Budget Accountability in Mirandiba and Cabo Projects in Brazil 

“Public budget is your business”. With this slogan Conviver (DA9) launched a campaign in Mirandiba, Pernambuco state, to monitor local government’s expenditures, investments and funds collected from taxes. Conviver leads the Mirandiba Budget Tracking Forum, which gathers around 25 organisations representing communities from the region.  Their first public hearing with the Chamber of Local Councillors in 2006 brought 300 people to discuss how to hold the local government accountable for the fulfilment of budget priorities. One of the criticisms is about local government’s excessive expenses with parties forecasted in £ 67,000 for 2007. The Forum was created in 1999 by a small group of people interested in raising local awareness on the issue. “Our space has been increasing since then, but it was in 2003, after a budget tracking capacity building promoted by Action Aid International  Brazil, that we finally grew. Now we are 25 organisations, and even the local councillors asked us a seat in the Forum”, says proudly Suetone Gomes de Sá, in charge of the budget tracking activities in Conviver. Suetone considers that this approximation is important. “The aim of the public hearing is to discuss the budget priorities with the authorities, and to make that the communities´ needs be me t in the budget closure. The executive power does not execute what civil society wish because the authorities that approve the measures are from the legislative power like the local councillors. They are not the same that execute it, who are from the executive power, like the mayor”, he explains. “We want the authorities to know that the Forum is serious. It is not defending private interests but the will of society. Very little of what is promised in legislation is fulfilled as priority. Budget ends up under expended”. Centro das Mulheres do Cabo, partner organisation in Brazil also participates in the local Budget Grassroots Forum. In 2006, their 35 proposals for the local budget have been unanimously approved by the Chamber of Local Councilors. Among other pro-poor measures, the proposals included funds for refurbishing schools located in outskirts communities and improvements on health services.