Promoting Social Audit for Local Transparency and Accountability

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Drenas, Istog, Kaçanik, Dragash, Lipjan, Mamushë
August 15, 2025 – December 15, 2025

BIRN Kosovo

Lead Applicant’s Name:

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network – BIRN Kosovo

Co-applicants:

D+

Donor:

Decentralisation and Municipal Support – DEMOS

Short Summary:

Through the development of the Social Audit program, BIRN and D+ aim to build the capacities of six local organizations and 120 community activists to identify, monitor, and advocate for the improvement of 16 projects funded by the Municipal Performance Grant, by applying the Social Audit methodology.

Project goal:

Objective 1: Development of the capacities of local NGOs for implementing the Social Audit process

Objective 2: Development of the capacities of 120 community activists to participate in the Social Audit process

Objective 3: Improvement of conceptual and ongoing project designs

Objective 4: Involvement of Social Audit Groups in the monitoring of public procurement processes

Objective 5: Increase of citizen participation in the direct supervision of project implementation

Objective 6: Increase of citizen participation — with a focus on marginalized groups — in public consultations

Objective 7: Education of citizen groups to conduct project monitoring

Objective 8: Formalization and transformation of the Social Audit report into a working document for the municipality

Objective 9: Mass education of citizens about the role and work of Social Auditing

Objective 10: Change of local policies in the planning of investment projects

Target Groups:

– Social Audit Teams

– Decision-makers

– Contractors

– General Public

Expected Results:

Result 1: Promotion of Social Audit as a proven methodology for citizen engagement

Result 2: Development of local NGOs’ capacities for the Social Audit process

Result 3: Direct impact on audited projects by providing recommendations during the planning and implementation phases

Result 4: Increased standards of transparency and accountability among municipal mechanisms

Result 5: Number of citizens trained to be part of Social Audit groups

Result 6: Improvement in the planning and implementation of capital projects

Result 7: Involvement of Social Audit groups in discussions and decision-making processes

Main Activities:

– Signing of a joint agreement with the 6 local NGOs

– Signing the MoUs with the mayors of six municipalities

– Training of the 6 local NGOs

– Training of members of the Social Audit teams

– Field visits to monitor the works on investment projects

– Meetings with the works supervisors / implementing company / municipal director

– Meeting for collecting findings and drafting the structure and key findings of the report

– Drafting six Social Audit reports

– Publication of the reports and their submission to the Municipal Assemblies

– Production of a documentary on the progress of the Social Audit by the 6 teams