R4D Governance

TDR Biennial Report, 2010-2011

Fri, 25 May 2012 02:27 GMT

Document Type: Annual Report

Production Year: 2012

Citation: UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases. TDR Biennial Report, 2010-2011. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland (2012) 56 pp. ISBN 978 92 4 150356 3

Summary: This report provides an overview of the key research achievements and ongoing progress; stewardship and empowerment activities that include research capacity building and research priority setting; publications and resources; governance and management; performance overview and financial summary.

Institutional Perceptions of Opportunities and Challenges of REDD+ in the Congo Basin

Tue, 22 May 2012 07:25 GMT

Document Type: Journal Article

Production Year: 2011

Citation: Peach Brown, H.C.; Smit, B.; Sonwa, D.J.; Somorin, O.A.; Nkem, J. Institutional Perceptions of Opportunities and Challenges of REDD+ in the Congo Basin. Journal of Environment and Development (2011) 20 (4) 381-404. [DOI: 10.1177/1070496511426480]

Summary: Tropical forests have a central role to play in a new mechanism designed to mitigate climate change, known as REDD+ (Reduced Emissions From Deforestation and Forest Degradation). Through semistructured interviews and content analysis of relevant documents, the perceptions of the opportunities and challenges of REDD+ of institutions, who may be directly implicated in or affected by its implementation are investigated. Research takes place in three Central African countries, Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Democratic Republic of Congo, which contain the Congo Basin forest. Perception of opportunities include economic development and poverty reduction, biodiversity conservation, network building, and governance reform. Challenges identified include REDD+’s complexity, lack of technical capacity for implementation, opportunities for participation, benefit sharing, and the traditional system of shifting cultivation. Those involved in designing REDD+ internationally need to understand developing-country perspectives, and institutions at all levels need to work together to develop concrete strategies to improve overall outcomes.

ELLA Spotlight on Knowledge. Spotlight on Publications: Extractive Industry Investment Policies

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:07 GMT

Document Type: Bibliography
Creator: Damonte, G.

Production Year: 2011

Citation: Damonte, G. ELLA Spotlight on Knowledge. Spotlight on Publications: Extractive Industry Investment Policies. ELLA, Practical Action Consulting, Lima, Peru (2011) 7 pp.

Summary: This selection of publications highlights key resources documenting and analysing the following aspects of the Latin American investment policy experience: Gas Sector, Oil Sector, Mining Sector, Choice of Policy Model, and Rents, Taxes and Royalties.

ELLA Policy Brief: Focus Cities Programme: Multi-stakeholder Participation in City Governance

Thu, 17 May 2012 08:46 GMT

Document Type: Briefing
Creator: Hardoy, A.

Production Year: 2011

Citation: Hardoy, A. ELLA Policy Brief: Focus Cities Programme: Multi-stakeholder Participation in City Governance. ELLA, Practical Action Consulting, Lima, Peru (2011) 5 pp.

Summary:

Cities are challenged by a variety of environmental problems, most of which are associated with failures in the way urban growth is planned and managed. The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) set up the Focus Cities Research Initiative to address these urban management challenges. It was unusual in that it supported both research and action, and used multi-stakeholder teams to employ action-research and work in partnership with local government and civil society to identify solutions to environmental problems affecting urban dwellers, to implement them and to monitor the results. This brief focuses on the three Latin American Focus Cities (FC) initiatives: Lima, Peru; Cochabamba, Bolivia; and Moreno, Argentina.

Key Lessons:

Community participation in all stages of the projects facilitated a holistic approach to addressing urban environmental problems, one that ultimately increased commitment and sustainability.
To strengthen participation and governance, all stakeholders have to be involved in the collection of data and production of information that then forms the basis for decisions about priorities. Integrating data from various sources, including from residents and community organizations, was important in building a complete diagnosis.
Agreeing at the outset to a clear set of rules guided participation and built strong relationships between stakeholders, helping to avoid conflicts and to resolve them when they arose.

ELLA Policy Brief: Participatory Budgeting: Citizen Participation for Better Public Policies

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:56 GMT

Document Type: Briefing
Creator: Oropeza, J.

Production Year: 2011

Citation: Oropeza, J. ELLA Policy Brief: Participatory Budgeting: Citizen Participation for Better Public Policies. ELLA, Practical Action Consulting, Lima, Peru (2011) 5 pp.

Summary:

In the last two decades, Latin American countries have implemented participatory budgeting (PB) as a way to incorporate citizen perspective into budget designation, in order to increase public policies’ impact, enhance budget transparency and comply with citizens’ right to participate in their own governance. The Latin American experience shows that PB can achieve these impacts, but that certain conditions make success more likely. This brief analyses the region’s PB experiences and outcomes, and the factors underpinning success, all with an eye towards offering useful lessons for South Asian and Sub-Saharan African development actors.

