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• Business and Human Rights: An Oxfam perspective on the UN Guiding Principles

  Posted:17 Jun 2013 12:51:20 GMT

  This concise overview of the guiding principles, also known as the Ruggie Framework, clearly sets out the responsibilities of businesses to respect human rights. It contains case studies from Oxfam's work and examples of actions companies can take to improve their human rights record. The Briefing will be useful to companies seeking to understand how the guiding principles impact on their business model and for other organisations interested in business and human rights.

  

• Towards delivering credible polls in Zimbabwe

  Posted:06 Jun 2013 15:49:31 GMT

  The people of Zimbabwe are expected to cast their votes in general elections in 2013. Because of the likelihood of a troubled lead-up to these elections, Zimbabwe’s political parties, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the United Nations (UN) are considering a series of measures aimed at preventing the re-occurrence of the violence and intimidation seen in 2008. This policy brief focuses on the context of these elections and considers a number of possible related trajectories

  

• Revenue reform and statebuilding in Anglophone Africa

  Posted:05 Jun 2013 16:27:59 GMT

  Within the development field, tax administration reform is an area of relative success. Over the past two decades, the national revenue systems of most countries in anglophone Africa have undergone major reforms. These comprise, in particular, the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT), the adoption of ‘advanced’ tax administration practices, and the creation of semiautonomous revenue authorities. What do these reforms imply for emerging patterns of politics and governance in anglophone Africa?

  Considering this question this paper offers a number of conclusions:

  • The impact of these reforms has been shaped by the broad context within which they were being implemented, especially the increasingly transnational character of many important policymaking relationships. Senior African revenue staff feature increasingly in transnational expert networks, and face a wider range of employment opportunities, public and private, both at home and abroad
     
  • These revenue reforms have contributed only modestly to statebuilding - actual revenue collection has not increased much; improvements in organisational capacity have been concentrated at national and capital city level; pand some anticipated spillover benefits from improving the revenue collection apparatus have not been realised
     
  • While these reforms have made it possible for governments to raise revenue from the private sector in a more ‘institutionalised, rule-bound' manner, they have also increased the possibility that the taxation system will be shaped by private sector interests, making it difficult for governments to raise the revenue that they claim they need.

  

• Syria's uprising: sectarianism, regionalisation, and state order in the Levant

  Posted:05 Jun 2013 10:14:59 GMT

  As the Syrian revolution enters its third year, the risks to regional stability are escalating. Violence has spilled over all of Syria's borders. The conflict has elevated sectarian tensions in Lebanon, threatening the 1990 Taif settlement that ended 15 years of civil war. It has sharpened ethnic and sectarian frictions in Iraq and engulfed southern Turkey. It has heightened tensions across the Syrian-Israeli border.

  Violence has also spilled into Syria from across the region. Regional involvement in the conflict is deepening. Syrian refugees, now numbering more than a million, are straining the economies and the social fabric of receiving countries. This paper aims to address the implications of the regionalisation of Syria’s conflict and the challenges it presents to the stability of the post-Ottoman state order in the Levant.

  

• Interventions to increase levels of trust in society

  Posted:31 May 2013 17:12:21 GMT

  This literature review aims to detail interventions that have attempted to increase levels of trust in society. It also looks at what the interventions have tried to do and if they were effective. The focus is on ‘trust’ from the perspective of accountable relationships with government (e.g. over taxes) and general economic relationships - and looking at the social side of state accountability and anti-corruption.

  The report highlights a number of key findings:

  • interventions concerned with transforming state - society relations necessarily involve or require raising trust levels with in society and/or between state - society. However, only a few of these interventions present trust building as a central or explicit objective

   

  • In contrast descriptions of trust deficits in fragile states abound in governance and institutional reform programme documents

  • It appears some development agencies treat ‘trust’ as a cross - cutting dimension that enters into discussions around related themes such as social cohesion, inclusion, accountability, and resilience

  • Some interventions do track levels of trust (within society, between state - society), sometimes as a (proxy) indicator of building social cohesion or social capital, but measuring trust levels and trust - building is challenging, and techniques are still nascent

  • Illustrative cases ofinterventions that have involved building and/or measuring trust levels in society have been found in four areas:

    1) Social accountability

    2) Community-driven development

    3) Tax-related interventions

    4) Transformative social protection.

     

   

   

  

• Elites, oil and violence mitigation in the Niger Delta

  Posted:31 May 2013 14:56:20 GMT

  The crisis in the oil-rich Niger Delta in Nigeria is one of the world’s forgotten conflicts in which thousands have been killed and the country’s vital oil industry has suffered. In the past twenty years, environmental destruction, youth unemployment, poverty and organised crime (such as massive oil theft) have persisted or even increased. The federal government’s brutal military intervention, ineffective development initiatives and a strategy of coopting powerful militant group leaders with judicial and economic benefits have failed to address the causes and drivers of conflict.

