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Paraguay
>> Regional Overview >> Paraguay Overview Activity Data Sheet
PROGRAM: Paraguay
TITLE AND NUMBER: Improved Responsiveness and Accountability of Key Democratic Institutions, 526-001
PLANNED FY 2001 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: None
PROPOSED FY 2002 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: None
STATUS: Continuing
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1997 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2001Summary: The transition to a democratic society in Paraguay is still fragile and uncertain. Since emerging from a 34-year dictatorship in 1989, Paraguayan society has been expecting to reap the economic and social benefits of democracy. After more than ten years, many Paraguayans are unsure if democracy will deliver the promised better life and some are yearning for an authoritarian government to return. The purpose of this objective is to strengthen Paraguay's nascent democracy by improving government responsiveness and accountability through the creation of an effective judiciary; an independent functioning electoral system; transparent local governments with decentralized services based on wide citizen participation; and an active, responsible civil society.
Key Results: Four key intermediate results are being achieved under this objective. 1) Free and fair elections with wide national participation and acceptance are instilling confidence in the basic democratic process. 2) Participatory and better functioning local governments are shaping an increasingly decentralized decision-making and service delivery process. 3) A more responsive, accessible judiciary is starting to improve access to justice, a key to people's belief in a democratic society, as well as a necessary ingredient to encourage economic development. And 4) a frank and open civil-military dialogue is helping the military to understand its new role in a democracy and to ensure appropriate civilian oversight over the military.
Performance and Prospects: Performance has been better than expected. Technical assistance was provided to the Election Tribunal to create a new voter registry, inform voters of electoral procedures, and successfully conduct the 1996, 1998, and 2000 elections with an impressive nationwide turnout. The nationwide survey taken after the 2000 elections revealed that 79% of those surveyed believed that the elections were clean, compared to only 45% in regard to the 1993 elections.
Local governments received training in administration, budgeting, and transparent financial management, and were part of a USAID-sponsored policy dialogue on decentralization. Citizen groups are now playing a greater role in defining local priorities and are participating in community-wide public hearings.
Support has also been provided to enact a series of penal reforms. The new Penal Code went into effect in 1998, a Criminal Procedures Code went into effect in 1999, a Transition Law was in effect from July 1999 until February 2000, and the Public Ministry Statute went into effect in September 2000.
The civil-military dialogue support by USAID has helped form new consensus between the civilian and military leadership to address and define national security threats and to develop a new role for the military.
Possible Adjustments to Plans: FY 2001 is the last year of implementation of this objective, therefore, no changes are anticipated at this time
Other Donor Programs: USAID has taken the lead in encouraging the donor community to support democracy, especially with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Using USAID-initiated studies, the IDB has designed approximately $72 million in complementary projects to help modernize the State, to strengthen the judicial branch ($8.4 million), and provide assistance to the Congress estimated at ($500,000). The IDB is also executing a $18 million municipal strengthening project aimed at designing new urban land registries. The Organization of American States has worked closely with USAID in election assistance and has spent approximately $800,000 since 1996 to support the electoral process. The German Technical Cooperation Agency is implementing a penal reform activity ($1.7 million) and a modernization of the Civil Registry ($4 million). Taiwan has approved a loan of $20 million to construct a new building for the Congress. And, the European Union has judicial, legislative, and state reform projects ($3 million).
Principal Contractors, Grantees, or Agencies: U.S. principal contractors and grantees are the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, Development Alternatives Inc., and the National Center for Courts. Local non-governmental organizations and grantees include the Information and Resources Center for Development, the Paraguayan Center for Economic Liberty and Social Justice, and Alter Vida.
FY 2002 Performance Table
Paraguay: 526-001
Performance Measures:
Indicator FY97
(Actual)FY98
(Actual)FY99
(Actual)FY00
(Actual)FY00
(Plan)FY01
(Plan)FY02
(Plan)Indicator 1: Population that considers the elections clean NA 75 NA 79 70 NA NA Indicator 2: Number of target sub-national governments with joint community projects implemented. 9 14 19 25 17 NA NA Indicator 3: Number of target sub-national governments supplying additional services 7 11 16 18 16 NA NA Indicator 4: Number of targeted key reforms enacted by Congress 1 2 3 4 4 NA NA Indicator Information:
Indicator Level (S)or(IR) Unit of Measure Source Indicator Description Indicator 1: IR Mean (0-100 scale) - percent National Probability Survey (NPS), Political Culture in Paraguay: 1996 Baseline Study of Democratic Values, 1998 Democratic Values Survey, and 2000 Survey. Respondents were asked to what extent do you believe that the last elections were clean, that is without fraud. Indicator 2: IR Number Alter Vida, Information and Resources Center for Development, Peace Corps. A joint community project is a process where members of the government and community identify a problem; develop a plan for addressing the problem, which includes planned implementation by members of the government and the community; and the action is implemented. The targets reflect the number implemented yearly and are not cumulative. In other words, a project is "counted" only in the year implementation occurs. These actions will be measured in the Mission's priority sub-national government entities, which are defined as 25 sub-national units consisting of 3 departments and 22 municipalities. The three identified departments represent approximately 30% of the national population. Indicator 3: IR Number Alter Vida, Information and Resources Center for Development, Peace Corps. Services include health care delivery, water and sanitation, transportation, and environmental planning provided by sub-national governments. This number reflects additional services and is not cumulative. This indicator measures new services and all the planning, design, and securitization of financing conducted by the sub-national government that goes into offering a basic service to the community. This Mission is defining 25 priority sub-national governments to include 3 departments and 22 municipalities. The indicator represents the number of priority sub-national governments that are providing a new service to the community each year. The three identified departments represent approximately 30% of the national population. Indicator 4: IR Cumulative Number Paraguayan Center for Liberty and Promotion of Social Justice, State University of New York, and the National Center for State Courts. The targeted key legal reforms include the Penal Code, the Criminal Procedures Code, the Transition Law, the Public Ministry Statute, and the Judicial Framework Law. U.S. Financing
(In thousands of dollars)
Obligations Expenditures Unliquidated Through September 30, 1999 1,869 DA 109 DA 1,760 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 1,300 ESF 0 ESF 1,300 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Fiscal Year 2000 2,699 DA 2,434 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 1,000 ESF 1,237 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA Through September 30, 2000 4,568 DA 2,543 DA 2,025 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 2,300 ESF 1,237 ESF 1,063 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Prior Year Unobligated Funds 0 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Planned Fiscal Year 2001 NOA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Total Planned Fiscal Year 2001 0 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Future Obligations Est. Total Cost Proposed Fiscal Year 2002 NOA 0 DA 0 DA 4,568 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 2,300 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
