Sections:
Aid Effectiveness Network news - Newsletter - August 2007
Highlights
- Update on Joint Donor Voice and Accountability Evaluation.
- DAC Network on Poverty Reduction issues "Practical Guide to ex ante Poverty Impact Assessment (PIA).
Other Aid Effectiveness Information
Update Joint Donor Voice and Accountability Evaluation (BMZ, Danida, DFID, Norad, Swiss, Belgium and Sida): In 2006, DAC donor partners began a joint evaluation of ‘Voice and Accountability’ programmes. Voice and Accountability interventions focus on the relationship between citizens and the state, and as such, they lie at the heart of the (good) governance, pro-poor agenda. The V&A evaluation comprises a series of linked activities and publications which will conclude with a final Synthesis Report in May 2008. As the first step, in late 2006, the Evaluation Core Group commissioned ODI to undertake a literature review (to be published this month) and an analysis of a cross section of donor V&A interventions. From this, ODI then developed and piloted an evaluation framework and methodology in Nicaragua and Benin. Country case studies, looking at V&A interventions across the donor community, are scheduled to take place next quarter with different donors as leads. This includes: Mozambique (DFID), DRC (Belgium), Bangladesh (Swiss & 1 other donor) and Indonesia (BMZ). Benin (Denmark/Dutch) has still to be confirmed. We ask for country office co-operation and are happy to answer any questions you may have. For more information contact Clare Harkin, e-mail: (c2-harkin@dfid.gov.uk)
Poverty Impact Assessment (PIA) approach: The DAC Network on Poverty Reduction has recently issued a "Practical Guide to ex ante Poverty Impact Assessment (PIA)", building on the more in-depth approach put forward in earlier work on the Poverty and Social Impact Analysis (PSIA). Both are relevant to DFID's policy priorities of country-led approaches under the Paris Declaration and strengthening our approach to results. The Guide is designed to assist staff in development agencies to plan and execute a PIA and to interpret better the findings produced. A major advantage of the PIA is that it integrates already established approaches, their terminology and procedures, in particular the PSIA approach. For more information please contact Katja Jobes, e-mail: (k-jobes@dfid.gov.uk) or Nick York, e-mail: (n-york@dfid.gov.uk).
Global Partnership for Development: In his speech at the UN on 31st July, Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for a "global partnership for development" to meet the development emergency facing the world. He argued the "pace has been too slow and uncertain" in meeting the promises made by world leaders seven years ago in the Millennium Development Goals, and that it was vital that individuals and groups from all countries "come together to forge a new global alliance for peace and prosperity." To help achieve this, he issued a declaration signed by 14 world leaders and 21 top businessmen and women to commit to meet this development emergency. Mr Brown also called for an emergency meeting to be held next year to report on progress against the goals. For more information contact Tim Palmer, e-mail: (t-palmer@dfid.gov.uk)
Budget Support in Ghana - How do we measure its worth?: DFID Ghana will give £42.5m this year to the Government of Ghana in direct budget support. To find out what this budget support might achieve and what our previous support had achieved, we commissioned an evaluation by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and asked them to recommend how the budget support process could be improved. ODI’s evaluation report was not able to draw clear-cut links between budget support and the reduction of poverty in Ghana (the country will very soon achieve MDG 1), partly due to lack of attributable data, but said there is evidence that the budget support process had had a positive influence on pro-poor policies and spending. To be certain of translating this into reduced poverty, institutional weaknesses such as policy formulation, budget preparation and allocation would need to be addressed. For more information contact Sarah MacGregor, e-mail: (s-macgregor@dfid.gov.uk).
The co-ordination of the Aid Effectiveness network, including the AE
newsletter, is undertaken by Catherine Ferry and Nikki Cairns on behalf of the
Country Led Approaches and Results (CLEAR) Team. To keep abreast of the latest
in aid effectiveness, please e-mail Catherine or Nikki who will add your name to
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Aid Effectiveness for publishing in the newsletter.
Catherine Ferry, e-mail:
(c-ferry@dfid.gov.uk) and Nikki Cairns, e-mail: (n-cairns@dfid.gov.uk)