Increase Openness of Government Administrative Organizations (MN0065)

What problem does the commitment aim to address? 1.During the performance evaluation of ministries, state and local administrative organizations, participation of civil society organizations and professional associations will be ensured. 2.Ensure the civil society participation in policy evaluation.

What are the causes of the problem? 1. Currently ministries, state and local administrative organizations’ activities are evaluated and judged only by KPI indicators at the output level, and government organization capacity and effectiveness of its actions (consequences and effects) cannot be assessed. The organization's performance is regulated by the procedure approved by the Government of Mongolia's Resolution No. 206 of 2020, and according to this procedure, there is limited and unproductive participation from civil society organizations and professional associations in the government organizations’ evaluations. 2. State policy results are currently not evaluated. Sufficient grounds and research is not applied for decision-making on whether the policy was effective or ineffective, to continue or discontinue, or even implement another policy or not. The relevant regulations provide for monitoring and evaluation to be carried out in the same form and content, and government institutions are accustomed to apply the same way.

What has been done so far to solve the problem? Currently ministries, state and local administrative organizations’ activities are evaluated and judged only by KPI indicators at the output level, and government organization capacity and effectiveness of its actions (consequences and effects) cannot be assessed. In order to improve the organization's performance, evaluation and monitoring system, and operations, the state approved and followed “Common resolution to inspect and evaluate policy documents and administrative bodies’ actions” in 2020.

What solution are you proposing? 1.Create a system with indicators to evaluate performance of ministries, state and local administrative bodies with participation from civil society organizations by providing specific performance indicators for government organizations. 2.During the evaluation of policy implementation, such as evaluation of transparency and openness, ensure participation of civic society and civil society organizations.

What results do we want to achieve by implementing this commitment? 1.State organization activity evaluation will become more valid and participation of the civil society in the evaluation process will be ensured. 2.Government policy implementation results will be evaluated and participation of civic society will be guaranteed.

Milestones | Expected Outputs | Expected Completion Dates

9.1.Create participation of civil society organizations, NGOs, private sector organizations and citizens in the performance management, evaluation, monitoring of government institutions and policy evaluation and monitoring. | -System will be established to provide full participation from civil society organizations during pre and post approval of the policy. -Civil society organizations will participate in the evaluation and monitoring process of the state organization's performance management and also participate in the evaluation marks. -Within the framework to increase the openness of the state administrative institutions’ activities, during the evaluation of state administrative or executive authorities’ performance indicators will apply citizen satisfaction rating with participation from civil society organizations and NGOs. | 2025

9.2.Ensure policy coherence and consistency, eliminate conflicts, set multilateral discussion mechanisms to implement sustainable development. | Good practice will be carried to ensure policy coherence and consistency, eliminate conflicts through multilateral stakeholder discussion. | 2024-2027

Action Plan Review

Commitment 9. Increasing Administrative Openness

Commitment Cluster 8 and 9: Participatory Evaluation of Government Policies and Services

Authority of Government Supervisory.

For a complete description of the commitments, see Commitments 8 and 9 in https://www.opengovpartnership.org/documents/mongolia-action-plan-2023-2027-december.

Context and objectives

The commitments in this cluster intend for a participatory evaluation of government policies and services. They carry forward objectives from the third action plan, [76] but undertake a more ambitious scope. Commitment 8 plans to increase the frequency of a citizens’ satisfaction survey on the quality, transparency, and openness of public services. Surveys were every two years; Commitment 8 seeks surveys monthly, quarterly, biannually, and annually. Survey results will inform further evaluation through a new multistakeholder process under Commitment 9. Together, these two commitments could establish a formal civic engagement channel for making government policies and services more coherent, consistent, and responsive to public needs. Having proposed the commitments, the Authority of Government Supervisory (AGS) will lead implementation alongside the Mongolian Women's Labor Support Association, the Mongolian Women Lawyers Association, and the Center for Human Rights and Development. [77]

Potential for results: Modest

More frequent citizen satisfaction surveys could provide the AGS with timely input for institutions to address gaps in policy implementation and service delivery. Meanwhile, the multistakeholder process to filter the survey results and consider appropriate corrective measures could empower the public to participate in guiding these actions.

The practice of conducting citizen satisfaction surveys builds on an existing mandate from Government Resolution No. 206 of 2020. Leadership of the recently established AGS in the implementing these two commitments is an important factor. In doing so, AGS established a taskforce – composed of the State Secretaries of all 16 ministries and the Cabinet Secretariat as well as civil society stakeholders – which could ensure that the recommendations of the multistakeholder forum are taken up by relevant institutions. [78]

The inclusion of civil society, private sector, and public representatives in the multistakeholder dialogue, as well as the emphasis on the process of policy and service delivery, are positive steps forward compared to the current largely internal and result-oriented evaluation. This is an important distinction as it underlines the key strength of these commitments in allowing government institutions to be flexible and adaptive in adjusting policy implementation and service delivery. In the longer term, this could guarantee that citizens enjoy the full benefits of government policies and services.

Overall, the National Committee for Human Rights expects this cluster to improve the current practice of conducting citizen satisfaction surveys once every two years and address the absence of a formal procedure to consider and act upon survey results. [79] However, the commitments stand to have only modest potential for results because their milestones do not guarantee binding mechanisms to ensure uptake of the survey results or of the multistakeholder forum’s recommendations. The AGS did not reply to IRM requests for comment on this commitment. [80]

Opportunities, challenges, and recommendations during implementation

To strengthen this cluster’s potential for results, the AGS could introduce milestones to sustain the increased frequency of the survey and multistakeholder dialogue in the long-term. Implementers can reference Brazil’s policy council framework, which uses a government decree to establish its policy councils as permanent [81] and mandates that regulatory bodies consider stakeholder recommendations in the formation, execution, monitoring, and evaluation of programs and public policies. [82] For Mongolia, a strong legal framework linking the survey and ensuing multistakeholder dialogue to policymaking would represent significant improvement over current practices. The IRM recommends the following to ensure the cluster’s success: