A/HRC/17/34/Add.2 E. Allowing for participation, transparency and accountability 36. At the core of the human rights framework is an overarching requirement that all States take into consideration the principles of participation, transparency and accountability in the design, implementation and evaluation of State policies.27 These principles are integral both to ensuring effectiveness of the adopted policy, and responding to the obligations of States with regard to the rights to take part in public life, seek and receive information, and have access to effective remedies in cases of violation. 37. It is of real concern that Ireland did not undertake any meaningful efforts to ensure a broad national dialogue, with effective and meaningful participation of civil society and members of the public, when formulating its budgetary responses to the crises, and entering into the EU/IMF loan. This is particularly so given that a number of well-designed participatory mechanisms are already in place in Ireland which allow for the voices of the most vulnerable to be taken into account in the formulation of policy. Failure to ensure participation and transparency in the design of national policies seriously jeopardizes the State’s ability to respond to its human rights obligations, undermines the effectiveness of budgetary adjustment policies, and prevents the needs of the poorest and most excluded from being taken into account. 38. The independent expert welcomes the new Government’s commitment to making the budget process fully transparent and open to public scrutiny going forward, and encourages the utilization, support and strengthening of permanent structures and pathways for consultation with individuals, civil society, trade unions, community organizations, grassroots movements, and the academic community. She also urges the Government to reverse reductions in funding to the voluntary sector, and local and community development programmes, which further impede participation and thus compromise Ireland’s compliance with human rights obligations. F. Providing international assistance and cooperation 39. State parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights have a clear collective obligation to provide international assistance and cooperation towards the realization of economic, social and cultural rights. Developed States have a particular obligation to do so.28 While there is no concrete legal requirement for States to provide any specific type or amount of overseas development assistance (ODA), States have repeatedly affirmed their commitment to achieving ODA of 0.7 per cent of GNP, as an initial objective. The successful achievement of the target should not be an excuse for those States with available resources to evade their ongoing obligations regarding international assistance and cooperation. Additionally, States must make efforts to increase their ODA, even during times when resources are constrained. 40. The independent expert commends Ireland for its impressive efforts to comply with its international assistance obligations. Irish Aid, the programme which administers the provision of Irish ODA, has a laudable reputation in the international donor community.29 The independent expert welcomes the strong focus of Irish Aid programmes on social infrastructure and social protection initiatives, but recommends that Ireland strengthen its 27 28 29 10 For further information on how to operationalize these principles, see previous reports of the mandate available at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Poverty/Pages/AnnualReports.aspx. CESCR, general comment No. 3, para. 14. OECD, Development Assistance Committee Peer Review – Ireland, 2009, p. 14.