TESEV- Good Governance Program

States are confronted with more complex problems in this age. Debates on globalization entail a questioning of management capacity of governments which brings about a new understanding of governance. The basic tenets of this new approach were conceptualized by the United Nations Public Administration Committee on 2 April 2004. Being interactive, service provision to all citizens without discrimination, being accountable to even the most sensitive segments of society are all aspects of this new type of governance. To attain this objective, communication channels between citizens and the state should be established during promulgation of laws, transparency should be secured in service provision and good governance should be upheld.

Parallel to these developments around the world, the accession process to European Union necessitates the application of good governance principles to the Turkish context as well. The principles of good governance, namely participation, accountability and transparency create a human centered understanding. It abolishes the ruler-ruled distinction and replaces it with an understanding where the ruled is considered as a stakeholder in public affairs. This shows that human-centered approaches in public administration are taking root in our country. This necessitates a more active role for civil society in creating the necessary bridges between citizens and the public sphere. Governance approach considers the involvement of civil society as the sine qua non of good governance.

Starting with 2004, TESEV started the Good Governance Program with an aim to include academia, civil society and all the relevant stakeholders into the law making process. The founding mission of TESEV's good governance program is to strengthen the linkages between civil society and public administration, to create joint initiatives on issues fundamental to social life and to inform the public. Good Governance Program aims to contribute to current administrative reform by designing projects that bring good governance principles to reality.

The areas that TESEV works on such as Public Sector Reform, Local Governments, Fight Against Corruption and Right to Information are also areas that are prioritized by United Nations Development Program.