“Budget Transparency means that ordinary citizens and civil society organizations can access information about how public resources are allocated and used. Budget Transparency enables citizens to assess whether government officials are good stewards of public funds”
Dr Stella Bosire, the CEO of Kenya Medical Association, shared this guidance during the recently concluded training on the role of civil society in fostering accountability and transparency in the budget making process. The two day training, conducted by KELIN on 29 – 30 January 2018 focused on empowering civil society organizations working on sexual and reproductive health (SRHR) from Kilifi, Nairobi and Nakuru counties.
Participants were taken through a series topics focusing on the normative framework on public finance and the budget making process in Kenya; the practical aspects of budget-making process at the national and county level including the mechanisms of health accountability; and concluded with sessions on gender responsive budgeting and the role of civil society in advocacy in the budget making process.
At the end of the training, the participants committed to participating in the review of the County Integrated Development Plans through which civil societies can influence the budget making process and work collaboratively to document the process of public participation. As a result of this training KELIN hopes to work with partners to reach many more grass root and community based organizations that can be at the forefront of and demanding accountability and transparency in the budget making process.
To contribute to the discussions on this forum follow KELIN on our social media platforms with the #budgetmaking
Twitter: @KELINKenya
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya
For more information contact:
Nerima Were
Acting Programme Manager Sexual & Reproductive Health Rights
Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS (KELIN)
4th Floor, Somak Building, Mombasa Road
Tel +254202515790
Email: nwere@kelinkenya.org
