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Good governance
The term governance, as generally used, encompasses all aspects of
the way a country is governed, including its economic policies and regulatory framework
Governance is the process whereby public institutions conduct public affairs, manage
public resources, and guarantee the realization of human rights. Good governance accomplishes this in a manner essentially free of abuse and corruption, and with due regard for the rule of law
Corruption
Corruption is a narrower concept, which is often defined as the
abuse of public authority or trust for private benefit. The two concepts are closely linked: an environment characterized by poor governance offers greater incentives and more scope for corruption
Transparency
Transparency means that decisions taken and their enforcement are done in a manner that
follows rules and regulations. It also means that information is freely available and directly accessible to those who will be affected by such decisions and their enforcement. It also means that enough
information is provided and that it is provided in easily understandable forms and media.
Responsiveness
Good governance requires that institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders
within a reasonable timeframe.
Accountability
Accountability is a key requirement of good governance. Not only governmental
institutions but also the private sector and civil society organizations must be accountable to the public and to their institutional stakeholders. Who is accountable to whom varies depending on whether
decisions or actions taken are internal or external to an organization or institution. In general an organization or an institution is accountable to those who will be affected by its decisions or
actions. Accountability cannot be enforced without transparency and the rule of law.
Gender mainstreaming
Mainstreaming a gender perspective is the process of assessing the implications for
women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels. It is a strategy for making women's as well as men's concerns and experiences an
integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality
is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality.
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