Citizen Monitoring of Political and Campaign Finance in Asia

<jats:p>Across Asia, civil society organizations (CSOs) play a vital role in strengthening transparency and accountability in political and campaign finance. Focusing on India, Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, this report examines how CSOs monitor financial disclosures, digital campaign spending and compliance with campaign finance rules in diverse contexts. It highlights common challenges, including incomplete reporting, weak enforcement, limited investigative capacity among electoral management bodies and the growing complexity of digital campaigning. Drawing on country experiences and CSO practices, the report proposes a practical methodology for campaign finance monitoring. It presents a modular framework covering regulatory compliance, data access, triangulation, digital oversight and accountability, alongside a step-by-step process for implementation. Designed for CSOs working in different electoral environments, the methodology offers concrete guidance for collecting and analysing data, identifying discrepancies, raising public awareness and advocating reforms that strengthen the integrity of political finance.</jats:p>