Exposure Visit to Public Affairs Centre by UNDP Delegates from Afghanistan

Organized by: Public Affairs Centre (PAC) in collaboration with UNDP Afghanistan; Venue: PAC Campus, Bengaluru (with field visit to Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu)

Opening Session: Dr. Annapoorna Ravichander. UNDP Representative: Naqibullah Muslih (Grants Management Officer). Delegation included 13 governors, M&E directors, CSO partners and UNDP representatives from Afghanistan.

Exposure Visit to Public Affairs Centre by UNDP Delegates from Afghanistan documents a two-day capacity-building programme organised by the Public Affairs Centre (PAC) for 13 delegates from UNDP Afghanistan, provincial governments, and civil society organisations to strengthen knowledge on Social Accountability Tools (SATs), Community Scorecards (CSCs), Citizen Report Cards (CRCs), and data-driven governance. The programme combined expert lectures, case study presentations, interactive discussions, and a field visit to Annai Trust, Tamil Nadu, enabling participants to understand the practical application of community-based monitoring in planning, budgeting, public service delivery, and governance. Sessions showcased PAC's work on School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs), Public Distribution System (PDS) reforms, the Public Affairs Index (PAI), and the use of data analytics and composite indices for evidence-based policymaking. The exposure visit emphasised citizen participation, community ownership, transparency, accountability, and theory of change approaches in governance while demonstrating how social accountability mechanisms can strengthen public institutions and reduce corruption. The programme concluded with discussions on adapting these tools to the Afghan context, promoting institutional capacity building, improving monitoring and evaluation systems, and fostering continued collaboration between PAC and UNDP Afghanistan to enhance participatory governance and service delivery.