Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Analyzing the Effects of Policy
 Reforms on the Poor : An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of
 World Bank Support to Poverty and Social Impact AnalysesThe current global financial and
 economic crises are likely to put enormous pressure on
 governments to respond with immediate measures and to
 undertake far-reaching reforms in the medium term, requiring
 a substantial increase in donor support. To protect the poor
 and enhance benefits to them, key policy reforms will need
 to be underpinned by systematic analysis of their expected
 poverty and social impacts. The World Bank's experience
 to date with the Poverty and Social Impact Analysis (PSIA)
 approach provides useful lessons for addressing these
 issues. Overall, implementation of the PSIA approach has had
 considerable limitations. There have been tensions between
 the various operational objectives assigned to PSIAs. The
 tensions concern inconsistencies between informing country
 and Bank policy decisions in a timely way and building
 country analytic capacity. PSIAs have had limited ownership
 by Bank staff and managers and have often not been
 effectively integrated into country assistance programs.
 Quality assurance, monitoring, and evaluation of the overall
 effectiveness of PSIAs have been weak. To improve
 PSIAs' effectiveness, this evaluation recommends that
 the Bank take measures to ensure that staff fully
 understands what the PSIA approach is and when to use it,
 clarify the operational objectives of each PSIA, and ensure
 that the approach and timeline adopted are aligned with
 those objectives. Quality assurance mechanisms should be
 strengthened to ensure that PSIAs are designed to achieve
 the intended effects.
-
The Political Economy of Policy Reform : Issues and Implications for Policy Dialogue and Development OperationsThis study addresses the political economy of sector reforms. Sustainable reform processes which improve equity, efficiency and effectiveness in key economic and social sectors are often important elements of national poverty reduction strategies in low- and middle-income countries. For international development agencies wishing to engage in these processes, understanding the significance of power relations within the sector, vested interests, and the links to national political processes can be critical to being an effective actor in policy dialogue. This study explores these issues through the analysis of case studies of World Bank engagement in two areas: agricultural liberalization, and public-private partnerships in water supply and sanitation. The objectives of the study are twofold: (a) to analyze the political economy of reform by looking at stakeholder interests, incentives, institutions, risks, opportunities, and processes from a social analysis perspective; and (b) to illustrate 'what works, why and how' for a better understanding and management of political economy issues in the design and implementation of reforms and development operations. The study draws on operational experiences to inductively develop a conceptual framework that offers an innovative way to look at the political economy of policy reforms. The study presents a solid basis for a future program of work which can address these issues.
-
Nicaragua : Evaluation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Process and Arrangements under the Poverty Reduction and Growth FacilityThe International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank introduced the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) process in 1999 to strengthen the poverty alleviation focus of their assistance to low-income countries. This report reviews Nicaragua s experience with the PRSP process, focusing on the effectiveness of IMF and World Bank support to the process and the extent to which the two institutions lending and non-lending activities in the country are aligned to the objectives of the PRSP approach. The report is structured as follows: section B provides background on poverty, the political and economic context, and history of national strategies in Nicaragua. Section C analyzes the PRSP process focusing on application of underlying principles, including through formulation and implementation processes. Section D evaluates the support of the IMF through the PRGF. Section E assesses the support of the World Bank to the PRSP process. Section V summarizes the main findings and attempts to draw lessons for the PRSP process and for Bank and Fund operations.