Poverty monitoring systems

1. Poverty monitoring systems Francesca Bastagli and Aline Coudouel May 7, 2004 PREM Learning Week

2. Monitoring system: What objectives? • Track progress towards the achievement of specific objectives/targets • Inform policy making for improved interventions Improved policy design and implementation Greater accountability

3. Understanding poverty, the constraints, and the past actions Setting priorities and objectives Defining the strategy and selecting the actions Selecting indicators and targets Implementing Monitoring and evaluating Monitoring system: What roles? Monitoring system

4. Monitoring system: What components? • Actors: Data producers, analysts and users (decision makers and stakeholders) • Activities: Collecting and processing information, analysis, and use (feedback and dissemination) • Institutions: Interaction between actors • Formal rules and arrangements such as the definition, allocation, and timing/sequencing of responsibilities determined by work programs, national plans, legislation • Informal rules and practices

5. Monitoring system: typical limitations? • Poorly defined roles and responsibilities • Responsibilities not clearly/efficiently allocated • Low enforcement of formal set up and rules  Lack of coordination: duplication, competition, gaps and delays in carrying out responsibilities • Weak reliability and relevance of information (incl. mismatch info demanded/info provided) • Difficulty in accessing information (no access but also poor reporting and dissemination)  Lack of use of the data by the intended users

6. Monitoring system: What do we know? Institutional setup is a key element in ensuring information flow (production, dissemination, and use) No blue print on institutional arrangements: very different systems in different countries

7. Mongolia: M&E system of PRS Parliament Government, NGOs, Media, Donors, Civil Society, Etc. Cabinet MOFE Strategic management EGSPRS Policy Committee Regional Forum Macro- economics Real Sector Governance Regional & environment HD and Social policy National Forum Data collection and analysis Poverty Research Group Data producer-user group NSO M&E divisions of line ministries and local governmentsts NGOs, donors, and other data and analysis producers Inputs/Reporting Dissemination

8. Tanzania: poverty monitoring system Cabinet Committee of Ministers Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee Poverty Monitoring Steering Committee Chaired by PS, VPO Secretariat VPO PRS Technical Committee Chaired by DPS, Ministry of Finance Routine Data Group PO-RALG Surveys and Census Group NBS Research & Analysis Group PO-PP, REPOA Dissemination Group VPO PO-RALG Line Ministries Research Fund Committee PPA Working Group PO-RALG Regional Administrative Secretariat Regional Administrative Secretariat

9. Monitoring system: What do we know? • Remember overall objective – inform policy making • Attention to institutional arrangements • Ensure broad participation and build consensus among all actors (including donors!) • Promote country ownership • Build on existing systems and structures • Build into existing processes (e.g. budget formulation and tracking, existing oversight system, existing line ministries’ system and decentralized collection and analysis processes) • Keep the system simple, build progressively, with flexibility • Define and allocate responsibilities clearly • Ensure reliable funding (even if small to start with) • Build capacity (not only skills)