Evaluation for equitable development results

I received this message from four Directors of UN Evaluation Offices: The focus on equity in human development is gathering momentum at the international level. Its premise is increasingly supported by United Nations reports and strategies, as well as by independent analysis. More and more national policies and international alliances are focusing on achieving equitable…

Making Partnership Work | Norwegian People’s Aid

Making Partnership Work | Norwegian People’s Aid

Making Partnership Work | Norwegian People’s Aid
Vision and Implementation of a Development Programme
Published  2011 by Norwegian People’s Aid

Key findings:
The review found that the NPA has made efforts in addressing the challenges, identified in the previous organisational performance review from Norad. Head office strategy documents and policy guidelines provide sufficient guidance for the NPA’s development programme. Further revision should be confined to editing and shortening. The documents are generally well known in the organisation. Staff interviewed provided broad support for the main direction of the organisation. Progress is also noted in the NPA’s ability to plan and report on results.
The main challenge ahead for the NPA lies in strengthening operationalization and contextualisation through the development of country strategy documents, which can guide the NPA’s work. Furthermore, the review also notes that the NPA programme is still big and may have too many partners in some countries.
The review notes that the NPA has successfully managed the transition from an implementing and operational agency to an organisation working primarily with partners in programme countries. However, a number of issues need clarification. These include the role of regional programmes; the role of trade unions in the development programme; and the poor relations with the mine action programme.

Partnership
The review team found that there are great variations in the ways in which the NPA supports and implements its partnership policy. In some countries, the NPA contribution may be mainly financial and administrative; in others programme advice and dialogue on substantive issues may be more important. Generally, however, there seems to be good adaptation to local conditions and commitment to working with partners. However, the present review also notes that the NPA struggles to move beyond donor-recipient relations in its partnership.

Making Partnership Work | Norwegian People’s Aid

Making Partnership Work | Norwegian People’s Aid

Making Partnership Work | Norwegian People’s Aid
Vision and Implementation of a Development Programme
Published  2011 by Norwegian People’s Aid

Key findings:
The review found that the NPA has made efforts in addressing the challenges, identified in the previous organisational performance review from Norad. Head office strategy documents and policy guidelines provide sufficient guidance for the NPA’s development programme. Further revision should be confined to editing and shortening. The documents are generally well known in the organisation. Staff interviewed provided broad support for the main direction of the organisation. Progress is also noted in the NPA’s ability to plan and report on results.
The main challenge ahead for the NPA lies in strengthening operationalization and contextualisation through the development of country strategy documents, which can guide the NPA’s work. Furthermore, the review also notes that the NPA programme is still big and may have too many partners in some countries.
The review notes that the NPA has successfully managed the transition from an implementing and operational agency to an organisation working primarily with partners in programme countries. However, a number of issues need clarification. These include the role of regional programmes; the role of trade unions in the development programme; and the poor relations with the mine action programme.

Partnership
The review team found that there are great variations in the ways in which the NPA supports and implements its partnership policy. In some countries, the NPA contribution may be mainly financial and administrative; in others programme advice and dialogue on substantive issues may be more important. Generally, however, there seems to be good adaptation to local conditions and commitment to working with partners. However, the present review also notes that the NPA struggles to move beyond donor-recipient relations in its partnership.

Planet of great opportunities, by Jan Pronk

This article is based on the Ryszard Kapuscinski Lecture given by Jan Pronk at the London School of Economics on February 16th, 2011. Sixty years after the birth of the new order in the mid 1940’s, Mr. Pronk questions where the world is today and points out the need to reform and strenghten international institutions…

UN Conference on Financing for Development calls for reform of the financial architecture

The Doha Conference of the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development adopted, by consensus, a draft outcome document (http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/CONF.212/L.1/REV.1). It calls for a reform of international financial institutions and for including leading emerging countries in decision-making. In a final statement, delegates noted that the financial crisis plaguing the world ”makes imperative a more fundamental…

Moving Toward Competitiveness: A Value-Chain Approach

Developing countries face tremendous opportunities for economic growth given economic liberalization worldwide, and rapid advancement and application of information and communications technologies. However, along with the many opportunities global network trade has to offer, firms in developing countries also face strong competitive pressures for greater efficiency and productivity to maintain market share or even survive.…