A Citizen’s Charter is a document that outlines the services that a government agency or organization provides to citizens and sets out the standards of service that citizens can expect to receive. It is a way for organizations to be accountable to the public and to ensure that they are providing services in a transparent and efficient manner. Citizen Charters typically include information on the services provided, the expected standards of service, the rights of citizens, and the process for making complaints or appealing decisions. The aim of a Citizen’s Charter is to improve the quality of services provided and to increase public confidence in the organizations delivering them.

As the role of the state transformed from ‘welfare era’ to ‘LPG era’ (Liberalisation, Globalisation, and Privatisation), the role of the market and civil society has become significant in the process of governance. This transformation of the role of the state demanded that the state should be small but effective and efficient. Series of reforms were initiated globally to improve public service mechanisms and delivery to make the government processes citizen-centric.

In the United Kingdom ‘Efficiency scrutiniser’ in 1979, ‘Financial Management initiative’ in 1982, and ‘Next Steps Programme’ in 1988 provided the foundation for introduction of ‘Citizen Charters’ by the John Major government in 1991. Citizen charters were introduced in many countries in 1990’s when the governments worldwide were undergoing a transformation under the currents of rapid globalisation. The enhanced participation of citizens in the process of governance became one of the primary reasons for introduction of citizen charters.

Components of the Citizen charters 

Every citizens’ charter has several essential components to make it meaningful. Following are the components that should be incorporated in the citizen charter of an organisation-

• Vision and Mission Statement: Vision and Mission Statement gives the outcomes desired and the broad strategy to achieve these goals and outcomes. This also makes the users aware of the intent of their service provider and helps in holding the organization accountable.
• Areas of service: In its Citizens’ Charter, the organization must state clearly what subjects it deals with and the service areas it broadly covers. This helps the users to understand the type of services they can expect from a particular service provider. These commitments/promises constitute the heart of a citizens’ charter. Even though these promises are not enforceable in a court of law, each organization should ensure that the promises made are kept and, in case of default, a suitable compensatory/remedial mechanism should be provided. 
• Responsibilities of citizens: The Citizens’ Charter should also stipulate the responsibilities of the citizens in the context of the charter.

Objectives of Citizen Charters

• Transparency and accountability: The charter helps to make the workings of the government or public organization more transparent, and provides a clear understanding of what citizens can expect from them.
• Improved services: By outlining the services provided and the standards expected, the charter helps organizations to improve the quality of their services and to ensure that they are delivered in a timely and efficient manner.
• Enhance customer satisfaction: The charters aim to provide citizens with a clear understanding of the services they can expect, helping to improve customer satisfaction and trust in the organization.
• Increased participation: By involving citizens in the development and implementation of the charter, organizations can encourage greater public participation in decision-making processes.
• Better access to information: The charter helps to provide citizens with access to information about the services they can expect and their rights and responsibilities.
• Improved complaint mechanisms: The charter provides citizens with clear and accessible channels for registering complaints and seeking redress, and helps organizations to address complaints in a timely and effective manner.
• Increase efficiency and effectiveness: Citizen Charters can help public organizations to streamline their processes, improve the quality of services, and reduce costs.
• Promote good governance: Citizen Charters can help to promote good governance by establishing clear lines of responsibility, creating a culture of accountability, and fostering a relationship of trust between citizens and the organization.

Principles of Citizen Charters

• Standards: The organisations should set, monitor and publicise explicit standards for the services that individual users can reasonably expect. There should also be a publication of actual performance against the defined standards.
• Information and openness: Citizen charters should be available in full, accurate and plain language. It should contain details about expected performance of the organisation in delivery of services, responsibilities of stakeholders, etc. Citizen charters should act as a medium to lay open the organisation to people at large.
• Choice and Consultation: Organisations should provide choices in service delivery, wherever practicable. There should be regular consultation with those who use the services. User’s views and opinions about the services and their priorities should be taken into account for final decision on standards.
• Courtesy and helpfulness: Services provided by the organisation should be equally available to all who are entitled to such services. Citizen charters should encourage a type of culture in the organisation wherein public servants are courteous, helpful, cooperative, cordial and well-mannered instead of being callous, harsh, rude, indifferent and hostile.
• Putting things right: Instead of covering up wrongs and mistakes, organisations and agencies of the government should accept the mistakes and failures and should work better for the future.
• Value for money: Citizen charters promote efficient and economical delivery of public services within the limits of what the nation can afford. There should be an independent validation of performance of organisations against set standards.