Ten District Pilot Social Audit, 2001
In 2001, the government of Pakistan introduced their Local Government Plan, devolving many powers to district and sub-district levels. Set up as a means of monitoring the effects of the devolution on delivery of public services and local governance, the initial pilot baseline in ten districts covered more than ten thousand households in 2001. Respondents gave their views and experience of health, education, water, judiciary and police services, and local government. Health and education services providers were also interviewed and the results were discussed in 238 gender-stratified focus groups in the participating communities. CIET undertook the work in collaboration with the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB), the main architects of the devolution, as government counterparts.
This pilot subsequently led to the development of a national social audit scheme, and the findings from the ten pilot districts, combined with those from the remaining districts covered in 2002, provided a baseline social audit for monitoring the effects of devolution on governance and service delivery.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) provided financial support for this project.