important therefore that young people come forward and are given the chance to drive the change in the country. Youth should be seen as agents of change and key advocates for transparency, accountability and good governance. Fiscal and budget understanding and engagement of youth in the overall process should be encouraged. TIS calls on all national stakeholders to keep the youth at the centre of the country’s development,” concluded Mr Chetty.
Vidya Gappy