What is SLOGBAA?
So what’s been happening in our project in Uganda, SLOGBAA? It all started out with Network for Active Citizens coming up with a brilliant idea, to make a one-of-a-kind project empowering youth leaders in Uganda. At the beginning of the project tit caused conflict in the local community, as it proved threatening to community leaders who were already in power. However, our country coordinator Violet Ann Naigaga has reported that the project has recently been embraced across the community. Through SLOGBAA, we have empowered over 150 youth leaders through different activities, providing a forum where young people can discuss issues openly without fear of being judged afterwards. This is a space of freedom where one can discuss anything!
Read on below to get more detail about SLOGBAA!
SLOGBAA Framework - Modules:
Module I: Active Citizenship
Active Citizenship is the introductory module under SLOGBAA. This module is based on the globally successful program that was founded by British Council in 2000 has so far been implemented in over 55 countries including Uganda. (https://active-citizens.britishcouncil.org/about). This module aims to inspire the target participants to be proactive, visionary and prepare them to take action about the change they want to see in their communities. Under SLOGBAA, the module looks at unpacking the knowledge, attitude and practices people between the local government and community
Module II: Understanding the Local Governance
This sub module is designed based on the Local Governments Act, 1997 and in particular section 36 that establishes a district local government as a planning authority. Fellows will be practically enabled to understand how local governments prepare their integrated development plans (IDPs) which must incorporate plans of lower local councils. It will be emphasized in this sub module, that District plans are supposed to be developed using a bottom-up approach, with each village making its community action plan. In principle, the district plans have to observe and make their plans in accordance with both local priorities and national planning frameworks. This module will therefore emphasize the entry points for youth leaders to participate in and influence local level decisions.
Module III: Understanding the Local Government Budgeting Process
This sub module is designed to offer young people the knowledge, skills and opportunities to understand how financial resources are allocated at the local government level. It is a sub module for educating and empowering young people to engage with political leaders and technical staffs on all matters pertaining to localized planning and budgeting. Through this sub module, NAC is keen to strengthen inclusive governance by giving young people as a marginalized group, the opportunities to have their voices heard and to influence public-decision making critical to their interests. Understanding the budget and related advocacy is broken down into several components to clarify, in the simplest terms, how local governments collect revenue, undertake allocations and execute the budget to deliver services and goods to citizens.
The justification for this sub module is because ‘preparation, approval and implementation of a budget is the most significant fiduciary duty of local government staffs and political leaders, as it determines the basket of goods and services to be provided, and where and how they will be provided. Because these goods and services are provided to citizens, their active participation in, and consequently influence of local government plans and budgets becomes a significant tennet of local democratic governance.
The sub module heavily draws from, and is constructed alongside the District Budget Framework Paper, which is the local government overall strategy document for the district budget, designed to create a link between central Government’s overall policies[1] and the local government budgets. The emphasis on the district budget framework paper is because it contains information regarding the local economic development policy architecture, local revenue projections and the overall district resource envelop. In addition, the framework paper situates the district service delivery interventions over the 12-month financial period.
Module IV: Advocacy and Accountability
Social accountability refers to ‘‘actions initiated by citizen groups to hold public officials, politicians, and service providers to account for their conduct and performance in terms of delivering services, improving people’s welfare and protecting people’s rights’’[2]. This sub module is designed to enable Fellows acquire knowledge regarding the liabilities and obligations placed on public functionaries (elected office bearers and appointed officials) to give satisfactory explanation to the public (tax payers) concerning the exercise of power, authority and resources, which are entrusted to public office bearers ordinarily as a trust from the citizens. The state budget provides very specific line-item detail on where public resources will be spent and what resources will be spent on. The doctrine of ‘‘public accountability is acknowledged as a pivot around which good government rotates’’[3]. This module will enlighten the Fellows on how to;
[1] Government policies are informed by the National Development Plan, which in turn informs the public sector development priorities.
[2] World Bank (2019). http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTMONGOLIA/Resources/What_is_social_accountability.pdf
[3] Kakumba, U., & Nsingo, S. (2008). Citizen participation in local government and the process of rural development: the rhetoric and reality in Uganda. Journal of public administration, 43(2), 107-123.