 Good Governance and Social Responsibility

 What is Good governance?

-Good Governance is a method through which power is exercised in the management of

a country's political. economic, and social resources for development -World Bank
(1992)

- Governance is the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a

country's social and economic resources for development- Asian Development Bank
(1995)

- Governance is the process whereby societies or organizations make important

decisions. determine whom they involve and how they render account- Canada Institute
of Governance (2002)

- good governance as "legitimate, accountable, and effective ways of obtaining

and using public power and resources in the pursuit of widely accepted social
goals". - Johnston (2002, p. 1-2)

- Good governance is tightly linked to the fight against corruption.

-Good governance is about both achieving desired results and achieving them in the
right way

-Since the "right way" is largely shaped by the cultural norms and values of the
organization, there can be no universal template for good governance. Each
organization must tailor its own definition of good governance to suit its needs and
values.

THE EIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE BY UNDP (the United Nations

Development Programme)

Good governance is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent,

responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It
assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and
that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decisionmaking. It is also
responsive to the present and future needs of society. Much has been written about the
characteristics of efficient government, successful businesses and effective civil society
organizations, but the characteristics of good governance defined in societal terms
remain exlusive.
Interrelated, these core characteristics are mutually reinforcing and cannot stand alone.
For example, accessible information means more transparency, broader participation
and more effective decision-making. Broad participation contributes both to the
exchange of information needed for effective decision-making and for the legitimacy of
those decisions. Legitimacy, in turn, means effective implementation and encourages
further participation. And responsive institutions must be transparent and function
according to the rule of law if they are to be equitable.

These core characteristics represent the ideal - and no society has them all. Even so,
UNDP believes that societies should aim, through broad-based consensus-building, to
define which of the core features are most important to them, what the best balance 37
is between the state and the market, how each socio-cultural and economic setting can
move from here to there

UNDP is faced increasingly with post-crisis situations and disintegrating societies. For
them, the issue is not developing good governance - it is building the basic institutions
of governance. The first step is towards reconciliation - building society's ability to carry
on a dialogue on the meaning of governance and the needs of all citizens

Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented,

accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and
follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities
are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in
decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.

Participation

Participation by both men and women is a key cornerstone of good governance All men
and women should have a voice in decision-making, either directly or through legitimate
intermediate institutions that represent their interests. Such broad participation is built
on freedom of association and speech, as well as capacities to participate constructively.
Participation could be either direct or through legitimate intermediate institutions or
representatives. It is important to point out that representative democracy does not
necessarily mean that the concerns of the most vulnerable in society would be taken
into consideration in decision making. Participation needs to be informed and
organized. This means freedom of association and expression on the one hand and an
organized civil society on the other hand.

Rule of law
Legal frameworks should be fair and enforced impartially, particularly the laws on
human rights

Good governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially. It also
requires full protection of human rights, particularly those of minorities. Impartial
enforcement of laws requires an independent judiciary and an impartial and
incorruptible police force.

Transparency

Transparency is built on the free flow of information. Processes, institutions and

information are directly accessible to those concerned with them, and enough
information is provided to understand and monitor them.

Transparency means that decisions taken and their enforcement are done in a manner
that follows rules and regulations. It also means that information is freely 38 available
and directly accessible to those who will be affected by such decisions and their
enforcement. It also means that enough information is provided and that it is provided
in easily understandable forms and media

Responsiveness

Institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders. Good governance requires that
institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders within a reasonable timeframe.

Consensus oriented

Good governance mediates differing interests to reach a broad consensus on what is in

the best interests of the group and, where possible, on policies and procedures.

There are several actors and as many view points in a given society. Good governance
requires mediation of the different interests in society to reach a broad consensus in
society on what is in the best interest of the whole community and how this can be
achieved. It also requires a broad and long-term perspective on what is needed for
sustainable human development and how to achieve the goals of such development.
This can only result from an understanding of the historical, cultural and social contexts
of a given society or community

Equity and inclusiveness

All men and women have opportunities to improve or maintain their well-being.
A society’s well being depends on ensuring that all its members feel that they have a
stake in it and do not feel excluded from the mainstream of society. This requires all
groups, but particularly the most vulnerable, have opportunities to improve or maintain
their well being

Effectiveness and efficiency

Processes and institutions produce results that meet needs while making the best use of
resources.

Good governance means that processes and institutions produce results that meet the
needs of society while making the best use of resources at their disposal. The concept of
efficiency in the context of good governance also covers the sustainable use of natural
resources and the protection of the environment.

Accountability

Decision-makers in government, the private sector and civil society organizations are
accountable to the public, as well as to institutional stakeholders. This accountability
differs depending on the organization and whether the decision is internal or external to
an organization.

