Good governance is about ensuring that the most vulnerable people in society have a voice in the decision-making processes, and that the views of minorities are taken into account. Its main attributes are participation, transparency, responsiveness, effectiveness, efficiency and accountability.

Transparent processes and effective interactions between local and national governments, and involvement from the private sector and civil society are crucial. Our ICT-enabled governance initiatives in Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia include helping local communities to voice their needs, learn about public services, and pressure policymakers to be responsive.

We also facilitate political efficiency, using ICT to improve data and work flows. By enhancing information flows between – and within – local communities and districts, we support and improve the decentralisation processes.

Of the development sectors we are actively involved in, the governance sector differs on two points. Firstly, we are involved in comparatively few governance projects. Secondly, these projects are generally implemented on a much larger scale, operating at the district, province and national levels.