Capacity Development

Capacity-Net: The Capacity Development Network

FOCUS AND OBJECTIVES

Capacity-Net provides a platform for development practitioners and experts interested in exchanging resources and experiences, and discussing key issues in capacity development, focusing on capacity assessments, capacity development response and their applications such as aid effectiveness, national implementation capacities, and public private partnerships for local service delivery. The network was established as a direct follow-up of the 2006 Madrid Global Conference on Capacity Development Strategies: Let the Evidence Speak. Capacity-Net offers the following to its members:

• Regular exchange of comparative experiences, lessons learned and good practices related to sustainable capacity development;
• Discussions on a wide variety of capacity development topics, especially around capacity development core issues institutional arrangements, leadership, knowledge, and accountability;
• Peer-to-peer learning in areas related to capacity assessments, capacity development response, and evaluation of capacity development;
• Access to new knowledge and information on capacity development, mainstreaming capacity strategies throughout development finance, policy and programme efforts, such as in the preparation and monitoring of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) and national and local development plans; and
• Access to information on the role of the wider development community and the UN development system in helping countries anchor the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in national development strategies, and ensuring the full range of capacities required to meet these goals.

MEMBERSHIP

Capacity-Net is an informal and external knowledge network hosted and moderated by UNDP Capacity Development Group. The network was launched in February 2007 and currently has over 1000 members. The network is open to development practitioners and experts who are interested and engaged in capacity development work. Members include UNDP staff, UN agencies, Government representatives, academic and research institutions, civil society, private sector, regional institutions, and members of the wider international development community.

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Discussion: Hold substantive and lively discussions on issues related to capacity development, coming to a collective position on what works and good practices in application of capacity development response.

Consolidated Replies: Provide a summary to the query or discussion with additional recommended resources, contacts and relevant experiences, as well as all the individual responses received.

Referrals: Colleagues support each other by recommending appropriate experts, institutions, similar projects and/or publications. Where necessary, the facilitator will supplement member responses by searching rosters, outside sources and previous network discussions.

Monthly News Update: The monthly News Update includes an overview of happenings within the Community of Practice each month based on contributions from network members. The features of the News Update include: a foreword outlining a timely topic or event, resources such as books, toolkits, useful websites, etc., a list of upcoming events of interest to network members, and CD in the news.