Accountability is a key requirement of good governance. Not only governmental

institutions but also the private sector and civil society organizations must be
accountable to the public and to their institutional stakeholders. Who is accountable to
whom varies depending on whether decisions or actions taken are internal or external
to an organization or institution. In general an organization or an institution is
accountable to those who will be affected by its decisions or actions. Accountability
cannot be enforced without transparency and the rule of law.

Strategic vision

Leaders and the public have a broad and long-term perspective on good governance and
human development, along with a sense of what is needed for such development. There
is also an understanding of the historical, cultural and social complexities in which that
perspective is grounded.

The World Bank on the other hand, cites 4 dimensions of governance which are: Public
Sector Management, Accountability, and Legal Framework for Development and
Transparency & Information
The World Bank’s interest in governance stems from its concern with the effectiveness
of the development efforts it supports. From this perspective, sound development
management is critical in ensuring adequate returns and efficacy of the programs and
projects financed and for the World Bank’s underlying objectives of helping countries
reduce poverty and promoting sustainable development growth.
https://www.ombudsman.gov.ph/UNDP4/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Module_I.pdf?
fbclid=IwAR0ejhD-4XfT6ROLdkdnT2ziVk4EZmvuygr4PJNhDN7lRu1Sj8K51UVY5fw
Differentatie government to governance
  What are the actors of governance
Key Actors in Governance

The State

The state is the principal actor of government to facilitate participation and provide an
enabling environment to other elements of the society. It is a strong entity that
recognizes the significance and autonomy of the other sectors without overwhelming
them.

1 The state as enabler provides for the legal and regulatory framework and political
order within which firms and organizations can plan and act. It encourages citizens to
act by liberating them from the fear of military reprisals when they criticize policies or
serve marginalized groups. It can assure private firms that policies are fair and not
subject to caprice or whim or the private interest of political officials.
 2. The state as resource provider facilitates by providing resources to assist markets and
communities. Such resources include information, technical expertise, research and
development programs, physical infrastructure as well as grants-in-aid or incentive
schemes. State/ Public Sector Business Sector Civil Society 22 As part of the state, the
local government performs a crucial role in the efforts of the national government in
implementing its programs and projects. The Local government is the real actor in
effecting governance and development.

The Local Government (market)

The Local Government is an avenue where the civil society groups at the community
level can participate meaningfully in the decision making processes. By virtue of the
powers and authority provided in the Local Government Code of 1991, local
government formulates and defines the legal and regulatory framework. This serves as
the basis for the involvement and participation of the various organizations and groups
in the governance of the community.

The Local Government also maintains a political order and provides the necessary
resources such as technical expertise and infrastructure to the various groups, most
especially to those who are places at disadvantaged position.

As an enabler, the local government likewise provides the environment for the
development of full potentials of its citizens guided by the “overarching goals of
respecting, protecting and fulfilling basic human rights for all and of empowering
everyone to shape their own destiny under a regime in which the realization of basic
rights is guaranteed” (J. Natividad, Rights-Based Philippine Governance Review, DAP,
2005: 21)
`
Civil society
Civil society also has to protect the rights of all citizens. As the state and the private
sector are being reshaped and their relationships redefined, civil society is changing in
important ways. Unresponsive government and unrelenting economic and social
pressure have undermined some traditional civil society organizations and strengthened
others - and in many cases forced people to organize in new ways. Civil society is thus
more than just society. It is the part of society that connects individuals with the public
realm and the state - it is the political face of society.

Civil society organizations channel people's participation in economic and social

activities and organize them into more powerful groups to influence public policies and
gain access to public resources, especially for the poor. They can provide checks and
 balances on government power and monitor social abuses. They also offer opportunities
for people to develop their capacities and improve their standards of living - by
monitoring the environment, assisting the disadvantaged, developing human resources,
helping communication among business people.

 What are the pre-requisite for good governance?

 What is Development?

The concept of development is neither new nor old. It is a continuously changing and
dynamic concept. Since the beginning of civilization, it has been taking different shapes
and dimensions. It could be defined as the capacity of a state to increase its human
resource with the aim of achieving higher outcome of production for the satisfaction of
the basic needs of majority of its citizens and empowering them to make demands on
the government (Sapru 2002).

