INCREASING PARTICIPATION
Below are some examples of participation that help to mitigate corruption risks.
Participatory budgeting
Participatory budgeting (PB) is an innovative financing mechanism that gives citizens a bigger say in how money is spent by government for local development. The process of PB started in Porto Alegre in Brazil in 1989. A World Bank report concluded that PB has resulted in improved facilities for the people of Porto Alegre. While 75% of total households in Porto Alegre had sewer and water connections in 1988, 98% had connections in 1997. However, lack of representation of very poor people in the process is a potential shortcoming that needs to be addressed.
In recent years, as many as 50,000 citizens of Porto Alegre have participated annually to decide as much as 20% of the city budget. Since 1989, PB has spread to over 1,500 cities in Latin America, North America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