  This paper offers analysis of the continuing crisis in the Niger Delta, and details a number of policy recommendations aimed at mitigating violence and progressing prospects for development. These include:

  • Strengthening accountability and mechanisms of redress at the local through to the federal levels of government and governance

  • Building the capacity of Niger Delta civil society as well as community and social organisations and movements to participate in decision-making processes related to local and regional development and oil production

  • Linking the reintegration into economic and social life of demobilised militants to local development efforts in the Niger Delta, with a particular focus on job creation and vocational training for youth

  • Strengthening Nigeria’s justice system to reduce judicial impunity, corruption, human rights violations by state security forces and [state-sponsored] criminality, such as massive oil theft and illegal oil lifting.

   

  

• A new global partnership: eradicate poverty and transform economies through sustainable development

  Posted:31 May 2013 10:19:42 GMT

  The High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda's report sets out a universal agenda to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 through sustainable development. In the report, the Panel calls for the new post-2015 goals to drive five big transformative shifts:

  • Leave no-one behind: we should move from reducing to ending extreme poverty, in all its forms.
  • Put sustainable development at the core: immediate action is needed to slow the pace of climate change and environmental degradation.
  • Transform economies for jobs and inclusive growth: more diversified economies, with equal opportunities for all, can drive social inclusion, as well as foster sustainable consumption and production patterns.
  • Build peace and effective, open and accountable institutions for all: peace and good governance must be recognised as a core element of wellbeing, not an optional extra.
  • Forge a new global partnership: it should be centred around people and include civil society organisations, multilateral institutions, local and national governments, the scientific and academic community, businesses and private philanthropy.

  

• Human rights in Latin America

  Posted:29 May 2013 11:38:22 GMT

  Human rights have played a key role in ending dictatorships in Latin America, inspiring democracy, fostering social justice and generating a more empowered and active citizenship.
  
  This guide highlights the key policies and practices that have made these advances possible. It explores the ways that states have implemented concrete legislative and public policy actions at the national and regional level to meet their obligations to protect and defend human rights. It then goes on to highlight the impact of the activism of a vibrant civil society in using these mechanisms to promote and guarantee the realisation of human rights, and in creating oversight mechanisms to monitor states’ compliance with their human rights obligations.

  

• The future of intrastate conflict in Africa: more violence or greater peace?

  Posted:24 May 2013 17:22:18 GMT

  This paper analyses future trends for intrastate conflict in Africa up to 2050 using the International Futures (IFs) model.

  After reviewing the main post-Cold War patterns of conflict and instability on the continent, the paper discusses seven key correlations associated with intrastate conflict in Africa. It then points to a number of reasons for the changing outlook, including the continued salience of various ‘structural’ conditions that drive intrastate violence even during rapid economic growth, recent improvements in human development alongside a strengthened regional and international conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding regime.

  Finally, the paper explores how multipolarity may impact on stability and forecasts trends for intrastate conflict in West, Southern, Horn/East and Central Africa.

  The authors expect large-scale violence to continue its steady decline, although the risk of instability and violence is likely to persist, and even increase in some instances.

  

• Energy and development

  Posted:24 May 2013 09:46:57 GMT

  The pursuit of a development path primarily driven by abundant, cheap fossil fuels is coming up against diminishing reserves, rising prices and global warming. Managing the growing tensions resulting from this situation requires increased cooperation on the part of industrialised countries, emerging economies and poor countries, with each country haveing different responsibilities, and different financial and technological capacities.
  
  The authors discuss the centrality of fossil fuels in the economic growth of the Western world since the nineteenth century and the key role of oil in the twentieth century and question the future of this development model in the face of geological and climatic constraints. They examine the gaps and misunderstandings that separate social sciences and natural sciences as well as recent attempts to establish interdisciplinary dialogue around ecological economics and industrial ecology. The authors then analyse what is at stake for developing countries, inequalities in access to energy resources, the failure of the global governance system to deal with mounting tensions associated with the depletion of oil and the environmental consequences of an ever increasing consumption of non-renewable resources.

  

• Implementing Global Public Policies : Are the Aid Agencies Walking the Talk?

  Posted:24 May 2013 09:19:22 GMT

  Today a broad recognition exists on the nature and scope of global public risks, and their impact on development. Based on available evidence and recent evaluation work by the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and some bilateral donors, this chapter aims at highlighting the results achieved in the implementation of the ambitious official discourse on global public policies, and at suggesting necessary changes for aid agencies to be more consistent and effective in translating their policy commitments into their work.
  
