The hybrid of CRC/ CSC (citizen report cards and community scorecards)

Social accountability is an approach towards building accountability that relies on civic engagement, i.e. ordinary citizens, service users and/or civil society organizations who participate directly or indirectly in holding service providers and power holders accountable for their performance and behavior. Social Accountability mechanisms refer to a broad range of actions (beyond voting) that citizens, service users, communities and civil society organizations can use to hold service providers and power holders accountable, including: citizen participation in public policy making, participatory budgeting, community scorecards (CSC), citizen report cards (CRC), public expenditure tracking, citizen monitoring of public service delivery, and citizen advisory boards. A communication strategy is an important factor in the success of social accountability since they promote exchange of ideas and social behavior change with both consumers and service providers (public or private) and bring transparency to the process. By enhancing consumers’ ability to engage with providers of water and sanitation services, improved social accountability and communication can promote transparency, which in turn can improve public service delivery.

In this particular program, we will combine the use if citizen report card (CRC) and community score cards (CSC) to promote civic participation in monitoring and improving the water service provision in Wobulenzi.

Through the application of the survey of the CRC, information about users’ awareness of; access to; use of; and satisfaction with public services will be collected. The Report Card will identifies the key constraints faced in accessing the water service, their appraisals of the quality and adequacy of water services, and the treatment they receive from service providers. In summary, the survey will establish a baseline of the current situation of the water service in Wobulenzi. Information generated by the CRC will helps public officials and service providers to address issues in the delivery and maintenance of critical services.

Meanwhile, with the implementation of community scorecards (CSC), the community will provide direct and concrete suggestions to the providers. The richest part of this tool is the inter-face meeting between users and providers, where both can exchange their worries, constraints, problems, and suggestions. The program expects this program will promote a constructive dialogue among users, providers and local authorities to make agreements on enhancing governance within the water service in Wobulenzi.