Money and Politics (MAP) Program
The Disclosure Priority
Transparency through public disclosure has been a key element of IFES’ approach
to political finance for more than a decade. Following its contribution
to USAID’s Money in Politics Handbook, IFES began to take a more
systemized approach to developing and implementing political finance
projects. IFES launched its Money and Politics (MAP) program in 2002
with a series of pilot projects.
The IFES MAP Program is a global initiative to promote good governance and rule of law worldwide through transparency and accountability. The program grew out of IFES' institutional expertise and analytical and comparative research in the field of political finance. IFES works with agents of disclosure to identify and target the needs of each project country with a focus on disclosure. Complete, detailed and public disclosure is the cornerstone of any successful political finance system.
IFES
addresses the unique needs of each country with technical assistance
to promote the Disclosure Cycle through
transparency provisions in legislation and procedures, public information
software and materials,
and training
and education. By doing this, IFES promotes the efficient flow
of political finance account information into the public domain.
The MAP Disclosure Cycle.
Click on the image to learn more about the Disclosure Cycle.
MAP Program Objectives
IFES seeks to accomplish the three main objectives through its MAP Program
leading to the creation of the full Disclosure
Cycle.
First, IFES helps to create an environment for reform and promotes informed legal and procedural reforms that are grounded in detailed country assessments and international best practices.
Second, IFES integrates mechanisms such as internet accessible databases (view a presentation on the IFES Model MAP Data Base) into the disclosure process that make available complete information on political finance accounts in a timely manner to both political finance regulators and the public. These mechanisms seek to support the flow of political finance information to the public.
Third, IFES encourages public oversight and awareness through (a) NGO political finance monitoring, (b) in-depth, accurate and balanced investigative journalism, and (c) in-depth research and analysis by academicians and researchers in the country.
Programmatic Approach
For IFES disclosure is more than a sequence of events – it is a
comprehensive process that requires longer-term programmatic commitment,
and a coalition of both donors and implementers. This process, designed
to result in meaningful levels of transparency, is more than putting
the legal framework in place and implementing those laws, it
is also building the capacity of all of the agents of disclosure.
IFES furthers the MAP program objectives through comparative and analytical research, handbooks and manuals, which are used in MAP training activities.
To achieve significant progress in any disclosure project certain
preconditions must be met.
Three are of particular importance: (1) the country needs to reach
a particular level of democratic development and should be committed
to democratic principles; (2) major stakeholders should be ready to
seriously regulate and control political finance (political will and
capacity to comply and implement reforms); and (3) realistic goals
and objectives need to be established that are grounded in a solid
understanding of the political finance environment and the context
within which it operates.
Following the money trail enables political parties, candidates, the media, NGOs, academics and voters to hold accountable political parties, candidates, government officials and judges. IFES works directly with each of these agents of disclosure to help them better understand and use the available information in their campaigns, journalistic investigations, oversight functions, research and choices at the polls. By encouraging these groups to work together to share information and bring the important issues of political finance to the forefront of the political debate, IFES promotes further reform in the development, application and enforcement of legislation.
Programmatic Outcomes
Transparency in political finance will not immediately nor automatically increase good governance, but it can expose poor governance practices. Political finance disclosure is a key element in promoting overall transparency and combating corruption in public life.
Having completed MAP pilot projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lithuania, Georgia, Hungary, Romania, and South Africa IFES continues to conduct MAP project activities in Bolivia, Indonesia, Liberia, Nigeria, Peru, and Kosovo. IFES also developed a set of lessons-learned and best practices for developing disclosure-oriented programs. The results and outcomes demonstrate that MAP project activities lead to better government ethics and practices through public reporting and enforcement; increased transparency of political party, candidate, and elected official accounts; improved political party internal accounting practices; and enhanced accountability.
IFES' MAP program offers some relatively simple technical solutions that can, if well targeted and timed, effectively address weaknesses in a country's system of disclosure.
For more information about how to implement IFES’ MAP project contact the IFES Center for Transitional and Post-Conflict Governance.