  While acknowledging some advances in the right direction (broad international recognition and improved costing of the global risks, consensus on the high vulnerability of the low-income countries and the need to act urgently, and substantial financing commitments) the author argues, based on available evidence from evaluations and effectiveness reviews, that only limited progress has been made in the aid delivery model and that the poor have not yet gained much from these undertakings.

  The author makes the case that significant institutional, organisational and operational reforms must take place urgently in aid agencies. The international community, moreover, must address the high fragmentation and proliferation of the aid architecture, in order to set the stage for a credible response to the global challenges facing developing countries.

  

• Kenya after the Elections

  Posted:22 May 2013 16:20:47 GMT

  Kenyan democracy was severely tested in the lead-up to, during and after the 4 March 2013 elections. On 9 March, following a tense but relatively peaceful election, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared Jubilee Coalition’s Uhuru Kenyatta president-elect. He garnered 50.07 per cent of the vote –
  barely passing the threshold for a first round victory. His closest opponent, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, challenged his victory in court, but despite allegations of irregularities and technical failures, the Supreme Court validated the election.
  Although Odinga accepted the ruling, his party and several civil society organisations questioned the election’s shortcomings and its impact on democracy. President Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, will have to restore confidence in the electoral process and show robust commitment to the implementation of the new constitution,
  in particular to devolution, land reform, the fight against corruption and national reconciliation. Failure to do so risks further polarising the country and alienating the international community.

  This paper offers a number of recommendations including:

  • to restore public confidence in the electoral process, the government should conduct a comprehensive audit of the electoral process, drawing on all the relevant legislation, institutions and mechanisms
    
  • and enhance communication of the processes in the electoral cycle and address deficiencies
    in civic and voter education.
    
  • to ensure political stability, economic growth and mutually beneficial foreign relations the government will
    need to cement peace and reconciliation initiatives and continue to seek justice for postelection
    violence victims through continued cooperation with the ICC
    
  • and maintain progressive relationships with regional and international partners to ensure the achievements of the Grand Coalition Government, established in 2008, are preserved and built upon, and that Kenya’s ambitious socio-economic goals are achieved.

  

• Intercultural Health Policies in Latin America

  Posted:17 May 2013 10:23:37 GMT

  Historically, indigenous peoples’ access to health services in Latin America has been limited due to a variety of social, economic and cultural factors. The misunderstanding of indigenous peoples’ world view and their definition of health makes it more difficult to design and implement public policies that reflect their real needs. This Brief presents the progress at the regional and country level, discusses advances in the design and implementation of intercultural health policies in areas with indigenous communities.

  Key Lessons:

  • the Latin American experience shows that regional health organisations can play an important role by defining the elements of an intercultural policy and the pathway for implementing it. This provides important support and inspiration for individual countries within the region
  • constitutional acknowledgement of the right to intercultural health can be a first step to guaranteeing this right and ensuring its implementation
  • the visibility of the struggle coming from the non-recognition and implementation of an intercultural health policy that has been brought by social movements and CSOs can produce substantive changes, such as the creation of agencies

  

• Doing good by doing well? Statoil in Sub-Saharan Africa

  Posted:14 May 2013 09:02:53 GMT

  This report, commissioned by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), examines Statoil’s exploration and production activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular how Statoil understands and acts in order to develop its social license to operate. This is assessed along three main avenues: (1) how Statoil understands its wider role and impact in the societies where it operates; (2) how Statoil develops this by means of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices; and (3) how much revenues Statoil generates to the benefit of the countries in question. The focus is on three countries where Statoil is an important actor, or is positioning itself to become one: Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania. What is Statoil’s footprint in these countries?

• Unbundling Land Administrative Reform: Demand for Second Stage Land Certification in Ethiopia

  Posted:07 May 2013 09:02:18 GMT

  Ethiopia has implemented one of the largest, fastest and cheapest land registration and certification reforms in Africa. While there have been evidences of positive impacts of this land reform in terms of increased investment, land productivity and land rental market activities, the government is now piloting another round of land registration and certification that involves GPS measurement and computer registration. This ‘Second Stage land registration’ is expected to replace the registration from the first round that used field markings in combination with memory of the neighbors to identify plot borders. We use panel data from 600 households in two regions (Oromia and SNNP) to investigate household perceptions and demand for such a Second Stage reform. This study revealed a relatively low demand and WTP for Second Stage certificates. Households who attended a meeting on land registration are more interested and willing to pay for Second Stage certificate.

• Asian development outlook 2013: Asia’s energy challenge

  Posted:01 May 2013 09:02:36 GMT

  The Asian Development Outlook 2013 provides a comprehensive economic analysis at both regional- and country-levels. It begins by outlining the economic status of the region before examining the goals, challenges and strategies of stakeholders with regard to present and future energy demand and supply. Finally it profiles the economic trends and prospects of over 30 countries.
  
