In 2010, with the support of The Asia Foundation and USAID, JSMP has established a new initiative, the Parliament Watch Project. This project will further extend JSMP’s monitoring activities in relation to the National Parliament and the legislative process generally.
The aim of the project is to monitor the Parliament, and other law making bodies and to disseminate information with a view to increasing the ability of the public and civil society to participate in these processes and improving th transparency, accessibility and quality of the legislative process. JSMP hopes that the project will also increase Parliamentarian’s own understanding of the importance of transparency, accountability and consultation in the legislative process.
JSMP, primarily through its Legal Research Unit, will monitor hearings and sessions of the National Parliament, and record information about specific draft laws, the activities of Parliamentarians and the functioning of Parliament itself.
JSMP will also seek to provide input into draft laws being developed either in Parliament or government bodies, to disseminate information about these draft laws and to increase the ability of the public and civil society to understand and contribute to discussion on these laws.
In order to achieve these goals, JSMP will organise Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) on selected draft laws, which will be attended by members of the public, and will conduct workshops on the legislative process more generally.
JSMP will also undertake legal analysis of draft laws and produce publications containing critical analysis of the activities of parliamentarians and the legislative process. All of the PWP publications are designed to facilitate public understanding of legislative developments and to hold Parliamentarians accountable for their professional actions.
For further information about the Parliament Watch Project, please see linked presentation given at the Launch of the PWP on 11 March 2010. (English, Tetum)
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