What is CSO Development Effectiveness? Presentation at the European Seminar on CSO Development Effectiveness, Vienna, 10 and 11 March 2010

Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness Signed by donors and governments in 2005 Sets out five principles: harmonisation, alignment, ownership, mutual accountability, managing for results Paris Declaration is an important agreement to improve management of bilateral aid flows CSOs in the Open Forum argue that (a) there is a need for a more holistic agreement and that (b) the Paris Declaration is not directly applicable to them

What is Aid Effectiveness Aid effectiveness can be defined as the arrangements for the planning, management and deployment of aid that is efficient, reduces transaction cost and is targeted towards development outcomes including poverty reduction Mainly focus on efficiency - s ee PD targets, e.g.: At least 75% of partner countries have operational development strategies (ownership) All donors use partner countries’ procurement systems (alignment) 40% of donor missions to the field are joint (harmonization) Reduce the proportion of countries without transparent and monitorable performance assessment frameworks by 1/3 (managing for results)

What is Development Effectiveness? Development effectiveness is promoting sustainable positive change, within a democratic framework, that addresses the causes as well as the symptoms of poverty, inequality and marginalisation, through the diversity and complementarity of instruments, policies and actors. From the Open Forum Toolkit

What is Development Effectiveness? Development effectiveness depends on the collective and coordinated actions by a range of national and external actors; it is a measure of these actors´ aggregate impact, with accountability for results shared by many. IFAD – International Fund for Agriculture Development, 2007

What is Development Effectiveness? Different aid actors describe and use the term development effectiveness in four categories: 1) organizational effectiveness (supply side) 2) coherence or coordination (aid is not the only factor) 3) development outcomes from aid (attribution) 4) overall development outcomes (all factors) NSI – The North-South Institute, 2009

What is Development Effectiveness? Development effectiveness is (or should be) about the factors and conditions that help produce sustainable development results – to make a sustained difference in the lives of people. Development effectiveness is measured in outcomes … rather than in terms of how money is spent. UNDP – United Nations Development Programme, 2003

What defines CSO development effectiveness? Internal factors that are shaped by CSOs themselves:  CSO partnerships (national and international partners)  Internal governance and management  Monitoring and evaluation methodologies & approaches  Accountability mechanisms  Organizational capacities  Collective structures (coordination and exchange through platforms and networks) …

What defines CSO development effectiveness? External factors that are shaped by governments and other stakeholders and make up the enabling or disabling environment in which CSOs operate:  Overall regulatory and political framework  Effective enforcement of human rights standards  Funding for CSOs and regulations attached to it  Space for policy dialogue  Mechanisms to promote philanthropy …

What defines CSO development effectiveness? Inputs  Activities  Outputs Outcomes  Impacts Black box Political Environment (Governance, etc.) Public Attitudes Environment Aid Players Macro-economic Picture Policy Context

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