Oversight is the function , work or place of work of the overseer . An observer, for his part, is a person who has the power and responsibility to observe, inspect and control certain issues to determine whether they comply with what is established by the regulations .
For example: “The oversight of the elections will be in charge of a committee of international experts,” “The opposition requests that a neighborhood oversight be implemented to control the progress of the works,” “According to the data provided by the oversight, “The project cost $100,000 more than anticipated in the budget.”
Citizen oversight
In some countries , there are citizen oversight bodies that are responsible for supervising that state agencies and public officials comply with their commitments and obligations. These oversight bodies can analyze State expenses and monitor the progress of the works carried out by a government, to name two possibilities.
This type of oversight contributes to social control of what is carried out by government authorities. Thanks to its action , it is possible to combat corruption and report the diversion of funds or illegal agreements.
From a formal point of view, we can define citizen oversight as a mechanism that allows inhabitants to participate in the control of compliance with the obligations, functions, powers and commitments of public entities , through certain representatives . Thanks to putting civil society in full activity in matters of State acquisitions and contracting, citizen oversight makes it possible to monitor the processes that public administration organizations carry out, such as public purchases.
A citizen oversight office can carry out said surveillance at any of the levels of government, which are the following: Central, Local and Regional. Likewise, you can closely follow the operation of public companies and all activities that require the use of State funds.
Your goals
Through citizen oversight, it is possible to monitor and evaluate the implementation of necessary public acts and compliance with certain publications, such as the Annual Procurement and Contracting Plans (represented with the acronym PAAC). ) and its selection processes, which is carried out in the so-called Electronic Procurement and Contracting System ( SEACE ), in addition to closely monitoring the fulfillment of contracts and any other obligation contracted by public entities.
The objectives sought by the activities of a citizen oversight, in summary, are the following:
* make public administration democratic, through the participation of the people in the control of State activities;
* improve the control methods that society can carry out over the destination of public money;
* combat corruption in a more efficient and thorough way;
* guarantee as much as possible that Public Entities operate in accordance with the principles established in the Constitution;
* promote fair and equal treatment for all, the effectiveness and transparency of the State and its entities;
* Constantly remind the people that the government should be based on healthy practices, participation and inclusion.
The oversight body as a consultative body
Also, in certain nations , oversight bodies operate that have the capacity to make suggestions, but are not empowered to make decisions. In these cases, the oversight bodies are consultative bodies .
Finally, it should be noted that elections and peace processes are usually controlled by impartial observers: that is, they have no interest in the actions they control. If a government establishes a peace agreement with a rebel group, an international oversight body can be formed to monitor that the parties comply with what was agreed.