Many poor people lack access to public services, such as drinking water, health and education. They also lack effective ways to complain, to forward their views, and to request information or services. Public services lack transparency, accountability and quality. Could appropriate information and communication technologies (ICTs) provide both access to information and better service delivery?

A Knowledge and Research programme of the UK’s Department for International Development aimed to improve the quality, transparency and effectiveness of ‘pro-poor’ public services through the use of ICTs. OneWorld South Asia managed the programme, which was carried out with partners Transparency International (TI) and their country offices in Croatia, Pakistan and Nigeria.

The programme focused mainly on access to information and identifying ways that ICTs could be used to provide customer feedback. This could then improve the effectiveness of public service delivery to poor and vulnerable people in the community.

During the research the teams:

• used participatory action research, an approach unusual in both service delivery and ICT use
• began to build trust by going straight to the affected communities
• persuaded service providers to try the new approach too
• identified appropriate ICTs for each situation and realised that a critical element of success was using ICTs that enable people to talk to service providers in an easy and non-threatening way.

Once people accepted that it was their right to demand equal, effective and transparent services, and once access was arranged, people quickly began to exercise their rights. Service providers worked hard to keep up with the demand. During the implementation and research the team found that:

• Providing services is not enough. Old patterns of behaviour and communication between service providers and users need to be replaced with new ones that are appropriate, equitable, accessible, and effective.
• Participatory approaches can bring poor communities and service providers together to willingly look for solutions. Civil society organisations can be effective mediators in this process.
• Localised, value-added information will motivate people to demand their rights.
• People will access services and provide feedback once they feel a sense of ownership.
• Women can be the best, first and most responsive users of public services.

This programme clearly established that the right choice of ICTs can improve pro-poor public service delivery. Affordable and reliable tools that people already know and are comfortable with – such as telephones – can be used effectively by poor and vulnerable communities.

Once people understand their rights and believe that their views, complaints and feedback will be heard and taken seriously, they act and force service providers to deliver quality, effective, transparent services.

Source(s):
‘DFID Knowledge and Research Programme on Improving Efficiency of Pro-poor Public Services’, International Report November 2005, OneWorld Asia: New Delhi, by Geeta Sharma, Nikhil Raj and B Shadrach, 2005 (PDF) Full document.

Funded by: UK Department for International Development

id21 Research Highlight: 22 January 2008

Further Information:
Anusha Lall
OneWorld South Asia
C5, Qutab Institutional Area
New Delhi 110 016
India

Tel: +91 11 41689000
Fax: +91 11 41689001
Contact the contributor: anusha.lall@oneworld.net

OneWorld South Asia, India

B. Shadrach

Contact the contributor: bshadrach@idrc.org.in

Geeta Sharma; Nikhil Raj

Contact the contributor: gsharma@worldbank.org; nikhil.raj@wfp.org

Other related links:
'Uganda’s DistrictNet: e-governance in action'

'Reformulating the role of bureaucracy through e-government reform in India'

'Improving understanding of the links between ICTs and poverty reduction'

'Empowering poor people through information and communication technologies'

'Understanding the connections between ICTs and poverty'