  Part one of the report paints a picture of growing momentum in the region amidst difficult economic times. The entire region on average is experiencing an upturn from 2012, an acceleration expected to continue for the next two years through increased domestic consumption and recovering export markets. However, anticipated growth rates vary by sub-region. Regional integration through trade agreements are encouraged to provide resilience in the face of growing exposure to unpredictable global events. Macroeconomic policy is discussed in the context of maintaining stability, as is the management of capital flows under quantitative easing and the development of Asia’s rising demand for commodities.
  
  Part two of the paper examines the challenge ahead as Asia attempts to secure sufficient energy to continue driving economic growth for decades to come. Increased energy demand will need to be constrained through efforts to improve energy efficiency by investing in new technology (including techniques to make existing carbon use cleaner) and replacing wasteful subsidies with policies that specifically target the poor for assistance. Investment in science education and infrastructure are required for energy development and, with climate change and the environment in mind, plans for additional capacity should focus on sustainable, clean energy.
  
  The majority of the report consists of individual country assessments, each broken down into three sections: economic performance, economic prospects and the countries’ major development challenge. Analysis drills-down to a sector-by-sector scale and empirical data is provided, covering a range of criteria including GDP, trade, prices and investment levels.

• Putting the pieces together for good governance of REDD+: an analysis of 32 REDD+ country readiness proposals

  Posted:19 Apr 2013 09:02:20 GMT

  The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Readiness Fund and the United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD) are supporting capacity building efforts in preparation from REDD+ implementation. This study reviews proposals submitted to these groups to date, totalling 32 countries from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.
  
  The paper begins by highlighting the importance of good governance for REDD+ and outlining the methodology involved in the study. The authors identified eight core readiness needs prior to analysis: full stakeholder participation and consultation; clear tenure rights; equitable REDD+ benefit distribution and conflict resolution mechanisms; transparent systems for revenue management and non-carbon monitoring; and cross-sector and governmental institutional coordination.
  
  Findings are broken-down according to the framework criteria, with percentage scores across all countries, providing a broad but empirical view of the proposals collective strengths and weaknesses, as well as evident trends. Key findings include the following.
  

  • Stakeholder participation, non-carbon monitoring and cross-sectoral coordination appear strongest in terms of the number of proposals considering them as relevant to REDD+.
  • Few countries consider specific design options or challenges related to REDD+ benefit sharing, revenue management or conflict resolution (though many indicate plans to address them in the future).
  • Few proposals identify next-steps to address land tenure challenges or establish coordination mechanisms for local government and REDD+ planning.
  • Cross-cutting issues, e.g. vertical coordination of REDD+ programmes, have not been explicitly considered by most proposals.

  With the aim of helping countries make short-term progress on REDD+ objectives, the paper highlights the following three recommendations.
  

  • This analysis should be used by all REDD+ stakeholders to consider gaps and ensure that readiness activities promote a comprehensive and integrated approach.
  • REDD+ countries should further prioritise and sequence readiness activities to enhance transparency in the allocation of readiness finance.
  • Transparent and accountable domestic systems for tracking readiness progress should be developed by REDD+ countries.

  

• Violence unsettles Tunisia’s democratic transition

  Posted:17 Apr 2013 09:02:30 GMT

  Tunisia’s transition to democracy, widely regarded as the most successful to emerge from the five uprisings that shook the Arab world in 2011, is being seriously threatened by violence in the wake of a prominent leftist politician’s assassination in early February. The killing of Chokri Belaid has not only triggered a showdown within the ruling Islamic Ennahda Party between its moderate and fundamentalist wings but also deepened the hostility between secularists and Islamists within Tunisian society.

• Living with the Middle East’s old-new security paradigm

  Posted:17 Apr 2013 09:02:25 GMT

  Attention has gradually turned to the geopolitical implications of the Arab spring. It is broadly recognised that ongoing processes of change in the Middle East and North Africa are not just about domestic level political reform but also regional security dynamics. But in this policy brief the author stresses that no strategic framework yet fully captures incipient dynamics in the region. As the document states, both the United States and the European Union frequently repeat that they are committed to shaping their policies around local, Arab expectations and views. The author stress that In the current MENA scenario, the US and the EU must equip themselves to deal with a far more diverse geopolitics.

• Does election monitoring reduce election-related violence?

  Posted:17 Apr 2013 09:02:18 GMT

  This report addresses the links between election monitoring, voter education and election-related violence. It finds little generalisable evidence to show that election monitoring or voter education consistently lead to a reduction in levels of election-related violence. On the contrary, some cross-country quantitative studies suggest that in certain contexts, election monitoring may actually promote violence. The report outlines a number of methodological difficulties with establishing a general argument about these links. It also finds contradictory evidence on the question of which election monitoring strategies are most effective, and little analysis of comparative assessments about the relative value voter education versus election monitoring. Finally, the report highlights limited analysis of the degree to which different voter education strategies are more or less appropriate in particular environments.

