NANGO is the independent consultant for Zimbabwe under the OBS, an initiative by International Budget Partnerships (IBP) to analyse and rate; (i) fiscal transparency (ii) oversight by parliament and audit institution and (iii) public participation. NANGO and IBP partnership started in 2015 and has developed since then to the current period to a strong partnership crucial to assessments in Zimbabwe.
The Open Budget Survey (OBS) is the independent, comparative and fact-based research instrument that uses internationally accepted criteria to assess public access to central government budget information; formal opportunities for the public to participate in the national budget process; and the role of budget oversight institutions, such as legislatures and national audit offices, in the budget process. The survey helps local civil society assess and confer with their government on the reporting and use of public funds. The OBS is a biennial measure of budget transparency and accountability around the world and is produced by independent budget experts.
The OBS gives an assessment of the core institutions and practices that make representative democracy function. This includes assessing oversight institutions of representative democracy by assessing novel approaches to formal public participation in budgeting processes. Open and accountable public budgeting is at the centre of democratic practice and equity, it is therefore the basis for formulating strategies to strengthen the interaction between governments and citizens. Ensuring that the budgeting process is characterised by high levels of transparency, appropriate checks and balances, and opportunities for public participation is key to stemming confidence deficit in government and representative democracy.
