A Local practices of societal accountability in Yemen

 

The study aims to analyze local practices of social accountability in Yemen, highlight good practices and gaps in policy and implementation based on social accountability approaches, and provide a qualitative diagnosis of the capabilities of actors to achieve accountability, transparency and partnership.

The study concluded that the dependence of the state in Yemen on external revenues from oil and gas has weakened the accountability relationship between the state and citizens. And to a decline in political participation and growing corruption.

After 2011, the government became more accountable and took positive steps by signing the partnership document with civil society organizations and the memorandum of understanding with the private sector. It issued a law to obtain information and issued the citizen’s budget document for more transparency in the public budget.

The study showed the lack of commitment of the local authorities to the processes based on consultations with the local community, such as public meetings and consultation, citizen survey, evaluation of services and the absence of transparency and publicity regarding the budget and public spending and the limited interference of elected local councils in monitoring the performance of the executive organs.

The study revealed that the projects implemented and managed by citizens and local communities are more sustainable than government-implemented projects without citizen participation. It is also important to understand the social and cultural context in applying societal accountability. Tribal norms such as determination can be used to collect resources and involve social figures and tribal leaders in resolving conflicts that hinder development projects in local communities. Benefit from tribal governance where collective responsibility and accountability of tribal leaders to their societies is the focus of tribal custom.