• Putting children at the heart of disaster risk reduction

  Posted:15 Apr 2013 09:02:18 GMT

  This issue promotes a child-centered disaster risk reduction (DRR) approach in India in order to reduce disaster risk and climate change impact on their lives and development. The content considers: (i) child centered DRR means putting children at the heart of DRR; (ii) the role of India's national and state governments in promoting child rights and child-centered DRR; (iii) promoting child rights and child-centered DRR at the policy level; (iv) emergency management exercises as tools for developing child-centered disaster management plans; (v) child-centered DRR in Guwahati, Assam; (vi) child-centred DRR and child rights; and (vii) launch of state platform for children in Bihar.

• Slum’s Identity in the hands of its slum dwellers

  Posted:14 Apr 2013 09:02:40 GMT

  One major feature of the policy climate in Chhattisgarh is the forthcoming implementation of Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY), the central government scheme which aims to create 'slum-free cities'. It is the capstone project of the Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP) scheme and other housing schemes. The policy has received wide acclaim, but the details of implementation, as always, have the potential to derail the project and undermine the potential for real transformation. This paper describes the process of slum mapping using GPS technology which PRIA facilitated in Chandrashekhar Nagar slum in Ward 25 of Raipur, Chhattisgarh. PRIA is undertaking similar initiatives in other cities such as Patna (Bihar).

• Deepening democratic governance: relevance of south-south cooperation

  Posted:14 Apr 2013 09:02:19 GMT

  This resource is a summary of the talk by Roland Rich, Executive Head, UN Democracy Fund, given at PRIA (Socirty for Participatory Research in Asia), New Delhi on 30 March 2012. The speech titled, 'Deepening Democratic Governance: Relevance of South-South Cooperation' focused on five key, formative aspects of democracy and the role civil society can play in deepening these aspects. These are:

  • State-based democracy
  • The will of the people is the basis for the authority of government
  • Democracy and the rule of law are mutually constitutive
  • Horizontal accountability
  • Vertical accountability.

  

• The intended and unintended impact of conflict on the lives of citizens

  Posted:13 Apr 2013 09:02:37 GMT

  This document presents preliminary findings from a participatory field research undertaken in late 2011 to understand the current governance programmes and actors to address conflicts and analyse the discourses around governance initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir, India.

• Good governance: key to local government in implementing REDD

  Posted:12 Apr 2013 09:02:42 GMT

  Local Government Authorities (LGAs) are responsible for the provision of wide-ranging public services including environmental protection, forest conservation and development incentives, among others. But the key challenge for such incentives is governance. In 2010, having realized the potential role of LGAs and the key challenge in front, the research project titled “The role of local government in implementing REDD” was kick started. It aims to assess the current role of LAGs in relation to forest conservation and governance of “Reduced Emissions from Deforestations and Forest Degradation” (REDD) initiative in Tanzania. - Output from the Norwegian funded Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation (CCIAM) Programme in Tanzania.

• Finding ways to build REDD+

  Posted:12 Apr 2013 09:02:39 GMT

  Cutting down forests contributes to climate change. REDD+ is an international program which tries to tackle this practice, and Tanzania is part of the process. Universities like SUA are assisting in this and asking themselves “How best should REDD+ be built to ensure for sustainable development?”. The project “REDD Architecture in Tanzania: Assessment of REDD options for Livelihood Security and Sustainable Development” is looking at different ways of managing forest in Tanzania, and how it would work to add the REDD+ structure on top of these management systems. - Output from the Norwegian funded Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation (CCIAM) Programme in Tanzania.

• Women’s political participation in Nepal

  Posted:12 Apr 2013 09:02:36 GMT

  It is very rare for women to make it to senior decision making positions within political parties in Nepal. Although political parties are obliged to have a women's wing as part of their organisational structure, their role is limited to women's capacity building activities. This paper takes conversations with several activists across the sector which reveal an interesting melting pot of ideas, how they now assess the situation, and what it means for the women's political movement.

• Report on democratic decentralisation policy proposal handover ceremony by Governance Advocacy Forum (GAF)

  Posted:12 Apr 2013 09:02:28 GMT

  The report contains an event description of the platform Governance Advocacy Forum (GAF), established in 2007 aiming to promote democratic decentralisation and local self government through campaign and policy advocacy in Bangladesh. At present, the forum consists of 36 national and international non-government organisations, networks, local government platforms, concerned institutions and civil society representatives. GAF in the form of policy advocacy has been continuing to press upon the demand for the formulation of a national decentralisation policy and made some progress, as mentioned in the report. The report also upholds the necessity of the policy in country context, experts’ comment and background of GAF's movement etc. in favor of a decentralisation policy.

