# Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight: Key Findings and Recommendations from Multi-Country Assessments URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/strengthening-parliamentary-oversight Type: Publication or report Published: 2023-10-30 Updated: 2023-10-30 --- 30 October 2023 Oversight is a core function of parliament, along with law making and representation. It entails how parliaments hold the executive branch of government to account on behalf of the people. Strong parliamentary oversight is essential to democracy and plays an important role in anti-corruption. Through rigorous checks on the executive’s actions, including investigating and holding government officials to account for abuses of power, such as corruption and human rights violations, strong parliamentary oversight can improve the quality of government to the benefit of the public. For parliaments to effectively hold governments to account, key requirements include a strong legal mandate with clearly defined oversight powers, as well as conscientious members of parliament who make good use of those powers in practice. This report provides a summary of key findings from our recent assessment of the strength of oversight mandate, practice and impact of parliaments in Armenia, Cambodia, Colombia, The Gambia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kenya, Panama, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The findings are based on the pilot implementation of a [parliamentary](https://knowledgehub.transparency.org/product/parliamentary-oversight-assessment-tool) [oversight assessment tool](https://knowledgehub.transparency.org/product/parliamentary-oversight-assessment-tool), developed by Transparency International under the EU-funded [Strengthening](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/strengthening-accountability-networks-among-civil-society-sancus)[Accountability Networks among Civil Society](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/strengthening-accountability-networks-among-civil-society-sancus) project. The strength of oversight mandate, practice and impact was assessed across the following six pillars: \- oversight as a priority for parliament \- oversight powers and tools of parliament \- oversight opportunities for opposition and independent members of parliament (MPs) \- financial oversight \- post-legislative scrutiny \- relations with other stakeholders to conduct oversight ### Related publications ## [Ending Debt Secrecy: Recommendations to the G20 on Anti-Corruption in Sovereign Borrowing and Lending](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/ending-debt-secrecy-g20-recommendations) Publication • 04 September 2026 Recommendations to the G20 to strengthen transparency, accountability and integrity in sovereign borrowing and lending ## [Monitoring political finance: Compendium of citizen initiatives and good practices](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/monitoring-political-finance-compendium-of-citizen-initiatives-and-good-practices) Publication • 18 August 2026 This compendium aims to provide ideas for stakeholders interested in monitoring political finance. It presents seven monitoring and disclosure solutions from around the world,… ## [Whistleblowing Authorities in Europe: Roles, challenges and lessons learned](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/whistleblowing-authorities-in-europe-roles-challenges-and-lessons-learned) Publication • 19 June 2026 This report examines the institutional design, mandates and functioning of national whistleblowing authorities across Europe. ## [Closing the Gaps: Detecting and investigating corrupt money flows in the Middle East and North Africa](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/closing-the-gaps-middle-east-and-north-africa) Publication • 13 May 2026 Corruption and illicit financial flows remain serious and ongoing challenges across the Middle East and North Africa. ## Priorities - [Asset recovery and the theft of public money](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/asset-recovery-and-the-theft-of-public-money) - [Political integrity](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/political-integrity) ## Countries - [Kenya](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/kenya) - [Cambodia](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/cambodia) - [Gambia](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/gambia) - [Colombia](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/colombia) - [Panama](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/panama) - [Armenia](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/armenia) - [Guatemala](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/guatemala) - [Jamaica](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/jamaica) - [Zambia](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/zambia) - [Zimbabwe](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/zimbabwe) ## Regions - [Asia Pacific](https://www.transparency.org/en/region/asia-pacific) - [Sub-Saharan Africa](https://www.transparency.org/en/region/sub-saharan-africa) - [Americas](https://www.transparency.org/en/region/americas) - [Europe & Central Asia](https://www.transparency.org/en/region/europe-central-asia) ![Report cover showing the columns and other classical architecture of a parliament from below](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/2023_Report_StrengtheningParliamentaryOversight_English_Page_01.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=1200) [Download](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/2023_Report_StrengtheningParliamentaryOversight_EN.pdf)