Poverty Reduction

Civil Society and Participation

Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers

Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) were introduced by the World Bank and the IMF in 1999. Their aim is to describe countries’ macroeconomic, structural and social policies and programs to promote growth and reduction of poverty.

One of the key missions of UNDP in the PRSP process is fostering broad-based participation of CSOs and helping to ensure that diverse parts of the population are able to make meaningful contributions. In countries like Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Ethiopia and Mali, UNDP facilitated the CSO participation and consultation process resulting in constructive critiques of the PRSPs and related processes.

Some of these perspectives and recommendations can be found in the CSO Perspectives on Poverty Reduction Strategies: A Resource Sheet (2005) and Civic Engagement in Key Policy Processes – UNDP and the PRSP: An Evaluation of Seven Countries in Central and Eastern Africa (2002).

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

By design, the MDGs are a people’s tool. The MDGs provide the framework for delivery of more effective and better services to the most marginalized groups. CSOs are well positioned to use this tool for advocacy and negotiation. UNDP supports CSOs in their role as MDG advocates in various segments of society, and as active participants in countries’ development agenda.

Civil Society interest in the MDGs has grown considerably in the past five years, both globally and nationally. A recent survey (WFUNA/NSI, 2004) of 270 diverse CSOs from around the world indicated over 85 percent of them were involved in activities promoting or achieving the MDGs.

For more information, please see CSO Perspectives on the MDGs (2004) and Guidebook: African Civil Society Engagement in the MDGs (2003).

Participatory Monitoring Mechanisms

Through facilitating state/citizen interaction, UNDP promotes and strengthens more effective participatory monitoring mechanisms such as pro-poor budget exercises, citizen report cards, public expenditure reviews, etc. Although mostly conducted at municipal and local levels, oversight of public expenditures and service delivery influences policies at national levels.

UNDP works towards strengthening independent monitoring and evaluation capacities of CSOs that are in line with the broader approaches to participation and transparency. Examples of countries where UNDP played such a role include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Tanzania, and Armenia.

For more information, please see Empowering People – A Guide to Participation and Participatory Processes – UNDP Experiences at the Country Level (2003).

Multi-Stakeholder Policy Dialogue

UNDP also facilitates CSO involvement in pro-poor policy reform, trade, aid, and the debt debate. For example, in the debt area, UNDP has provided debt management support and partnered with the international CSO, Debt Relief International. In the area of trade, UNDP works closely with several leading CSOs such as the Third World Network and SEITINI.

Recently, UNDP began to review means for CSOs to have a greater role in Poverty and Social Impact Assessments - ex-ante analytical processes that review anticipated impacts of specific policy reforms on poverty reduction and social progress.

For more information, please see Multilateral Trade System: A Development Perspective and An Independent Review of CSO engagement in the PSIA Process (forthcoming).

Resources

CSO Perspectives on Poverty Reduction Strategies: A Resource Sheet (2005)

Civic Engagement in Key Policy Processes – UNDP and the PRSP: An Evaluation of Seven Countries in Central and Eastern Africa (2002).

CSO Perspectives on the MDGs (2004)

Guidebook: African Civil Society Engagement in the MDGs (2003).

Multilateral Trade System: A Development Perspective and An Independent Review of CSO engagement in the PSIA Process (forthcoming).