Mercy Global Concern - 2003

Briefing Paper Number 1 - December 2003

Commission for Social Development
Forty-second session
4-13 February 2004

Theme: Improving Public sector effectiveness"

Statement submitted by: Sisters of Mercy, Elizabeth Seton Federation, Franciscans International,

Introduction

" Vision without action is merely a dream, action without a vision is merely passing time, but action with vision can change the world." Nelson Mandela

Improving public sector effectiveness requires a vision - a vision of providing quality services for all the public but particularly for the most vulnerable social groupings. Using resources to provide public services only for those who can, because of their wealth and power provide for themselves, turn upside down the notion of public sector. To paraphrase Nelson Mandela's statement: A definite goal without adequate resources is merely a dream; an adequate resource without a definite goal squanders resources; a definite goal with adequate resources can change people's lives.

International goals and commitments have been well established. The Millennium Development Goals, the Monterrey Consensus, UN Summits and international agreements provide more that enough policy guidelines. General Assembly Resolution A/RES/S-24/2 of 15 December 2000, Further Initiatives for Social Development, already provides an extensive and clear programme for effective social policy. Implementation requires the fulfillment of the financial agreements made at Monterrey. Global finances are more than adequate to fulfill the commitments made. But unequal distribution of global wealth, unjust global structures, particularly in trade and finances, and burdensome debts prevent many countries from moving toward fulfillment of their goals.

These constraints coupled with the lack of political power in a globalized world thwart even those government officials (and we hope that there are many) who enter into public service hoping to make a positive difference in people's lives. Often original good will gets diluted or even forgotten in discouragement, cynicism, ambition or greed. A conscious, continuous revitalization of motivation to serve the public good first and foremost is a primary and indispensable requisite for improving public sector effectiveness. Then, with clear goals and adequate resources, a government further needs to possess freedom to implement plans and direct resources as needed.

Considerations for all Governments.

In many countries the majority of citizens are unable to obtain for themselves basic human necessities such as adequate food and clean water, health services and education. The role of the government is, at least, to enable society to function efficiently and harmoniously for all, and to ensure that the most basic needs of human life are satisfied. A strong and unswerving commitment to this governmental role is essential.

In order to address adequately the needs of people, it is indispensable that decision makers and service providers are in constant dialogue with the recipients of the services. Making assumptions about other people's needs often leads to inaccurate assessments, waste of resources, and unsustainable consumption patterns.
In addition to ongoing consultation with the recipients of services, effective national planning for poverty reduction is improved by interdisciplinary, inter-agency and international consultation and co-operation.

Effective plans of action are based on the concrete awareness that the unmet needs of one segment of humanity or one region of the earth eventually brings suffering to all peoples. There are numerous examples to illustrate this: the global spread of diseases, poverty-induced violence and terrorism, shared effects of air or water pollution, resource depletion.

A recent study on best practices in poverty eradication points the way to effective public sector interaction with civil society to ensure that the needs of vulnerable people are met. Some of the important points presented include the need for education to empower effective participation particularly in the rural areas, the understanding that effective policies must be for the long-term, and that cooperation and collaboration will enhance both the creativity and effectiveness of solutions to service provision.

Finally, to be free to act in ways that benefit citizens, governments must be independent from the control of moneyed interests. To ensure such freedom requires legislation and oversight which inhibits corruption and which protects government officials from indebtedness to special interests.

Considerations for Developing Countries

The freedom of developing countries to implement needed reforms and procedures, thus providing for the needs of their citizens, is particularly curtailed today by the control exerted from powerful institutions - be they governments or corporations - who shape the current trade and financial agreements.

It is vital that these countries regulate and strictly all privatization. In particular, effectiveness requires that they protect the delivery of the most basic human services (such as, food and safe water provision, health services, and education) from privatization.

The multilateral demand for equal participation of developing countries in global decision-making, particularly in the areas of trade and finances, as was evident at Cancun, must continue in order that they be able to negotiate policies which enable them to fulfill their mandate to their own citizens.
National governments should co-ordinate political, economic, and social policies and programmes by bringing together representatives of major administrative agencies frequently along with other stakeholders.
Citizen's expectations of accountability and transparency must be encouraged, respected and facilitated through effective monitoring and reporting mechanisms.

Another important element to improve public sector effectiveness in the developing countries is to promote South-South sharing of expertise, technology, and successful methodologies.

Considerations for Developed Countries

Because of their greater power and resources, developed countries have a greater responsibility for public sector effectiveness in the sense described above. In the first place, their own public sectors should be effective in the provision of basic services - services that are the human rights of all people.
In some cases the provision of services to special populations such as those living in the rural sector, immigrants, refugees, and those without adequate personal resources is insufficient. This ignores the reality that the people in these populations are indeed a rich resource for any country. One step toward fulfillment of this responsibility is the careful monitoring and regulation of markets and corporations so that the welfare of workers and conservation of natural resources are given first priority.

Besides the responsibility developed countries have within their own public sectors, they also have a responsibility to promote effective public sector development in those countries of the world which lack adequate

Many developing countries are financially unable to provide needed services for their citizens because of excessively heavy debt servicing. Promotion of debt cancellation, debt swap, and debt relief in poor countries is indispensable for providing needed resources for the public sector.

The establishment of an independent arbitration process under the direction of the UN would provide greater justice in the settlement of issues related to sovereign nations' debts.

Free markets contribute to development only in those countries, which have free access to markets for their goods. Movements towards truly free, open markets in which developing countries are able to access the markets of the developed world are needed.

Access to markets is meaningless, even domestically, if foreign subsidies on produce drives selling prices below local production costs. Therefore, domestic agricultural subsidies must be eliminated to allow poorer countries to compete.

Some commitments regarding ODA, particularly those made at Monterrey, are still awaiting fulfillment. Poor countries and wealthy countries alike would benefit from the healthy global economy, which could be created if all nations were enabled to contribute their own natural and human riches.

Finally, given that historically the current international financial institutions whose policies and personnel are dominated by richer and most powerful nations have succeeded in widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots, developed countries have a role in calling for and supporting reform of these institutions with the active participation of those countries which most need them to fulfill the mandate that was given to them at their foundation.

Submitted December 2003 to Governments for the upcoming Commission on Social Development