• Yemen’s military-security reform: seeds of new conflict

  Posted:11 Apr 2013 09:02:22 GMT

  On 21 March 2011, amid popular unrest, Yemen’s military fractured along intra-regime battle lines. In response a UN-sponsored implementation document outlined a transition roadmap that includes three principal tasks: holding a national dialogue with the goal of producing a new constitution before elections are held in February 2014; addressing issues of transitional justice; and unifying as well as reforming the armed forces. A year into the transition, some progresshas been made yet the military-security apparatus remains divided. A wide range of activists alsoworry that the military-security apparatus will be further politicised during a fragile period in which the government is split between rival political factions. Extracting the military-security services from the political realm is a critical challenge that, if not met, could threaten Yemen’s transition. This document includes a number of recommendations aimed at all stakeholders in the process.

• Mainstreaming climate change into community development strategies and plans: a case study in Thailand

  Posted:11 Apr 2013 09:02:19 GMT

  With a focus on Thailand and south-east Asia, this paper argues that the current process of ‘predict-then-act’ climate change adaptation is inherently flawed. The uncertain nature of climate change predictions can lead to dilemmas in selecting proper measures, whilst the long timeframes involved hinders investment and distances stakeholders’ priorities. Furthermore, this sequential process often overlooks socioeconomic dynamics that, particularly in developing countries, will change countries' risk profiles over time. Thus, a paradigm shift that mainstreams climate change adaptation into development plans under the guidance of a range of future scenarios is required. Such mainstreaming should happen at all levels: the local, where residents more concerned with immediate needs can participate in short-term adaptation measures; and the national, where governments can take a longer view and implement policy to develop sectoral strategies.
  
  The authors present a case study demonstrating the mainstreaming of climate change into a local development plan in the Lao-oi District of Thailand. This community is built around wet-season, rain-fed rice production, the main threat to which is flooding; eight of the last ten years have seen flooding which is estimated to have resulted in the loss of around 40 per cent of total production. The limited climate data available suggests that the district will likely face an increased risk of flooding in the future. Under the old paradigm, the identification of this risk may have led to measures to protect wet-season farming; the community instead decided to extend their irrigation system from the river to increase dry-season growing capacity. However, the climate model also indicates longer, dryer summers and a reliance on a single water source represents a potentially unsustainable future vulnerability. In this case, the government should increase the carrying capacity of a reservoir to the north of the district to hold more of the wet-season rains.
  
  This multi-level mainstreaming of climate change can be highly complimentary and offer resilience in the face of future uncertainty. It will require the development of systematic climate change knowledge transfer and significant cooperation and communication between all stakeholders.

• Measuring the effectiveness of public climate finance delivery at the national level

  Posted:04 Apr 2013 09:02:30 GMT

  This paper presents a framework for measuring the effectiveness of national systems that deliver public climate finance; an approach that incorporates the policy environment, institutional architecture and the public financial system through which climate-based expenditures are channelled. It identifies key principles of effective climate finance delivery and formulates criteria that seek not to present an ‘ideal state’, but rather to provide a means by which current practice can be interpreted.
  
  Concerning policy development and implementation, the following four key principles are identified in this report.
  

  • Ease of implementation: policies should be fully costed and supported, with time-bound objectives.
  • Legitimacy: involvement of all stakeholders is a necessary component of legitimate policy, though the relative influence of actors must be utilised.
  • Coherence: the cross-cutting nature of climate change requires integration of multiple government agencies at all levels.
  • Transparency: crucial for effective finance delivery, transparency should be a commitment of all actors along the delivery chain.

  A further three principles relate to institutional effectiveness.
  

  • Coordination: decision-making and responsibility should be coordinated and coherent in order to manage the complex interactions between multiple actors and channels.
  • Innovation: such coordination is a pre-requisite for the capacity to innovate, making it an indicator of potential for effective delivery of climate finance.
  • Local anchorage: it is necessary to have local institutional capacity to deliver finance in order to best reflect local needs and ensure effectiveness.

  Finally, the report presents four principles key to public expenditure: planning, including the clear inclusion of climate finance in budgetary commitments; execution of said budgeting in a consistent and standardised process; reporting of expenditure using original budgets as a template for comparison; and external auditing.
  
  The conclusion emphasises that the criteria laid out is to be seen as a research tool and it is intended to assist country-level studies on climate finance. The authors note that further study will be required on outcome-based effectiveness measures to complement the focus on institutional and governance processes in this paper.

