by IBP Consultant | Aug 26, 2013
By Almudena Ocejo (Centro de Contraloría Social y Estudios de la Construcción Democrática).
When it comes to health care in Mexico, “universal” has never meant equal, particularly when it came to the access to adequate care for the country’s 52 million uninsured. Civil society organization Fundar — a research organization with a background in budgetary analysis — developed a successful advocacy strategy on health policy to change this.
The full version, short summary, and one page summary of this case study are available in English.
by Jay | Nov 1, 2012
By Evilasio Salvador (University of Brasilia).
When the Brazilian government sent a new tax reform proposal to Congress in 2008 that would exacerbate the already high level of economic inequality, the Institute for Socioeconomic Studies (INESC) came together with other leading civil society organizations to form the Movement to Defend Social Rights under Threat by Tax Reform (MSDR). The coalition was united in advocating for fairer taxes on incomes and assets and protecting funding for social programs for the poor. INESC and MSDR worked with the government and parliament, participated in public hearings, and produced several technical analyses which, in combination with a number of external factors, contributed to the tax reform being abandoned.
The full version, short summary, and one page summary of this case study are available in English. The short summary of this case study is available in French, Spanish, and Arabic.
by Jay | Sep 1, 2012
By Peter Bofin (independent researcher).
In 2008 the Tanzanian Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda, ordered government ministries to reduce unnecessary expenditure on workshops, allowances, seminars, and luxury vehicles. While populist commitments by leaders are not unusual in Tanzania, this particular one seemed to be a direct response to Sikika’s media and advocacy campaign. This case study shows that a focus on media outreach and raising public awareness may not be enough to bring about changes in contexts where budget allocation processes are closed and there are strong internal pressures to maintain the widespread patronage and rents that can be drawn from recurrent expenditures in the budget. While Sikika has played a important role in ensuring that the Prime Minister’s commitments and the issue of unnecessary expenditure remains in the public eye, this case study also suggests that more persistent issues may require an approach that integrates analysis with targeted advocacy of key decision-makers and public mobilization.
The full version, short summary, and one-page summary of this case study are available in English. The short summary is also available in Spanish, French, and Arabic.
by soapbox | Jun 19, 2010
By Neil Overy (freelance consultant).
In South Africa a range of civil society organizations and coalitions have been central to post-Apartheid efforts to protect vulnerable children through social security grants. This case study describes how the persistent campaigning of these organizations has contributed to significant budget and policy changes over the last decade such as the expanded eligibility for the Child Support Grant.
The full version, short summary, and one page summary of this case study are available in English. Summaries are also available in:
