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Background The Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP) offer a potentially powerful tool to forge a consensus on policies, priorities and resources needed at all levels of government to reduce poverty and inequities, impeding the pace of economic and social development in Pakistan. The PRSP I emphasized the importance of a well-developed and extensive M&E system for assessing the impact of the government’s poverty reduction strategies and resource allocations, along with a feedback mechanism for informed decision-making. Based on the lessons learned during the implementation of PRSP I, there has been recognition of the need to strengthen the existing statistical systems, improve coherence with sectoral management information systems, and reinforce M&E systems at provincial and district levels. UNDP, upon request from the Ministry of Finance, hence, fielded a scoping mission from December 2005-February 2006 to assess the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Finance to monitor, analyze and evaluate policies and national poverty reduction programs. The proposed framework suggested a system for monitoring poverty at the federal and provincial levels; mechanisms for addressing data gaps, data quality as well as statistical coordination in order to strengthen the institutional system for PRSP monitoring. To ensure a coordinated and effective approach to PRSP monitoring, attention must be paid to creating and/or strengthening mechanisms for oversight, implementation and technical coordination at the federal and provincial levels, as well as articulating the linkage between these multiple tiers. In the interest of the success and sustainability of a common M&E system, the Strengthening PRS Monitoring initiative has been woven around the existing institutional structures of government. Moreover, the Strengthening PRS Monitoring initiative forms an integral part of the overarching MDG-Driven Poverty Policy Package (MP-3) ratified by the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) in July 2007. The MP-3 umbrella program consolidates, harmonizes and downstreams UNDP partnership with various stakeholders to contribute to poverty reduction through evidence-based poverty policy planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting. One of the key components of this umbrella program is the strengthening of institutional capacities for results-based monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of poverty reduction strategies (PRS). Objectives The purpose of the project is to strengthen institutional capacities for results-based monitoring and evaluation of poverty reduction strategies (PRS). Quality, collection, analysis and management of PRS data improved at national and province levels. Key Achievements A comprehensive training programme conducted for 250 government officials on Medium Term Budgetary Framework (MTBF). This will facilitate ministries to gender-related data and feed into the analysis of gender based pro-poor expenditure. Pakistan’s first-ever Time Use Survey conducted in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Statistics to profile the quantum and distribution of paid/unpaid work. This will infer policy and programme implications from gender perspective. A comprehensive monitoring mechanism envisaged in PRSP II devised to evaluate progress towards operationalizing the policies enshrined in the Nine Point Agenda of Government. The project also provided technical support for results based monitoring and evaluation and established a monitoring framework for PRSP – II. First-ever provincial Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Reports produced. These will support the Government of Pakistan with its international commitment of MDG reporting specifically after the 18th Amendment. These reports will serve as an important policy guidance tool for Provincial Governments of Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to assess the situation and devise MDG-driven pro-poor policies and budgetary frameworks.
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