• Water Scarcity in Bangladesh. Transboundary Rivers, Conflict and Cooperation

  Posted:26 Mar 2013 09:02:20 GMT

  It is often assumed that transboundary water systems are potential sources of conflict that can exacerbate political, social, and economic tensions and cause disputes concerning the distribution, use and management of water. While some scholars conclude that water wars are inevitable, others claim that engagement over water issues can serve to build peaceful cooperation, as its necessity is taken as common ground between states. Water stress can thus be seen not only as a potential source of conflict, but as an opportunity for cooperation. This report presents the results of a collaborative and multidisciplinary effort by a team of researchers from Norway and South Asia, approaching the issue of water scarcity in Bangladesh with a view not only to conduct research on river water availability, but also to help promote awareness and knowledge-sharing on river water management in the region.

• Regulation or deregulation of an economic entity: a normative analysis

  Posted:24 Mar 2013 09:02:20 GMT

  Government intervention in the market economy is a controversial issue due to the philosophical differences in the political ideologies of the decision-makers. There are some areas which are mainly controlled by the government because of its superiority and the structure; these are: ensuring social safety and security, providing basic needs and compensating negative externalities, etc. There are two broad swings of the pendulum regarding the practice of government intervention. Some believe that market failure requires government interference while others disagree. This is an ongoing debate whether government is eligible to intervene in the economy and if so then to what extent. The existing research findings do not come up with a decisive solution in this regard. This study is a critical appreciation based on the arguments of different thinkers in favour and against government intervention.

• State of Cities: Urban Governance

  Posted:23 Mar 2013 09:02:53 GMT

  By the third decade of this century, it is expected that nearly half the population of Bangladesh will live in urban areas. This trend is palpable even now as major urban areas of the country are increasingly becoming hubs of economic, social and cultural activity. This rapid burst of urbanisation requires good urban governance with focus on interdependent principles of sustainability, equity, efficiency, transparency, accountability, security and civic engagement. Rapid urbanisation in Bangladesh has contributed towards transforming the capital Dhaka, a sleepy city back in 1950s into a mega city, which is moving to become one of the most populated cities of the world by 2015.

• Corruption in land administration: Roles for donors to minimise the problem

  Posted:23 Mar 2013 09:02:21 GMT

  Land issues have been rising up the agenda of policy makers due to rapid urbanisation and high food prices. Yet, land administration is one of the most corrupt government activities. How should international donors respond? The first priority is to support domestic governments in improving land administration and anti-corruption processes in general. In addition, donors should undertake explicit analysis of the political economy of land, reduce the impact of their own projects on land administration corruption, help increase transparency and exploit international connections.

• Giving Youth a Voice

  Posted:22 Mar 2013 09:02:29 GMT

  Giving Youth a Voice, the first ever nationwide survey on youth, was started in 2011. The main findings of the report were released to the media in mid August, prior to the International Youth Day. The final version, as contained in this report, provides an in-depth understanding of young people's perception and experience of politics and society in Bangladesh. The nationwide survey, with a sample size of 6,575, related to such core policies as education, skill development, labour market, information technology. The survey also explored the role of youth within the state, society, community and family. The IGS team has undertaken a thorough and diligent analysis of the data, and this report presents the findings and analysis. I am confident that this report can positively contribute to the future designing and implementing of youth-related policies in Bangladesh.

• Parliamentary Oversight and Social Accountability

  Posted:21 Mar 2013 09:02:53 GMT

  Parliamentary oversight is one of the cornerstones of democracy. John Stuart Mill asserted that the most appropriate tasks of a representative body are to: oversee and clarify the government actions, compel the executive to provide explanations for its activities and jurisdiction for its deeds (Mill 1890). A comparative study by Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU 2007) defined Parliamentary oversight as the review, monitoring and supervision of government and public agencies including the implementation of policy and legislation". This definition emphasizes more on the nature and purpose of oversight rather than the oversight procedures. The robust monitoring of the executive by the parliament is an indicator of good governance.

• Improving Transparency in Public Procurement

  Posted:21 Mar 2013 09:02:45 GMT

  Public procurement is public policy tool, translating development finance into particular economic and social outcomes. However, it has also been globally identified as fountain head of corruption in the public service. The advisory note, while accepting the existing limitations of the transparency regime in public procurement process of the country, argues the Right to Information Act has the potential to perform as “powerful” proxy to catalyse and bring about greater transparency in the procurement process.

• The Judiciary: Policy Note

  Posted:21 Mar 2013 09:02:39 GMT

  The courts are one of the most fundamental institutions where power is contested in a constitutional democracy. A functioning and an independent judiciary can restrain and hold the executive accountable together with other state institutions, as well as political and economic elites. A robust judiciary is imperative in establishing rule-based governance. In November 2007, the subordinate judiciary in Bangladesh was formally separated from the executive by bringing in force the main findings of the case of Masdar Hossain. In this context, the Institute of Governance Studies (IGS), by way of this Policy Note, aims to provide a number of policy recommendations, which could further strengthen the independence of the judiciary.

