Governance
The issues of governance are about the creation of tangible rights to food, employment, water, health, education and services.
Often confused with the word government, the term governance refers to how a country or society operates.
It is concerned with the systems and processes they use to steer themselves and about how decisions are made and taken - or not in the case of many poor and excluded people.
For ActionAid, the theory and practice of just and democratic governance rests on the pillars of participation, human rights, justice, democracy and accountability.
In this approach, the emphasis is on rejuvenating democracy by defining it in terms of participation, identity, dissent, diversity, pluralism, accountability, rights and justice.
It implies a move from representative to participatory politics and the democratization of institutions of power at all levels.
Together these constitute the notion of rights-based, people-centred governance, based on the rule of law and the principle of equity, justice and fairness.
The real challenge in a democratic system is to ensure that the processes of governance are not subverted and misappropriated by economic and political elites.
Key issues
The key question that needs to be asked is: “Who exercises power in the process of governance: the people, the bureaucrats or those who control the government?”
The ‘good governance’ framework, a neo-liberal discourse, promoted by proponents of economic globalization fails to seek accountability from powerful global institutions such as the World Bank, IMF and WTO.
It fails to question the unjust economic policies that serve the interest of a few rich people and rich countries, thereby perpetuating inequality and poverty.
In such a top-down approach, people are often seen as ‘instruments’ to facilitate effective economic management.
Whereas a human rights-based or people centred approach to just and democratic governance calls for the participation of citizens and the ability of the poor and excluded to ask questions, claim rights, make decisions and hold institutions accountable.
© Jenny Matthews / ActionAid