Having balanced representation in the public sector can contribute to more equal public policies and outcomes, stated ADB and OECD joint report.

Illustrative photo 

From 2009 to 2016, the share of employed women in total employment in Vietnam remained stable at 48.5%, the highest among Southeast Asian countries on the back of an regional average of 42.7%, according to a joint report published today by ADB and OECD. 

During the same period, public sector employment filled by women increased from 46% to 48.1% and is higher than 2016 Southeast Asia average of 46.9%.

 “Having balanced representation in the public sector can contribute to more equal public policies and outcomes,” stated the report titled “the Government at a Glance: Southeast Asia 2019.”

 The report provides internationally comparable data on government resources, processes, and outcomes on public governance in member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), covering 34 indicators in areas such as public services, including promoting digital government, creating more transparency, and providing better work opportunities for women.

 “Strengthening public institutional capacities is critical to all operations and ADB remains committed to supporting our developing member countries in improving public sector management functions and financial stability, while promoting more effective, timely, corruption-free, and citizen-centric delivery of public services,” said ADB Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development Bambang Susantono.

 Budget transparency, a key component for open government, allows citizens to access information on how public money is raised, allocated, and used. 

 All Southeast Asian countries publish their approved budget. Eight countries publish citizens’ guides to the budget, which explain in plain language the objectives of the budget and provide information to help citizens understand the budgeting process and assess its impact on their lives. 

 However, only half of them, including Vietnam, provide economic information, such as the methodology and economic assumptions of the fiscal projections supporting the budget.

 All countries are working closely with the private sector to build new infrastructure through public–private partnerships (PPPs), but only Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Laos perform relative assessments to evaluate whether PPPs are more efficient than the traditional infrastructure procurement system. The report suggests further analyses and assessments are needed for informed decision making to improve infrastructure management.