1 Poverty Analysis and Data Initiative (PADI) Capacity Building Program To Support The Poverty Reduction Strategy Shahid Khandker World Bank Institute

2 Background Country-driven, result oriented, comprehensive, partnership-oriented Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) was launched in December 1999 to reduce poverty in low-income countries. PRS steps: 1. Poverty measurement and diagnostics; 2. Identify goals, indicators and targets for poverty reduction; 3. Define poverty reduction and growth strategy; 4. Implementation; 5. Monitoring and evaluation. In order to prepare, implement, monitor and evaluate PRS  policymakers require accurate, up to date, relevant data sources, and analytical capacity to analyze them. Reality: For many countries, data are incomplete, unreliable, out of date or do not even exist. Problems are often worsen by the lack of analytical capacity. More recently, MDG created unprecedented demand for better use of information for better policy design and implementation as well as better coordination and better use of donor resources.

3 Information Strategy for Effective Poverty Reduction Strategies Development profile Public interventions National Development Strategy Monitoring outcomes Demand for information Supply of Information Legislation Structure Management National Statistical System Resources Technical capacity Evidence based policymaking Effective Poverty Reduction Accountability Transparency Setting Priorities Measurement/Diagnostics Poverty Analysis Monitoring Evaluation Supply of data Demand for data Analytical support

4 Poverty Analysis and Data Initiative (PADI) -- A WBI capacity program in support of PRS Objectives: 1. Enhance in-country analytic capacity in poverty analysis, monitoring, and evaluation 2. Strengthen in-country statistical capacity in improved poverty data collection, management and dissemination 3. Improve timely access to poverty data 4. Enhance in-country policy research on poverty reduction and program evaluation, and 5. Link policymaking to poverty analysis and data initiative. Strategy: In order to enhance local capacity in Poverty Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation, Data collection and Dissemination in support of poverty reduction strategies, a Medium-term capacity enhancement strategy is needed PADI propose Four-Step Medium-Term Strategy

5 PADI Four-Step Strategy Step1. Poverty Measurement and Diagnostics This step aims at strengthening national capacity in poverty measurement and diagnostics. This strategy will help provide a baseline for monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of the PRSP. Step 3. Poverty and Social Impact Evaluation This step will focus on strengthening national capacity to carry out both ex-ante and ex-post evaluation of the poverty and social impact of projects, programs, and policies. The impact assessment strategy would complement monitoring of the PRSP and MDG in order to allow for feedback and improvements in policies and programs, in light of the lessons learned. Step 4. Better Data Collection and Dissemination Strategy This step supports all other steps, described above, shedding lights on designing and implementing multi-topic and other types of questionnaires associated with household welfare and firm behavior, processing and managing quality data, and disseminating data in support of PRSP objectives and MDGs. Step 2. Monitoring Poverty and Social Indicators This step will focus on strengthening the monitoring systems, which will allow policymakers to follow established indicators of progress and development identified initially and ensure that they are regularly measured and compared to the established baseline.

6 Proposed PADI Activities In line with the strategies the following PADI activities are proposed: Hold regional technical workshops to promote analytical and statistical capacities to better measure, monitor, and evaluate poverty reduction strategies and similar national development plans ; Hold regional policy workshops on linking policymaking to poverty analysis and data collection and dissemination for cross-country experience sharing (e.g., pro-poor growth seminar in Beijing, 2004); Hold in-country technical workshops to broaden local capacity in poverty analysis, monitoring and evaluation and support associated statistical and analytical development; Hold regional forum to disseminate research findings and identify research topics on poverty and other development goals; Support a regional network of community of practitioners to facilitate interaction among policymakers, researchers, and data producers to enhance effective use of information for better policymaking.

7 PADI is a Demand-Driven Program Differential Needs: Capacity building needs vary by country and by different stakeholders involved in measuring, monitoring, and evaluating PRS goals and other MDGs. Strengthen the Capacity: PADI intends to strengthen capacity where it is weak, and develop capacity where it doesn ’ t exist. Customized Program: PADI deliver national programs that are customized to each country ’ s needs. Demand Assessment: Representatives of countries have identified their needs in various regional and national workshops and seminars.

8 Regional Workshops to Promote Capacity Enhancement Objective: To provide researchers and policy analysts skills to process poverty-related survey data and use these data to analyze poverty situation in their countries, and examine impact of fiscal policies and shocks. They can also help enhance statistical capacity by providing techniques to design and implement multi-topic surveys (LSMS), to collect and disseminate data, and to assess and improve data quality. Target Audience: Technical staff members of government planning offices and line ministries, statistical agencies, researchers from the academia, and other relevant organizations. Case Study Paper: Prepared by country teams consisting of workshop participants and assisted by resource person. These papers will be presented in a Regional Policy Forum. Training of Trainers (TOT): Regional workshops can be offered as TOT.

9 In-Country Workshops to Promote Analytical and Statistical Capacity Objective: Provide local analysts technical skills that help broaden and deepen the capacity in poverty measurement and diagnostics, monitoring and evaluation, poverty mapping and poverty dynamics. These workshops focus on the weakest capacity of respective countries. Target Audience: Economists, Statistician, other professional who has the needs of hands-on experience on poverty analysis. Basic and Advanced course: Country that are relatively new in conducting poverty analysis will have more than one in- country training workshop during the three-year period. The first workshop will cover basic concepts and statistical techniques. Follow up workshops will cover more advanced topics. The in-country workshop can also be offered as TOT. Distance Learning Course (DL): Distance learning courses are offered via video conferencing to supplement the face-to- face workshops.

10 Regional Policy Fora Objective: Disseminate relevant poverty research findings to policymakers as well as to foster interaction among PADI network members. They provide policymakers with better inputs for formulating policies and programs related to poverty reduction. Participants will be asked to identify research topics on poverty that they feel important and these topics will be the themes for the future training workshops. Target Audience: Policymakers involved in poverty reduction strategy, key officials of statistical agencies involved in poverty monitoring and evaluation, and researchers from academia and NGOs. Example: Regional Policy Forum- Impact Of Financial Crisis On Poverty, Manila, Philippines, April 30 to May 3, 2001

11 Issues for Sustaining PADI Efforts PADI was introduced and supported by WBI: Over the past 5 years, lessons learned include: 1. Demand side of the data is not only an issue, supply side of the data are also an issue (e.g., survey design, implementation, data availability, and dissemination) 2. Sustaining efforts require government and donor support as well as coordination at the country and regional level 3. Coordination is better done if is managed at the regional level – e.g., PADI Secretariat is at the IPRCC 4. Work plan and its implementation requires update in support of country demand and progress in learning and new challenges. Launch Community of practice (CoP) for sharing learning, lessons, and policy issues Role of IPRCC and China in PADI in East Asia Region Cross-country experience sharing