• State of Service delivery in Dhaka city

  Posted:21 Mar 2013 09:02:36 GMT

  An estimated 25 percent (36 million) of Bangladesh's population live in urban areas. The largest urban concentration is in the Dhaka Metropolitan Area (DMA), which has a total population estimated at about 12 million. Of this, about 8.6 million live in the core city (administered by the Dhaka City Corporation, DCC). About 4 million of the population of the DMA lives in urban slums (World Bank 2008). The Dhaka Metropolitan Area (DMA) is estimated to be one of the fastest growing mega city in the world. Piped water supply systems are available in the four largest cities of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi, as well as in 102 of the 309 pourashabas (urban municipalities) (ibid.), although coverage of piped water supply systems is partial, uneven and inefficient in many cases.

• Parliamentary engagement development with the Millennium Goals

  Posted:18 Mar 2013 09:05:31 GMT

  This manual outlines mechanisms that can be used in parliaments to improve engagement around the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It highlights examples of best practice in making MDGs a central part of Parliamentary work, and provides practical advice on how to effectively implement some legislative mechanisms to utilise the MDGs in Parliaments. It also suggests some practical advice and possible tools to use in implementing these mechanisms.

• Just and democratic local governance budgets: revenue and financing in public sector service provision

  Posted:18 Mar 2013 09:05:27 GMT

  This handbook was produced by the ActionAid´s International Governance Team as part of the ELBAG (Economic Literacy & Budget Accountability in Governance) Handbook Series. It begins with information about budgets, and continues with different types of revenue and taxes at the local level. It also addresses Tax Justice, decentralization and the dilemma local government has in terms of limited independent space for planning and implementation.

• Just and democratic local governance: accountability - quality and equity in public service provision

  Posted:18 Mar 2013 09:05:23 GMT

  This handbook, part of the ELBAG (Economic Literacy & Budget Accountability in Governance) series, builds on the current good practices that focus on strengthening local accountability in service provision and governance. It provides step-by-step ways that civil society organisations and activists can help to improve local services by focusing on accountability.

• Fighting corruption in the education sector: methods, tools and good practices

  Posted:18 Mar 2013 09:05:20 GMT

  Commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), this study presents methods, tools, and good practices to map corruption risks, develop strategies, and sustain partnerships to address challenges and tackle corruption in the education sector.

• Women and political leadership in Kenya: ten case studies

  Posted:18 Mar 2013 09:05:17 GMT

  This study, published by the Heinrich Boll Foundation, examines the perceptions, experiences, and achievements of ten female Kenyan politicians. The study reveals that women political leaders face challenges that include competing family demands, inadequate resources, politics of exclusion in political parties, lack of security, and lack of positive media coverage.

• Learning from experience: rights and governance advocacy in the water and sanitation sector

  Posted:18 Mar 2013 09:05:09 GMT

  From Freshwater Action Network (FAN) and WaterAid, this report includes case studies and examples of water and sanitation programming. By leveraging the expertise of local civil society organisations (CSOs) and networks (28 partners from 14 countries) the programme aims to increase the capacity, resources and voice of civil society 'policy communities', including marginalised groups, to participate in effective and inclusive evidence-based dialogues with decision-makers in the water and sanitation arena.

• Collective healing: a social action approach

  Posted:18 Mar 2013 09:05:06 GMT

  Published by War Trauma Foundation (WTF), this publication explores five topics that publishers identified as relevant for the Burundian context: (Ubuntu) values, trauma, conflict resolution and mediation, leadership, and development. The material consists of a main supplement (published in English and Kirundi) and six electronic training modules (in English and Kirundi that can be downloaded on WTF website.)

• Using evidence to establish accountability

  Posted:18 Mar 2013 09:05:01 GMT

  The purpose of this Accountability Sourcebook, published by MSActionAid-Denmark, is to provide strategists, implementers, trainers, and enablers with an analytical framework for understanding accountability relationships between the state and its citizens. It contains an action focus on how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) can hold state institutions, service providers and duty bearers to account, using an evidence-based approach incorporating a range of tools and methods.

• Unicef guide to working with parliaments

  Posted:18 Mar 2013 09:04:57 GMT

  The guide by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) seeks to provide key resources for effective parliamentary engagement and is designed to ensure the integration of parliamentary support within country programming and the fact that those children's rights remain a top priority within national development processes.

• Accessing land for extractive industries: socially and environmentally sustainable approaches

  Posted:15 Mar 2013 09:02:47 GMT

  How have Latin American countries sought to achieve a balance between extractive industry activities and sustainable land use? This Guide considers the question by presenting and analysing different policy responses related to land use and extractive industries in Latin America today. It considers some of Latin America’s key policies, such as environmental regulations, gaining social licence for land access, and land use planning, among others.

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