2015年-世界发展银行全球_A_Jordan_Ombudsman_Bureau_with_Enhanced_Capacity_5页_1mb

MENA Knowledge and Learning - Quick Notes Series: A Jordan Ombudsman Bureau with Enhanced Capacity

Core Content

The Jordan Ombudsman Bureau (JOB) was established in 2008 as part of the Government's initiative to improve the public sector. It serves as a mechanism for citizens to redress complaints against public entities, offering an alternative to the court system and promoting transparency, accountability, and better public service delivery. The Bureau plays a critical role in enhancing citizen engagement and government responsiveness, aligning with the World Bank's efforts to mainstream citizen participation through Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs).

The World Bank-funded project, launched in July 2011 and completed in August 2014, aimed to strengthen the Bureau's capacity to deliver its mandate effectively. The project focused on three main objectives: improving service delivery and management systems, establishing a fair and timely complaints resolution process, and ensuring that recommendations to public bodies are accepted and implemented.

Main Points and Key Information

Mandate of the Jordan Ombudsman Bureau

• Investigate complaints from citizens against public entities.
• Resolve disputes amicably through mediation.
• Recommend corrective actions and initiate dialogue with public bodies to improve service delivery.
• Enhance transparency and effectiveness in public administration.

Complaints Received (2009-2013)

• Total complaints: 10,270 (over 9,000 from 2009 to 2013).
• Key complaint categories:
  • Administrative Decisions (5,396)
  • Hiring/Rehiring Requests (336)
  • Job Adjustment (187)
  • Service Improvement (168)
  • Financial Exemptions/Assistance (138)
  • Assistance Requests (127)
  • Inquiry/Objection Re Competitive Ranking (121)
  • Judicial Decisions (116)
  • Maltreatment/Abuse of Power (64)

Complaint Resolution Measures (2009-2013)

• Rejected in form: 1,059 (2009) to 208 (2013)
• Correct administrative procedures: 934 (2009) to 353 (2013)
• Guidance provided: 188 (2009) to 82 (2013)
• Complaint procedures not completed: 135 (2009) to 23 (2013)
• Officially resolved: 189 (2009) to 134 (2013)
• Amicably resolved: 108 (2009) to 4 (2013)
• Under official follow-up: 47 (2009) to 183 (2013)
• Recommendation submitted: 56 (2009) to 40 (2013)

Key Achievements

• Indicator 1: Average time to resolve complaints reduced from over 6 months in 2009 to 3 months by 2015.
• Indicator 2: 50% of recommendations were expected to be accepted and implemented by 2013, though actual implementation rates were around 20% in 2012. The project led to a significant improvement.
• Indicator 3: Formal procedures for cooperation with four of the eight agencies receiving the most complaints were developed.
• Indicator 4: The Bureau is working on signing MoUs with key public entities, with plans to finalize them in 2015.

Role in National Integrity System

• The Bureau became a core component of Jordan's "National Integrity System" (NIS), which aims to serve citizens, protect their dignity, and safeguard their assets through transparency, justice, and equality.

International Cooperation

• The Bureau signed cooperation agreements with the Human Rights Defender of Poland and the National Ombudsman of the Netherlands in 2011 and 2012, and with the Moroccan Mediator in 2013.

Lessons Learned

1. Clarity in Governmental Structure: Lack of clarity on the Bureau's position in the government structure caused delays. Political and economic analysis is essential during project preparation.
2. Sound Management Systems: The Bureau's effectiveness depends on robust management structures and systems.
3. Flexible Accountability Approach: The Bureau relies on dialogue and persuasion rather than binding powers, which is a flexible but effective method for promoting accountability.
4. Strong Government Leadership: Even with strong implementation capacity, successful project delivery requires strong government leadership.
5. Automated Systems: An automated complaint management system is crucial for accurate and timely data, which supports policy assessment and reporting.

Key Recommendations

• A. Integrate public oversight agencies like the JOB into reform efforts, focusing on transparency, justice, and accountability.
• B. Explore incentives and make compliance data more visible to enhance the impact of recommendations.
• C. Educate the public on how to effectively use the Bureau to investigate complaints.
• D. Develop a communication and outreach strategy to position the Bureau as the main gateway for citizen engagement with government.
• E. Ensure the Bureau is fully integrated into the implementation of the National Integrity System (NIS).
• F. Strengthen collaboration with horizontal accountability institutions to improve the overall accountability system.
• G. Foster knowledge exchanges with similar institutions regionally and globally to enhance best practices and standards.

Questions for Further Thought

• How can World Bank task team leaders engage with Ombudsman Institutions?
• How can complaint data be complemented with audits from Audit Institutions for more evidence-based technical assistance?
• How to link World Bank project-level GRMs with country-level GRMs such as the Ombudsman Bureau?

Contact Information

• Director, Strategy and Operations: Gerard A. Byam
• Manager, MNADE: Preeti Ahuja
• Regional Quick Notes Team: Omer Karasapan and Mark Volk
• Tel #: (202) 473 8177

The MNA Quick Notes are intended to summarize lessons learned from MNA and other Bank Knowledge and Learning activities. The Notes do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank, its Board, or its member countries.