Development is called a multidimensional con- cept. It should not be discussed in terms

of eco- nomic development alone (John 1996). There are various dimensions along with
components of development. The political component of devel- opment seems to
consist of increasing rationality,secularization, equality, and participation in the political
system. In broad sense, development is a complex phenomenon comprising many
dimen- sions such as political, economic, social, admin- istrative, and cultural (John
1996). Amartya Sen argues development should include a broad range of freedoms or
rights such as the basic capabilities to avoid starvation, undernourishment, or prema-
ture mortality, as well as rights to education and being able to engage in participation in
the polit- ical process. This argument is also reflected in the discussion in the 2000
Human Development Report of the relationship between human rights and human
development approaches.

Development is a process which enables human beings to realize their potential, build
self-confidence, and lead lives of dignity and ful- fillment. It is a process which frees
people from fear of want and exploitation. It is a movement away from political,
economic, or social oppres- sion. Through development, political indepen- dence
acquires true significance. And it is a process of growth, a movement essentially spring-
 ing from within the society that is developing (The Challenge to the South: Report of the
South Com- mission 1990).The Brandt Commission report stated that, “Development
never will be, and never can be, defined to universal satisfaction” (The Brandt
Commission Report 2001).

In addition define the concept of development in different way. Weidner defines

development as a process of growth in the direction of modernity and particularly in the
direction of nation-building and socioeconomic progress. A famous scholar named
Michael Todaro defines development as a multidimensional process involving changes
in structures, attitudes, and institutions as well as the acceleration of economic growth,
the reduc- tion of inequality, and the eradication of absolute poverty.

In brief, development is a process of improving the well-being of the people. It is about

raising the standard of living of the people, improving their education and health, and
also opening out to them new and equal opportunities for a richerand more varied life.
Better health – a longer life with less sickness – is crucial to a better standard of living.

 5 theories of development.

 MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL (MDG)

MEANING:
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were eight international development goals for the
year 2015 that had been established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in
2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. These were based
on the OECD DAC International Development Goals agreed by Development Ministers in the
"Shaping the 21st Century Strategy". The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) succeeded the
MDGs in 2016.

What are the types of MDG?

The MDGs emphasized three areas: human capital, infrastructure and human rights
(social, economic and political), with the intent of increasing living standards. Human
capital objectives include nutrition, healthcare (including child mortality, HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis and malaria, and reproductive health) and education.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Development_Goals

Key facts

 Globally, the number of deaths of children under 5 years of age fell from 12.7
million in 1990 to 6.3 million in 2013.
 In developing countries, the percentage of underweight children under 5 years old
dropped from 28% in 1990 to 17% in 2013.
 Globally, new HIV infections declined by 38% between 2001 and 2013.
 Existing cases of tuberculosis are declining, along with deaths among HIV-negative
tuberculosis cases.
 In 2010, the world met the United Nations Millennium Development Goals target on
access to safe drinking-water, as measured by the proxy indicator of access to
improved drinking-water sources, but more needs to be done to achieve the
sanitation target.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/millennium-development-goals-(mdgs)

THE 8 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger- The number of hungry people in the world
remains unacceptably high despite expected recent gains that have pushed the figure
below 1 billion. FAO estimates that the number of people who will suffer from chronic
hunger in 2014-16 is 793 million.

FAO focuses on poverty and hunger reduction through: improving agricultural

productivity and incomes and promoting better nutritional practices at all levels and
programmes that enhance direct and immediate access to food by the neediest.

MDG 1 has three targets

- between 1990 and 2015 halve the proportion of people whose income is less than
US$1.25 a day

- achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and
young people

- between 1990 and 2015, halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education - About 57 million primary school age
children do not attend school. Over four out of five of these children live in rural areas.
The urban-rural knowledge and education divide is today’s main barrier to achieving
universal primary education by 2015.

At the same time the learning ability of rural children is compromised by hunger and
malnutrition. Food security and education need to be tackled simultaneously to develop
the capacity of rural people to feed themselves and overcome poverty, hunger and
illiteracy. Social protection bridges the education and food security sectorial efforts
towards increased effectiveness.

MDG2 has one target Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls
alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

3. Promote gender equality and empower women- FAO recognizes the importance
of promoting the full and equitable participation of women and men in efforts to improve
food security, reduce poverty, and fuel sustainable rural development. Without gender
equality and rural women’s economic and social empowerment, food security will not be
achieved.

FAO promotes the equal participation of rural women in decision making processes,
economic opportunities, and access to and control of resources and assets.

FAO develops tools, guidelines and training programmes for the production and
analysis of sex-disaggregated data to enable targeted interventions in support of the
vital roles that rural men and women play in ensuring food security.

MDG3 has one target

-Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005,

and in all levels of education no later than 2015

4. Reduce child mortality- Undernutrition is estimated to be an underlying cause in

more than one-third of all deaths in children under five. Programmes to improve
household food security and nutrition information increase children’s chances of
growing to adulthood.

