Assessing The Policy Outputs Environment for Effective Programming

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Assessing The Policy Outputs Environment for
Effective Programming
Mohammed M Tumala (MEMS) Theresa Effa Kaka
(ENHANSE) Chinelo Ezeobi (COMPASS)
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Objective of Presentation

• Share with participants the PES process as a
  Monitoring Tool used by some USAID projects in
  Nigeria

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PES as a Monitoring Tool

• Provides a MEASURE of perceived overall status
  of the policy/resources environment in the
  country/state as it concerns programs
• When observed over time may indicate
  effectiveness of existing system strengthening
  programs
• Provides a Measure of perceived changes in the
  policy/resources environment between two time
  periods
• This will indicate direction of change in the
  environment
• Identify weak/strong areas of policy/program
  resources
• Vital for programmatic decisions

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Steps in Conducting PES

• Adapting the PES Questionnaire to the program
  area
• Selection of Respondents to the PES Questionnaire
• Adopting a methodology and administer the
  questionnaire
• Data entry and Analysis
• Writing of process Report

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QuestionnaireSupportive Policy/Resources
Environment

• Political support and commitment including
  supportive national/state policies, laws and
  plans
• Existence of Policies that meet clients
  expressed needs
• Operational policies that promote access, demand
  and quality, all the way down to the service
  level
• Adequate financial, infrastructure and human
  resources
• Active private sector/CSOs participation
• Programs that are designed and implemented
  according to policies.

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Questionnaire CtdClassification of Policy
Output Resource Areas

• Political Support for programs
• Policy Formulation/Implementation
• Organizational Structure
• Legal and Regulatory Environment
• Program Resources
• Program Component Implemented
• Evaluation and Research in the program area

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Questionnaire Ctdi. Political Support for
Programs

• This looks at level of support/opinion of groups
  on specific program area and supporting policies
• High Level political Leadership
• The public
• Political parties
• Development plans
• Religious organizations
• Major traditional/community leaders

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Questionnaire Ctdii. Policy Formulation/Implemen
tation

• This looks at
• Existence of policies/laws and programs to
  facilitate provision of services
• Dissemination of existing policies at all
  levels
• Adaptation of higher level policies at lower
  levels
• Existence of implementation guidelines or norms
  and/or protocols of existing policies
• Effective implementation of existing policies
• NGOs, community and religious leaders
  involvement in Policy dialogue

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Questionnaire Ctdiii. Organizational Structure

• Should Include
• Existence of a coordinating body that engages
  CSOs, FBOs, and Communities
• Existence of a department/agency with high level
  placement in government
• Existence of Responsible officers on full time
  responsible for programs
• Formal involvement NGOs/FBOs in planning and
  organizational structure deliberations
• Inclusion of Community and Religious leaders in
  planning organizational structure deliberations
• The formal involvement of the private sector in
  planning organizational structure policy
  deliberations
• Formation of management committees that include
  CSOs

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Questionnaire Ctdiv. Legal and Regulatory
Environment

• Existence of norms and standards for service
  provision
• Adaptation of norms and standards for the
  provision of service at all levels of service
• Existence of Mechanisms to enforce compliance
  with norms and standards to ensure quality of
  service provided
• Existence of Mechanisms to enforce the provisions
  of existing laws

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Questionnaire Ctdv. Program Resources

• Funding from public sector sources
• Funding from external sources
• Financial capabilities of communities/CSOs for
  service provision
• Awareness and capacities of community/religious
  leaders, and CSOs
• Resource availability to families/individuals to
  provide service

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Questionnaire Ctdvi. Program Components
implemented

• This will depend on the type of program. OVC
  example
• Provision and high coverage of all services that
  meet the needs of OVC
• Food Nutrition
• Education
• Health
• Psychosocial Support Participation
• Economic Empowerment/IGA
• Legal Protection
• Shelter

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Questionnaire Ctdvii. Evaluation and Research

• Existence of systems for regular/adequate
  collection of statistics
• Existence of systems to monitor secondary data
  sources (surveys, censuses, local studies, etc.)
• Existence of systems to bring assessment/evaluatio
  n and research results to policymakers
• Undertaking of Special studies
• Use of evaluation and research data for decision
  making

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2. Selection of Respondents

• Respondents are selected based on perceived
  knowledge and Involvement in the program area
  from a wide range of stakeholders
• Government Program managers in ministries and
  agencies
• Donor agencies and Program managers in the
  private sector
• Program managers of international NGOs
• Representatives of local NGOs
• University-based researchers, academicians
• Representatives from CSOs/womens groups

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Adopt a Methodology and Administer the
Questionnaire

• There are mainly two ways
• Postage
• Respondents receive the questionnaire with
  adequate instructions on the purpose and scoring.
  Respondents return completed questionnaires
• Workshop
• Respondents are Invited to a workshop, receive
  briefing on purpose, use and scoring.
• Individually score the items
• An FGD may be conducted around the average scores
  to provide narratives to the observed scores

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Administer the Questionnaire

• Whichever method Used, Participants Individually
  Score Items they have knowledge on.
• Individuals may differ in their scores, but NO
  guessing the scores
• There is a flexible ranking used for scores e.g
• 4 means a very strong or a better or more
  satisfactory rating
• 3 means strong,
• 2 means somewhat strong/somewhat weak
  (mid-point),
• 1 means weak, and
• 0 means very weak or non existent.

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4. Data Capture Analysis
Components Average Score Average Score
2006 2007
Political support
Policy formulation
Organizational Structure
Legal/regulations
Resources
Programs components
Evaluation and Research

• The target for Data capture is to find averages
  for Items and Policy Output Categories
• An Excel Template is used. Modified alongside the
  questionnaire

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Use of PES in Nigeria

• The Policy Project used the PES in 2000 to assess
  the policy environment as it concerned
  Reproductive Health in Nigeria (FP, SM, ARH)
• The PES tool was adopted to the Nigerian
  situation
• The outputs informed the national population
  policy review
• In 2002 the FMOH (CDPA) with TA from Policy
  Project undertook a PES survey (FP, SM, ARH)
• COMPASS uses the PES in 5 states Lagos,
  Nasarawa, Kano, Bauchi FCT (BE, RH, CS)to
  monitor changes at the state level

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Steps in Conducting PES

• Define Policy
• It is important to provide a definition of policy
  before PES is carried out.
• The policy project defined policy as actions,
  customs, laws or regulations by governments or
  other social/civic groups that directly or
  indirectly, explicitly or implicitly affect
  use/quality of services/activities for ..

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Use of PES Outputs

• Improve Program planning or implementation for
  OVC services in the state
• Advocate for Increased funding of OVC services in
  the state
• Inform policy reforms/formulation or review in
  the state
• Guide Managers of Public and Private Sector
  Institutions
• Provide NGOs with tools to advocate for increased
  use of quality services

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• Thank youContact InformationNigeria MEMS,
  Abujamtumala_at_nigeriamems.commmtumala_at_yahoo.com2
  34-803-357-3611