Budget Implementation Archives | International Budget Partnership

Overcoming barriers that limit accountability of public spending

by Martin Aldcroft, Vivek Ramkumar & Ed Olowo-Okere*— Nov 05, 2020

Countries around the world have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by expending trillions of dollars to support their economies and provide relief to their populations, but a key challenge is ensuring that funds contribute to recovery and reach intended beneficiaries. Collaborations between supreme audit institutions and civil society groups can monitor government spending and ensure effective and lawful use of funds, improvement in public service delivery and response to disasters.

Promoting women’s equal participation in the economy

by Pooja Parvati, Country Manager, IBP India — Oct 21, 2020

This blog explores the Indian state government’s intent to recognize women as workers and to present policy measures to advance this shift and include them in the paid economy.

Help our children make it through COVID-19: we need transparent budgets

by Matthew Cummins, Social Policy Regional Adviser, UNICEF — Sep 30, 2020

In this post, Matthew Cummins of UNICEF, explores the impacts of COVID-19 on children and how open budgets can be an effective tool in creating a better future for our children and their families.

As COVID-19 spreads, CSOs argue that government budgets should address inequality and discrimination

by María José Eva, International Budget Partnership— Sep 15, 2020

“We are all in this together”—or, at least that was the message early in the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus does not discriminate and anyone can catch it. However, it did not take long for it to become obvious that this was far from reality in a story that is still unfolding.

Large-scale debt swaps can help fight debt, climate change and nature loss together

by Paul Steele, Chief Economist, International Institute for Environment and Development— Sep 14, 2020

This post, authored by Paul Steele of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), explores their report on a new form of debt swaps that could provide developing countries with an opportunity for a green post-COVID-19 recovery that would also help reduce poverty.

Blind Budgets: How governments hide the impact of fiscal policies on poverty and inequality (and what they could do instead)

by Paolo de Renzio, International Budget Partnership— Aug 28, 2020

One of the key questions ordinary citizens ask about government budgets is “how will it affect me?” This is even more relevant during times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, when poverty and inequality worsen, and governments are called on to provide assistance to those most in need.

Budget analysis and advocacy is a vital step in defunding police and instituting needed reforms of justice systems world-wide

by David Robins, IBP— Aug 20, 2020

The murder of George Floyd by police officers in the United States sparked waves of Black Lives Matter protests across the country and around the world. Rising out of the movement came a call, one with a specific budget emphasis: Defund the Police. In order to understand what this means and how we can reform policing and institute change, budget analysis and advocacy is a necessary step.

A new social contract for a post-pandemic world

by Warren Krafchik and Paolo de Renzio*— Aug 19, 2020

The COVID-19 crisis presents an opportunity for civic actors to push governments in the direction of realizing more equitable and inclusive societies. However, realizing that vision will mean a new social contract between citizens and governments – one that benefits everyone, rather than a privileged few.

Our money, our responsibility: how civil society can follow the COVID-19 money trail

by Vivek Ramkumar, IBP— Jul 31, 2020

In the past few months, governments have announced billions of dollars in emergency spending to mitigate the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis and civil society groups have been encouraged to “follow the money.” This blog explores how groups can follow the COVID-19 money trail.

Overpromising and underperforming budgets during COVID-19: possible solutions

by Vivek Ramkumar, IBP— Jul 23, 2020

This blog explores national government budget data in 94 countries from detailed reports issued by the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) program to better understand the large discrepancies between what a government budgets for and what it actually spends.