Budget Advocacy, Attempt at Creating a Citizen Budget

At first, BIGS built cooperation with The International Budget Partnership (IBP) in formulating Open Budget Index for Indonesia.  It turns out that budget transparency index of Indonesia is still far below expectation, thus places the country among the lowest level of world’s budget transparency rate. This fact suggests that budget transparency and accountability of Indonesia declines.

The Open Budget Index Report reveals another interesting fact. Countries with high index and achieve top positions mostly have an instrument that countries at lower positions do not have. The instrument is called citizen budget. There is an indication that citizen budget can encourage budget transparency and accountability improvement, particularly budgets that may have direct relationship with public interests.

Referring to this thought, BIGS develop a work program that is expected to initiate Citizen Budget Indonesia, because BIGS believes that public officials have responsibility of providing information on development budget, particularly on items that relate to public interests. This program is titled: Advocacy on Promotion of Budget Transparency and Accountability in Indonesia.

There are two major objectives to pursue. First, promoting budget transparency and accountability at national level. Second, assessing the needs of Citizen Budget through public advocacy.

The first objective is achieved via cooperation among IBP, coallition of society organizations and Indonesian government. BIGS facilitates various activities that encourage advocacy works on improving accessibility of budget. Advocacy works are based on Focused Group Discussions (FGD) that involves competent people.

The second objective is achieved by affirmation of understanding among mass organizations that lead to the birth of coalition of mass organizations. This coalition then conducts intensive dialogs with parliament and government, such as Bappenas and Ministry of Finance. This measure is expected to stimulate the birth of Citizen Budget Indonesia.

At initial steps, BIGS develops prototype model of Citizen Budget Indonesia for budget year 2010. This model is expected to be fundamental reference for Indonesian government, particularly Ministry of Finance, in the development of Citizen Budget Indonesia in future years.