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Advocacy tool

Finance advocacy: Governance and accountability

Governance and accountability

What this tool covers

If your country scores low on Governance and accountability, the first question to ask is: has money been allocated?

This document helps you turn Index findings into a concrete investment case and budget ‘ask’. It walks you through what governments need to budget to improve scores for different indicators, how to time your ‘ask’ to the right moment in the budget cycle, how to estimate a credible figure, and how to argue for the investment.

How to use this tool

Start with the section that matches where you are:

  • Building your case? Start with Why finance advocacy matters and Making the investment case.
  • Preparing for a meeting or submission? Go to From indicators to budget lines for ready-made ‘asks’, then use Your submission paragraph to draft your written request.
  • Not sure about timing? Check When to make budget ‘asks’ to find the right moment in the budget cycle.
  • Need a number? Go to How to put a number on your ‘ask’ for five practical costing approaches.

Use this alongside the Fact sheet for background, the Meeting guide when presenting your ask, and the Email templates to follow up in writing.

Your budget submission paragraph

Download this finance advocacy tool and use the material within it to create the following or a similar paragraph that you can include in a written submission, letter, or policy brief. 

The Out of the Shadows Index shows that [country] scores [score] on the Governance and Accountability theme, which tracks a government’s international commitments, national action plans, survivor and youth engagement, budgetary commitment, and collection of data on the size of the problem of sexual violence against children.

The key gap identified is [describe the lowest-scoring indicator and what it means in practice]. To address this, we request that the [upcoming budget / supplementary estimates / sector plan] include a dedicated allocation of [amount or description] for [specific budget line from the table above].

This investment would bring [country] in line with [peer country or regional average / international standard / Convention on the Rights of the Child obligations] and demonstrate a concrete commitment to ending sexual violence against children.

Use this alongside the fact sheet for background, the meeting guide when presenting your ask, and the email templates to follow up in writing.

Download this finance advocacy tool

Created specifically for the Governance and accountability pillar. Learn why finance advocacy matters, how to create targeted ‘asks’ to decision-makers within the right Ministry, when to make budget ‘asks’ timed to your government’s fiscal cycle, and more.

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