Poverty Reduction Strategies: A tool for implementing the BPOA

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Poverty Reduction StrategiesA tool for
implementing the BPOA

• Linda Van Gelder
• The World Bank
  

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Poverty Reduction Strategies
Monitoring outcomes
Nature and Locus of poverty
Determinants
Selecting Indicators and targets
Public Actions
Civil Society
External Partner Support
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Core Principles

• County-owned
• Results-oriented
• Comprehensive and LT in perspective
• Participatory
• Partnership-oriented

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How to Build a PRSP ?
 
 
DON O R S
Consultation Analysis
Donors Programs
  CO U N T R Y
Consultations
Link to the budget
Poverty Analysis
PRSP
Policies and programs
Sector Diagnostics
    WBG
Projects, including PRSCs (budget
support) Advisory and Analytical Work
ESW Poverty assessment Public Exp. Reviews, etc.
JSA w/ IMF
CAS
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A framework for accelerating progress towards the
MDGs
Better Policies and Institutions

More Aid, Market Access
Infrastructure
Economic
Service
Growth
Delivery
Poverty Reduction
Other MDGS
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Implications for Country Policies

• Public sector management
• Domestic resource mobilization
• Spending priorities
• Governance decentralization
• Investment climate
• Capacity building

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Implications for Country Strategies

• Use medium-term national goals
• Improve measurement and monitoring
• Integrate infrastructure and service delivery in
  spending priorities
• Balance fiscal constraints with appropriate
  levels and types of aid

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Participation from society members. Input from
WB, UN Agencies, IMF, other donors
The full PRSP is expected to be revised every 3
to 5 years based on the results of ongoing
monitoring and evaluation.
Monitoring Evaluation
Prepare PRSP
Country Government
Budget
Implementation
Priorities
Indicators
Policies
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Where are PRSPs?
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Achievements

• Country ownership
• Centrality of poverty reduction
• Openness and transparency
• Donor support of PRSP principles

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Inherent Tensions

• Participation v. Prioritization
• Comprehensive v. Selective/Capacity
  
• Intl Expectations v. Country Ownership

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Challenges

• Institutionalize participation
• Prioritize based on analysis
• Improve monitoring systems
• Strengthen public expenditure management systems
• Align (and increasing) assistance

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Good Practice Participatory Processes

• Countries
• Consult domestic stakeholders
• Establish rules
• View as a process
• Make accessible

• Partners
• Provide feedback
• Worry about sustainability
• Help build capacity

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Good PracticePriority Public Actions

• Countries
• Develop scenarios
• Include policies to reduce risks
• Consider linkages
• Be specific
• Build on early gains

• Partners
• Support analytical work

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Good PracticeIntegrating PRSPs into Decision
Making

• Countries
• Involve MOF, link to the budget
• Involve line ministries, build on existing plans
• Clarify institutional arrangements
• Align with existing cycles

• Partners
• Respect and align assistance and requests for
  reporting

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Good Practice Donor Alignment/Harmonization

• Partners
• Align business plans
• Be transparent
• Reduce admin. burdens
• Provide predictable aid

• Countries
• Lead coordination
• Discuss drafts
• Highlight obstacles
• Disclose agreements

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Thank you

• http//www.worldbank.org/poverty/strategies/