GOOD GOVERNANCE: DEFINITION AND CHARACTERISTICS

Governance is a concept that has been around for years and is commonly used by many
people. There is almost no consensus on the official definition of governance because its use
often depends on the intended purpose, the people involved, and the socio-political
environment of the term.
According to the United Nations (UN), governance refers to the activities of all political and
administrative authorities to govern their country. Meanwhile, as stated by the International
Monetary Fund (IMF), governance is a concept in which a country is managed, including
economic, policy, and legal aspects.
Thus, in general, governance has the meaning: the decision-making process and the process of
determining which policies will be implemented and not implemented.
Defining good governance
In the 1990s, the World Bank became the first international institution to adopt the concept of
good governance into lending arrangements for developing countries and introduce the idea
to the general public. In its 1992 report entitled “Governance and Development”, the notion
of good governance was written as the way in which power is used to regulate the economic
and social resources of a country for development.
Now, the term good governance has often been used by national and international
organisations. Good governance aims to minimise corruption, take into account the opinions
of minorities, listen to the voices of the oppressed people in the decision-making process, and
respond actively to the needs of the community now and in the future.

Eight principles of good governance

Citing from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (UNESCAP), the concept of good governance has eight principles.
1. Participation
Participation in the concept of good governance here is an opportunity for everyone to voice
their opinions through institutions or representations. In addition, everyone, without
exception, has the right to freedom of association and expression.
2. Rule of law
To implement good governance, the legal framework in the country must be enforced
impartially, especially concerning human rights law.
3. Transparency
Transparency means that every policy taken and implemented by the government must be
carried out under existing regulations. In addition, there must be a guarantee that any
information related to the policy can be accessed by everyone, especially those who are
directly affected by the policy.
4. Responsiveness
Good governance needs institutions and processes to attempt to serve all stakeholders within
a reasonable time.
5. Consensus oriented
This fifth principle is related to the decision-making process. When the decision-making
process cannot accommodate everyone’s wishes, then at a minimum, the decision must be a
decision that can be accepted by everyone and does not harm anyone.
6. Equity and inclusiveness
Good governance ensures justice for the community. Everyone has the same opportunity to
maintain and improve their welfare.
7. Effectiveness and efficiency
Every decision-making process and its institutions must be able to produce decisions that
meet every community need. Community resources must also be utilised optimally by the
government.
8. Accountability
All institutions involved in good governance have full responsibility to the public for the sake
of improving the quality of society.
Now that we are all presented with an overall understanding of good governance and its
principles, let’s talk about how it’s harnessed at the local level and how the role of local
governments is especially crucial for a city’s development.
The United Cities Local Governments (UCLG) has emphasised in the Global Agenda of Local
Regional Governments that effective local governance can be a key pathway to solving the
various challenges in development at the global level. The biggest example is, of course,
towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda or what we know as the Sustainable Development
Goals, as well as addressing crucial issues such as climate change. Therefore, being the closest
to its communities, local and regional governments have the advantage of putting people at the
centre of every decision-making process.
Local and regional governments demonstrate on a daily basis the potential that action based on
proximity has to contribute to solving major global challenges. This is UCLG ASPAC believes
that the development and improvement of people’s living conditions should be undertaken
primarily at the local level. We strive to achieve decentralisation as a way to democratise public
governance at all levels.
United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific is the voice of Local and Regional
Governments in the region. We aim to ensure that our values are shared among our members.
This strength is the driver of our aim to secure a more permanent seat at the global table, to
ensure the local perspectives and points of view of local and regional governments play a part
in the global decision-making processes and in the implementation on the ground of the global
agendas.
Collaboration
It can be concluded that good governance is an ideal concept to achieve its goals. Yet, of course,
implementing good governance is not as easy as it appears on paper. There are only a few
countries that have proven successful in implementing this concept in their governance. Swift
and responsible action from various parties will undoubtedly be very helpful in implementing
good governance. Meanwhile, at the local level, UCLG ASPAC believes that vertical
integration of national policies with local level implementation is key to enable greater impact
in building a sustainable and resilient city. Again, this is important as we are aware of the
challenges that cities and local governments face in terms of technical, institutional, and
financial capacity, which can be tackled when they are given a good enabling environment.

About good governance

OHCHR and good governance
What is good governance?
Governance refers to all processes of governing, the institutions, processes and practices
through which issues of common concern are decided upon and regulated. Good governance
adds a normative or evaluative attribute to the process of governing. From a human rights
perspective it refers primarily to the process whereby public institutions conduct public affairs,
manage public resources and guarantee the realisation of human rights.
While there is no internationally agreed definition of 'good governance', it may span the
following topics: full respect of human rights, the rule of law, effective participation, multi-
actor partnerships, political pluralism, transparent and accountable processes and institutions,
an efficient and effective public sector, legitimacy, access to knowledge, information and
education, political empowerment of people, equity, sustainability, and attitudes and values
that foster responsibility, solidarity and tolerance.
In summary, good governance relates to the political and institutional processes and outcomes
that are necessary to achieve the goals of development. The true test of 'good' governance is
the degree to which it delivers on the promise of human rights: civil, cultural, economic,
political and social rights. The key question is: are the institutions of governance effectively
guaranteeing the right to health, adequate housing, sufficient food, quality education, fair
justice and personal security?
Key attributes of good governance
The Human Rights Council has identified the key attributes of good governance:
• transparency
• responsibility
• accountability
• participation
• responsiveness (to the needs of the people)
How are good governance and human rights linked?
Good governance and human rights are mutually reinforcing. Human rights standards and
principles provide a set of values to guide the work of governments and other political and
social actors. They also provide a set of performance standards against which these actors can
be held accountable. Moreover, human rights principles inform the content of good governance
efforts: they may inform the development of legislative frameworks, policies, programmes,
budgetary allocations and other measures.
On the other hand, without good governance, human rights cannot be respected and protected
in a sustainable manner. The implementation of human rights relies on a conducive and
enabling environment. This includes appropriate legal frameworks and institutions as well as
political, managerial and administrative processes responsible for responding to the rights and
needs of the population.
The links between good governance and human rights can be organised around four areas:
1. Democratic institutions
When led by human rights values, good governance reforms of democratic institutions create
avenues for the public to participate in policymaking either through formal institutions or
informal consultations. They also establish mechanisms for the inclusion of multiple social
groups in decision-making processes, especially locally. Finally, they may encourage civil
society and local communities to formulate and express their positions on issues of importance
to them.
2. Public service delivery
In the realm of delivering state services to the public, good governance reforms advance human
rights when they improve the state's capacity to fulfil its responsibility to provide public goods
which are essential for the protection of a number of human rights, such as the right to
education, health and food. Reform initiatives may include mechanisms of accountability and
transparency, culturally sensitive policy tools to ensure that services are accessible and
acceptable to all, and paths for public participation in decision-making.
3. Rule of law
When it comes to the rule of law, human rights-sensitive good governance initiatives reform
legislation and assist institutions ranging from penal systems to courts and parliaments to better
implement that legislation. Good governance initiatives may include advocacy for legal reform,
public awareness-raising on the national and international legal framework, and capacity-
building or reform of institutions.
4. Anti-corruption
In fighting corruption, good governance efforts rely on principles such as accountability,
transparency and participation to shape anti-corruption measures. Initiatives may include
establishing institutions such as anti-corruption commissions, creating mechanisms of
information sharing, and monitoring governments' use of public funds and implementation of
policies.