Sustainable poverty reduction will only be brought about through institutions that work effectively to deliver services and support growth and poverty reduction. In conflict-affected and fragile states, the transition to peace and prosperity hinges on governance reforms that transform weak and illegitimate institutions.
One way to support these processes is to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of a country’s civil service. This can take place at any level of government:
- in a central ministry (often in a country’s capital)
- at the regional level (often called a province, governorate, or even state) or
- at the local level (often called a district, canton or ward)
Some countries have more than three levels of government, but three is the most common.
The following are key aspects included under the broad rubric of public sector governance:
- Centre of government capacities (eg the effective functioning of the Cabinet and Prime Minister’s / President’s offices, inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms, improving central policy/planning functions etc)
- Accountability/oversight mechanisms (eg accountability and oversight, service standards, audit functions, parliamentary committees)
- Civil service cadre capacities (eg human resource management - recruitment, promotions, transfers, discipline, payroll, HR databases, pay and pension reform)
- The role public service reform in decentralisation, sub national and local governments and linkages between the centre and sub-national levels and to service delivery.
- The role of public service reform in building stability and links with local level peacebuilding.
Where and how we support public sector reform very much depends on the country context and available resources, and it is often intertwined with work to improve governance at the local level, including through decentralisation programmes. Successful interventions in this area depend on a good understanding of the technical, institutional and political economy dimensions of public sector governance.
Evaluation of public sector reform
We are currently leading a multi-country, multi-donor evaluation of public sector reform to review experience in this area over the period 2000 to 2010. We will draw on the findings and recommendations of this evaluation to inform our programmes, and help strengthen the link between reform interventions and service delivery outcomes.
Evaluation of anti-corruption work
An independent evaluation on anti-corruption co-funded by several donors including DFID has now published its findings. A full copy of the evaluation can be found here, together with DFID's management response. This evaluation looks at the historic anti-corruption efforts of five donors in five countries from 2002 to 2009. DFID welcomes the report, many of whose recommendations resonate with steps the coalition government has already initiated to improve the impact of aid