Key Lessons:

PB can improve public policy impact and benefit poorer and more vulnerable groups by making budget allocations better reflect citizens' social priorities and needs.
However, to increase the likelihood of success, efforts should be made to:
-Push for a context in which the government is accountable, transparent and recognises citizens' right to participate;
-Ensure PB design is flexible and tailored to the local context;
-Strengthen governments' and participants' technical capacity and interest in participating.

ELLA Guide: Addressing the Urban Challenge in Integral and Inclusive Ways

Wed, 16 May 2012 02:42 GMT

Document Type: Briefing
Creator: del Valle, J.

Production Year: 2011

Citation: del Valle, J. ELLA Guide: Addressing the Urban Challenge in Integral and Inclusive Ways. ELLA, Practical Action Consulting, Lima, Peru (2011) 7 pp.

Summary:

Integrated urban environmental plans developed in different Latin American countries show how to reduce systemic challenges in urban areas. Overcoming multi-dimensional urban issues requires a holistic view that includes channels for popular participation, higher level government support and cross-sector collaboration. However, it does not exclude a deep understanding of specific local necessities: in Brazil, transportation was a priority; in Colombia, disaster risk reduction; and in Argentina, decentralisation of public services. A critical overview of achievements in these urban environmental governance processes is key for South Asian and African cities that will need to accommodate most of the world’s urban growth.

Key Lessons:

Good urban governance can limit environmental problems and the risks generated by unplanned and uncontrolled urban growth.
Urban environmental problems seem to be best addressed within integrated, long-term and locally-focused development plans involving multiple stakeholders.
Urban development programmes work when they have a strong social and equity dimension and include channels for participatory decision-making.

APPP Working Paper No. 22. Muslim public schools in post-conflict D.R. Congo: New hybrid institutions in a weak state

Tue, 15 May 2012 04:47 GMT

Document Type: Working Paper
Creator: Leinweber, A.E.

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Leinweber, A.E. APPP Working Paper No. 22. Muslim public schools in post-conflict D.R. Congo: New hybrid institutions in a weak state. Africa Power and Politics Programme (APPP), Overseas Development Institute, London, UK (2012) 26 pp.

Summary: Since the Democratic Republic (D.R.) of Congo has long been hailed a classic example of state failure, one might imagine that the plethora of public goods being provided by non-state actors in the post-war period is the result of such actors stepping in to fill the void left by a deficient state unable to provide for its own citizens. In reality, however, the situation is much more complex. The Congolese state, following the Belgian model, has a long history of encouraging faith based organizations, and the Catholic Church in particular, to be the primary providers of education. After President Mobutu, the dictator for over three decades, launched a failed attempt in the 1970s to take back control of the education system for the state, he reached a compromise by creating the ‘convention’ system. This hybrid system allows the state to maintain control of the education system, while religious organizations are responsible for the day-to-day operation of schools. Though Christian groups have been running schools for several decades, the post-war period has seen the development of a new hybrid institution in the form of Islamic public schools. The minority Muslim population of Congo has historically been known for its quiescence and detachment from most public sectors, but empirical evidence from fieldwork reveals that the community has begun collaborating with the Congolese state to provide public education in recent years, and is doing so very effectively. This study argues that this has been possible because of a shift in historic tensions within the Muslim community itself, while this moment in post-conflict Congolese history presents an opportunity as the state is too weak to govern on its own, yet is also increasingly democratic and allows access to previously marginalized groups, such as the Muslim minority. Therefore, the provision of education in post-conflict D.R. Congo is an example of hybrid governance, requiring the cooperation and resources of both the Congolese state and religious organizations.

Making the Right to Health a Reality for Brazil’s Indigenous Peoples: Innovation, Decentralization and Equity

Tue, 15 May 2012 01:17 GMT

Document Type: Journal Article
Creator: Coelho, V.; Shankland, A.

Production Year: 2011

Citation: Coelho, V.; Shankland, A. Making the Right to Health a Reality for Brazil’s Indigenous Peoples: Innovation, Decentralization and Equity. MEDICC review (2011) 13 (3) 50-53.

Summary: This article provides an overview of governance arrangements and changes in the Brazilian public health system since 1988, when the “Citizen’s Constitution” declared health to be a universal right. Since then, population coverage has grown substantially and health indicators have improved. Despite these achievements, inequities in access remain an important barrier to universal coverage, in particular for marginalized groups such as indigenous peoples. This article discusses the innovation cycle that produced the gains and recent efforts to guarantee more equitable access to health services for the indigenous population in a continent-sized country historically plagued by great inequalities.

An internal health systems research portfolio assessment of a low-income country research institution

Fri, 11 May 2012 05:24 GMT

Document Type: Journal Article
Creator: Koehlmoos, T.P.; Walker, D.G.; Gazi, R.

