THE MENA-OECD GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME Share Knowledge and Expertise to Modernise Public Governance

Disseminate Standards and Principles of Good Governance

Support the Reform Process in the MENA Region

Steering Group of the MENA-OECD Initiative

5 February 2015

Rolf Alter Director, Public Governance and Territorial Development Directorate

2005 2009 2012

2006 2011 2014

The MENA-OECD Governance Programme: Selected Milestones

Dead Sea Declaration Creation of the regional working groups

MENA-OECD country action plans

MENA-OECD ministerial Marrakesh Strategic partnership with the PA

Arab Spring High-Level Consultations Mandate 2011-15

Deauville Partnership

Open Government Project

Tunisia Budget Transparency

MENA-OECD Training Centre Caserta

10th anniversary

MENA Transition Fund: Egypt and Yemen

Country projects Tunisia, Morocco

Launch of the Gender Report

The MENA-OECD Governance Programme: Regional Dialogue

B. Open Government and

Innovation

Regional Networks

MENA-OECD Training

Centre of Caserta (Italy)

C. MENA Senior Budget

Officials

D. Regulatory Reform

A. Integrity and Civil Service

E. Gender Focus Group

F. Focus Group on

Territorial Development

G. Network of Public

Procurement

Practitioners

Regional Reports: Regulatory Reform in MENA, Women in Public Life in MENA, Regulatory Consultation in MENA, E-government in MENA, Procurement, Youth and Governance in MENA

Example: Regional Focus Group on Gender and Regional Report: Women in Public Life

The Report on “Gender, Law and Public Policies: Trends in the Middle East and North Africa”, to be launched on 17 Nov 2014 in Amman provides recommendations on:

1) How to bridge the gender gap: Eliminating gender-based discrimination

2) Strengthening institutional frameworks for promoting gender equality

3) Enabling women’s access to decision making posts in the public sector

Main Findings

• Almost all countries ratified the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women but reservations on key articles prevail

• While gender equality strategies and institutions to promote women's empowerment exist, they are unevenly integrated in the policy process

• Women have experienced advances in access to decision-making posts, still mobility restrictions and discrimination in labour laws remain

Recommendations

• Amend legal frameworks to remove gender-based discriminations and strengthen accountability mechanisms

• Integrate international standards in gender equality strategies; strengthen capacities, mandates and coordination of institutions

• Strengthen policies related to work-life balance and equal access; address social barriers and traditional gender stereotypes

MENA-OECD Gender Focus Group

Women play a critical role in demanding openness, social justice and equal access to opportunities. The MENA-OECD Gender Focus Group promotes legal equality as well as equality of opportunity and political voice.

The MENA-OECD Governance Programme: Multilateral Initiative

MENA-OECD Open Government Project

Key Results and Impact:

• Tunisia joined the OGP in January 2014

• Countries established mixed Steering Committees to guide their open government agenda

• Dissemination and training in the areas of access to information, civic engagement, integrity and budget transparency

• Launching of the OECD Open Government Review Morocco and Tunisia

OECD Secretary General, Angel Gurria at the International Forum on Open Government, 30 September 2014, Paris

The MENA-OECD Governance Programme: Country Projects I

MENA Transition Fund: Reinforcing the Rule of Law in Egypt and Yemen

Egypt Yemen

Objectives

1. Increasing efficiency and public trust in justice institutions

2. Improving legal security for citizens /businesses

3. Building capacities

Inauguration, 25 Sept 2014, Cairo Project in cooperation with the African Development Bank

Inauguration, 8 June 2014, Kuwait Project in cooperation with the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

The MENA-OECD Governance Programme: Country Projects II

Tunisia I: Promote Integrity and Transparency in Public Governance

Key Achievements

The Code of Conduct for Tunisian public officials was signed by the Head of Government in October 2014

The Executive Budget Proposal was published for the first time in 2013

Key Achievements

The Anti-Corruption Agency and Institution du Médiateur established a joint commission to promote integrity

Morocco: Fight corruption and engage citizens

Tunisia II:

Effective Governance to Consolidate Political Transition and Promote Economic Prosperity

The Project was launched in November 2014

The MENA-OECD Governance Programme: Country Projects III

Palestinian Authority

Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in his opening speech: “Joining the Open Government Partnership will be a top priority of our government.”

Key Results and Impact

1. The PA Code of Conduct is aligned with OECD integrity standards

2. The Rule of Law manuals support a systematic introduction of consultation mechanism in the decision-making process

3. The e-government strategy is pioneering work to support better public service delivery

4. The Prime Minister announced the strategic objective of joining the Open Government Partnership (OGP)

Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah with Ministers and the OECD DSG William Danvers on 24 October 2013 in Ramallah

The MENA-OECD Governance Programme: The Way Ahead

Public Governance for trust and more inclusive growth Promoting open, inclusive and transparent government

Including a wide variety of government institutions to promote good governance

Reinforcing Integrity and fighting corruption to rebuild trust in public institutions

Strengthening rule of law

Fostering more efficient government institutions and processes

Strengthening women’s empowerment in public life

Promoting a youth lens in public governance

Strengthening capacities for local governance