Social Accountability and Poverty-Alleviation Programs: An Analysis with Reference to Bangladesh
While the developed world has reached the postmodern stage, the developing world is still struggling to fulfill minimum requirements of millions of people to survive. Since the 1950s when the international agencies launched its development efforts, poverty alleviation has remained on top of the agenda of all developing countries. Different approaches have been experimented over the last six decades. Despite all efforts, poverty alleviation programs have failed to eradicate poverty. Of all the factors responsible for the growing trend of poverty, the accountability of public officials remains an intriguing issue. Historically, vertical and horizontal mechanisms have been employed to ensure public accountability. Questions are now being raised about their effectiveness. This has paved the way for the market and social accountability mechanisms in improving public accountability. Market mechanisms have also been under criticisms for their failure in improving the wellbeing of the poor people. Focus has now been turned to social accountability mechanisms which are expected to hold public officials accountable for their performance in poverty alleviation programs. This paper aims to explore the terrain of social accountability and its role in poverty alleviation programs in Bangladesh. The paper argues that despite the great potentials, social accountability mechanisms cannot work in Bangladesh owing to contemporary socio-economic and political realities.
Social accountability Poverty alleviation Developing countries Bangladesh
Abu Elias Sarker
Department of Management, Marketing and Public Administration College of Business Administration, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
国际会议
2010 International Conference on Public Administration(6th)(2010 第六届公共管理国际会议)
澳大利亚堪培拉
英文
673-682
2010-10-22（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）