The choices governments make while channeling public resources to combat the debilitating health and economic impacts of COVID-19 will determine how many lives are saved and how many people fall into poverty. Fiscal equity and accountability – as well as civic engagement – are critical to ensuring COVID-19-related expenditures meet citizens’ most urgent needs as effectively as possible. ...

As of 1 January 2021, only 11% of countries had finance portfolios held by women and less than a third of all heads of national audit offices are women? ...

Officials from national audit offices reflected on the approaches, tools and capacities needed to strengthen their role in promoting credible government spending. ...