Production Year: 2010

Citation: Koehlmoos, T.P.; Walker, D.G.; Gazi, R. An internal health systems research portfolio assessment of a low-income country research institution. Health Research Policy and Systems (2010) 8 (1) 8. [DOI: 10.1186/1478-4505-8-8]

Summary: Background: In order to determine the type and amount of health systems research being conducted within ICDDR,B (also known as the Centre), a leading research institution in Bangladesh, an internal review of all on-going research protocols was conducted in September 2007. Methods: A review of all ongoing research protocols within the Centre was conducted. The names of the investigators and the institutional divisions of the protocols were removed in order to decrease the amount of reviewer bias. The building blocks of the World Health Organization's "Framework for Action" on health systems was used to categorize the protocols considered to be health systems research projects. Several additional items were collected, e.g. the highest level of education completed by the Principal Investigator. A total dollar value was placed on the health systems research portfolio of the institution based on the budgets of the selected protocols. Results: As of September 2007 16 out of 118 (13.5%) reviewed protocols were considered to be health systems research projects. Results of the six building blocks of the health system categorization demonstrated that a majority of these protocols involved elements of health services delivery. There was very little engagement in more downstream systems and policy research that involved leadership and governance of the health system. Eleven of the HSR studies were local in scope, while there was only one study that has a multinational focus. The Centre's total dollar value for the health systems research project portfolio added up to US$ 3,723,331. Conclusions: This internal review can serve as a snap shot of on-going activities, and as a baseline for future assessments against which to monitor progress in the area of health systems research. Further, it can serve as a model for other institutions striving to assess and develop health systems research programmes and capacity.

Integrating climate change into regional disaster risk management at the Mekong River Commission, SCR Discussion Paper 4

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:53 GMT

Document Type: Discussion Paper
Creator: Polack, E.

Production Year: 2010

Citation: Polack, E. Integrating climate change into regional disaster risk management at the Mekong River Commission, SCR Discussion Paper 4. (2010) : 39 pp.

Summary: The Flood Mitigation and Management Programme (FMMP) of the Mekong River Commission provides a regional disaster risk management programme through which to explore progress towards and opportunities for integrating climate change into disaster risk management at a regional level. The Climate Smart Disaster Risk Management (CSDRM) approach (see page 36) being developed through the Strengthening Climate Resilience Consortium is used as an analytical framework to explore key components of the FMMP’s work, alongside the development of the MRC’s newly launched Climate Change Adaptation Initiative and efforts to integrate climate information into basin development planning. The case is then used to provide lessons on opportunities and challenges for a more integrated approach to DRM at basin wide, regional or transboundary levels. The transition to a more climate smart approach for four regional flood risk management functions are explored: joint analysis of common resources for scenario-based planning and decision-making; joint capacity building for flood risk management; development of methods, standards and guidelines for flood risk management for national application; and tackling specific transboundary flood risks. This work is already supporting national governments to be more prepared for extreme flood events. A CSDRM approach requires integration of climate change information from different sources into all elements of flood risk management, and increased attention to understanding and tackling changing disaster risks and uncertainty, enhancing adaptive capacity and addressing poverty, vulnerability and their structural causes. The FMMP, as a regional technical support programme, of a government led transboundary river basin management authority is in a strong position to contribute to understanding and tackling changing flood risks and uncertainty at different levels, and is contributing to adaptive capacity at a regional and state level through joint learning and capacity building on considering climate impacts in flood risk management. A key contribution has been developing forecasting capacities and developing approaches to integrating flood risk management in development planning at commune, district and provincial levels. It has been less able to engage directly with addressing poverty and differentiated vulnerability to flood risks. Addressing transboundary flood risks in the Mekong Basin are embedded in the politics of transboundary water governance more broadly, and in the Mekong Region the geo-politics of water governance are complex and influenced by the historical legacies of international at the Mekong River Commission Integrating climate change: Mekong River Commission 3 financiers such as the Asian Development Bank and plans to harness the ‘untapped potential’ of the Mekong River for hydropower. Transitions in the MRC Secretariat’s approach to improving public dialogue, mediation and concern with rigorous analysis and risk management still stand to be side-lined by pursuit of national interests in dams and difficulties in curbing other forms of land use change that are impacting on flow regimes and flood risk. In this context, many aspects of a CSDRM approach appear particularly relevant to enabling the MRC to support effective flood risk management at different levels in a changing climate. These aspects include: bringing together diverse actors (climate scientists, ecosystems analysts, social development organisations); developing innovative, reflective and regular approaches to learning for sustained capacity building and integration of new information over time; understanding differentiated vulnerability to flood risks and approaches to risk management; enforcement of regional or effective mediation through transboundary water management agreements.