Pakistan

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).

The Strengthening PRS Monitoring initiative is comprised of the following outputs:

Public spending and allocations in pro-poor sectors reviewed and analyzed through gender lens to better understand the contribution and needs of men and women.

Quality, collection, analysis and management of PRS data improved at national and province levels.
National engagement in PRS monitoring mobilized through participatory processes.

The monitoring framework is envisaged to ensure an ongoing and sustainable system, developed to deliver timely and reliable data against a set of well-selected indicators, and feed into the policy process whilst engaging both national and sub-national levels.

Key Achievements

During 2009, the evidence based research, policy support and MDG advocacy consisted of Pakistan’s first ever Time Use Survey and PRSP-II document.

The above outputs impacted on policy making at the planning and implementation level in the following manner:- a) identification of allocation and usage of time by various groups in all four provinces  b) providing a blue print for policy and program intervention to reduce the vulnerable and poor in the society.

Research and policy inputs to PC, EAW, MOSS, and SE:

Gender Analysis of Budget
Gender Responsive Budgeting in Pakistan: An Evolutionary Process,
Gender Aware Policy Appraisal
Gender Aware Beneficiary Assessment Survey of Education Sector- Jacobabad District
Research, reports, discussion papers and statistical reports