Project profile — Democratic Institutions Program - Technical Assistance

• Ethiopia (100.00%)

• Public sector policy and administrative management:
Public sector policy and administrative management (15110) (40.00%)
Legal and judicial development (15130) (25.00%)
Elections (15151) (20.00%)
Human rights (15160) (15.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

The Democratic Institutions Program is a multi-donor initiative designed to support the development of a democratic, constitutional federalism in Ethiopia that is accountable and responsive to Ethiopian citizens. Its purpose is to deepen the democratization process by strengthening key state institutions including the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, the Ethiopian Institute of the Ombudsman, the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the House of Peoples’ Representatives and Regional State Councils, and the House of Federation. The program as a whole is managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The technical assistance component is directly managed by CIDA and includes technical assistance in procurement, mainstreaming of crosscutting issues (gender equality, environment, HIV/AIDS), strategic planning, and performance review.

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Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2014) include: improved human and institutional capacity development of Ethiopia’s democratic institutions at the federal, regional and sub-regional levels in the areas of planning, monitoring, and budgeting systems; as well as the procurement of much needed equipment and supplies. For example, six branch offices of the Ethiopia Human Rights Commission (EHRC) have opened which support 112 legal aid centres across Ethiopia, reaching over 4,865 poor people (majority women) to provide legal counselling, statements of claim or defence, court representation, and mediation services. The EHRC has handled 590 cases at the Federal level and 260 at the regional branch level, demonstrating increased demand for access to this institution. Accountability, transparency and participatory systems are being institutionalized through various policy measures including the introduction and implementation of the Asset Registration and Disclosure Law for public officials and political leaders. The Ethiopian Institution of Ombudsman (EIO) has demonstrated increased capacity through the development of reporting and grievance handling guidelines, Whistleblower Protection Regulations, and Records Management Guidelines. The Office of the Federal Auditor General’s newly trained 550 auditors has now reached 87.19% audit coverage of 143 federal government institutions. The Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (FEAC) are supporting 174 Ethics and Anti-Corruption Clubs and five institutional coalitions comprising of 18 associations through the provision of anti-corruption training.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities: Democratic Institutions Program