Government Accountability and Responsiveness during COVID-19

Combining innovation, technology and citizen engagement to ensure COVID-19-related spending, stimulus, and safety net measures benefit those most in need

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 CHALLENGE OVERVIEW 

ADB, in collaboration with the Open Government Partnership (OGP), aims to explore how digital technology can be leveraged to strengthen the monitoring of COVID-19 related spending and improve feedback and grievance redressal  mechanisms. 

 

COVID-19 continues to threaten lives and livelihoods throughout the Asia Pacific region. In response, governments have taken economic measures to safeguard the health of its citizens and support the economy. Stimulus and safety net packages have been distributed, intended to reach citizens and businesses in need. Governments continue to plan and allocate significant additional resources to fund COVID-19 response and recovery. Thus, public spending must be transparent and monitored. Institutions must be made accountable to manage the economic impacts effectively, as well as duly respond to citizens’ needs.


How can digital technology be leveraged to monitor COVID-19-related spending, stimulus, and safety net measures, and to create feedback and redress mechanisms to ensure assistance goes to those most in need?

 

Potential concepts could include:  

  • Tools or applications that allow citizens to track budgets, disbursements and expenditures on COVID-19 related stimulus measures, safety net packages, public procurement, or sectoral budgets, expenditures and spending 
  • Tools or applications that provide easy-to-understand and accessible information on target beneficiary groups (individuals, specific communities, or businesses including small and medium enterprises), and on specific assistance or relief provisions (eligibility criteria and process for assistance) 
  • Tools or applications that create mechanisms for targeted beneficiaries to provide feedback and complaints on government assistance and programs, and access redress or complaints mechanisms 
  • Tools or applications which expand the reach and accessibility of underserved and/or marginalized populations to government programs, including but not limited to informal settlers, minority ethnic groups, LGBT+ individuals and groups, the disabled, etc.
 

We encourage participants to include in their proposals the aspect of accessibility. Participants may consider bridging the digital divide for those with limited access to the internet. Entries should ideally be open-source solutions that can be adapted and replicated elsewhere.  

 

Your innovative solutions are what we need to guide citizens to monitoring the government budget!

 

 WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU? 

 

The selected solution will have potential seed funding of  USD 10,000  or more for selected pilots in ADB's developing member countries. 

 
Participants from OGP member countries may also be connected to their respective national OGP stakeholders to explore how their ideas may be taken forward through OGP national action plans.