FAO programmes assist poor households and communities to secure access to

nutritionally adequate diets and reduce child undernutrition. Activities include:
community-centred initiatives, training materials, nutrition education programmes,
training programmes for national and local staff, and promotion of a forum on household
food security and community nutrition.
Improved complementary feeding for young children, i.e. giving foods in addition to
breastmilk, is an important way to prevent undernutrition and reduce child mortality.
FAO helps countries strengthen local capacities to improve complementary feeding for
young children, using locally available and affordable foods.

MDG4 has one target

-Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate

5. Improve maternal health- Improving maternal health is key to saving the lives of
more than half a million women who die as a result of complications from pregnancy
and childbirth each year. Almost all these deaths could be prevented if women in
developing countries had access to adequate diets, safe water and sanitation facilities,
basic literacy and health services during pregnancy and childbirth. Hunger and
malnutrition have been found to increase both the incidence and the fatality rate of the
conditions that cause up to 80 percent of maternal deaths.

FAO contributes to improving maternal health through efforts to: improve women’s
access to productive resources and income; improve women’s nutritional status; and
empower women to obtain better health care, education and social services.

MDG5 has two targets

-Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio

-Achieve universal access to reproductive health

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases- MDG 6 aims to combat HIV/AIDS,
malaria and other diseases. HIV, malaria and other diseases have a direct and indirect
impact on rural development, agricultural productivity and food and nutrition security. At
the same time, food and nutrition insecurity and malnutrition can increase vulnerability
to disease. FAO supports policy makers and programme planners to incorporate HIV,
malaria and other disease considerations into food, nutrition and agriculture policies and
programmes.

FAO promotes awareness among key actors in the food and agriculture sector on the
impacts of HIV on food security and agriculture, while advocating for multisectoral
responses to the epidemic.

FAO’s programmes to enhance the access of people with HIV/AIDs to adequate and
nutritious diets include home and community gardening projects, nutrition education and
communication, and local training. Field projects use a mix of interventions including
food provisions, labour- and time-saving technologies and microfinance to help support
food production and diversification; and technical assistance to household gardening
projects in HIV/AIDS affected communities.
MDG6 has three targets

-Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS

- Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it

- Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major
diseases

7. Ensure environmental sustainability- The natural resources base and ecosystems

must be managed sustainably to meet people’s food requirements and other
environmental, social and economic needs. Climate change, increased water scarcity
and conflicts over access to resources all pose challenges to environmental
sustainability and food security.

Hunger and poverty often compel the poor to over-exploit the resources on which their
own livelihoods depend. Strategies, polices and institutions for conserving, protecting,
and enhancing natural resources should be strengthened to provide an enabling
environment and should be based on the specific resource constraints faced in any
given location.

FAO supports sustainable natural resource management including agricultural water

use efficiency; land and soil productivity; sustainable forest management, aquaculture
and inland fisheries; integrated crop and livestock systems; pesticide management and
watershed management.

MDG7 has four targets

- Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and
programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources
- Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss
- Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe
drinking water and basic sanitation
- Achieve, by 2020, a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum
dwellers

8. Develop a global partnership for development- Goal 8 aims to develop a global

partnership for development. The targets most relevant to the mandate of FAO relate to
the special needs of least developed countries (LCDs), landlocked countries and small
island developing states; the trading and financial system; and new information and
communication technology (ICT).

Much of FAO’s work of reducing hunger and improving agriculture and food security is
directed to least developed countries, including landlocked countries and small island
developing states. In 2009, FAO’s field programme delivered US$715 million in
technical assistance and emergency and rehabilitation operations and started 2010 with
an available budget of over US$1.5 billion.

FAO, working with its Members States and the World Trade Organization (WTO), is an
active partner in efforts to create an open, fair and rules-based multilateral trading
system, in particular through its support for food, agricultural trade and overall trade
policies conducive to food security.

MDG8 has six targets

-Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and

financial system

-Address the special needs of least developed countries

-Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries and small island
developing States

- Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries In cooperation

with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in
developing countries

- In cooperation with the private sector, make available benefits of new technologies,
especially information and communications

https://www.fao.org/sustainable-development-goals/mdg/goal-1/en/

What is the difference between MDG and SDG?

Unlike the MDGs, which only targets the developing countries, the SDGs apply to all
countries whether rich, middle or poor countries. The SDGs are also nationally-owned
and country-led, wherein each country is given the freedom to establish a national
framework in achieving the SDGs.
https://psa.gov.ph/content/how-are-sustainable-development-goals-different-mdgs

 Right based approach

 Promotion for Transparency and Accountability for anti corruption

 Participation and empowerment of the people

 Decentralization