Worldbank - Ethiopia Social Accountability Programme III 2019-2022

ESAP started by aiming implementation in 500 woredas of the country, however, due to shortfall in securing the necessary budget from DPs, the number of woredas reached so far is 416 woredas. Out of these 416 woredas, the ESAP programme was implemented in 410 woredas in Ethiopia (99%), despite serious challenges in terms of security observed in the country. The remaining 1% were two woredas with serious security problems in Oromia and four contested woredas in Tigray region where the MA was not able to commence activities. Nearly 70% of target woredas have finished the entire SA cycle and others have progressed to latest steps, with 283 woredas reaching the JAP monitoring stage in 2023. The MA is working intensively to implement the revised strategy which consists of the five stages of social accountability (SA): - SA awareness and citizen mobilization - Assessment of services (against basic service delivery standards) - Interface meeting and formulation of Joint Action Plans, JAPs - Alignment of woreda plan and budget - Monitoring of JAP implementation During 2023 most Woredas have finalized all cycles of SA, with only 27 woreds still in JAP preparation. The below table depicts results so far in SA cycle progress including Tigray region where operations started in 2023 following confirmation of a new transitional regional government; Since the introduction of the new strategy and ESAP3's shift of conducting SA at woreda level instead of the Kebele level, th program has managed to increase the presence of CBO members in the WSACs to ensure a sustainable committee that is dedicated to uplift the priorities of the community they serve. At the end of 2023, the MA had conducted Citizen Report Card, CRC, in over 404 woredas and except in 27 woredas, the rest have been able to formulate JAPs. This means that these formulated JAPs are going to be tabled to the woreda councils before the woreda budgeting process start for the coming fiscal year. The citizen representation and the structure of the Woreda Social Accountability Committee (WSAC) is crucial to the well-functioning of the programme and its approach. According to our IPs reports, out of the 412 woredas, 410 have established WSACs. On average, there are 12 members in a WSAC, varying from 10 to a maximum of 17, with 39% female WSAC members. The GoE has received funding to institutionalize SA through the IDA20 funding, the government has already started reforming the woreda staffing to include a SA focal person. Initially, there were plans to transfer 60 woredas from ESAP3 to the IDA20 SA program but after many back and forth on the matter, it was later agreed that the woreda transfer will take place at the end of the program.

The expected result of the ESAP III is to 'Support strengthening the social accountability system and mechanisms for enhanced service delivery in Ethiopia' by - Expanding the uptake of social accountability tools including community empowerment and mobilization, community needs identification and prioritization processes, interface meetings and development of joint action plans. - Building capacity and systems strengthening to gradually institutionalize through sectors, CBOs, councils and other citizens' representative forums at federal, regional, woreda and community levels.