Participatory monitoring and evaluation of the national strategy for boosting growth and promoting employment (completed)
Project description
Title: Monitoring and evaluation of the national strategy for boosting growth and promoting employment (SCAPE)
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Togo
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Planning, Development and Space Planning
Overall term: 2014 to 2016
Context
Despite various reforms and modest economic growth in recent years, living conditions in Togo remain precarious. Around 62 per cent, or almost two thirds, of this West African nation’s population – live below the poverty line. One third of all 15 to 25-year-olds are unemployed. Employment opportunities are unevenly distributed. Development is therefore moving at a slow pace.
To improve this situation, the Togolese Government has been pursuing a national strategy since 2013 which aims to boost growth and promote employment (Stratégie de Croissance Accéléree et de Promotion de l’Emploi, SCAPE). Through to 2017, it plans to initially support fast-growing economic sectors and improve governance and infrastructure. It also intends to increase educational opportunities and the employment rate and to make more sustainable use of environmental resources.
In 2010, the Togolese Government created a steering body with national, sectoral, regional and local committees. Its purpose is to ensure that all development activities nationwide are coordinated in an appropriate manner and that all participating stakeholders work together in a spirit of partnership and in accordance with the relevant legislation to achieve the aims of decentralisation and devolution.
To facilitate regular progress reviews, GIZ has initiated a pilot measure to support the Togolese Government and those responsible for national development planning in their efforts to implement a participatory monitoring and evaluation system for SCAPE in Togo’s Centrale and Maritime regions.
Objective
The partners have gained experience in implementing a participatory monitoring and evaluation system. The initial results are incorporated into the ProDeG decentralisation programme.
Approach
GIZ supports the national unit responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of the growth strategy, which is part of the Togolese Ministry of Planning. A regional expert advises employees in this unit on a participatory approach to monitoring the growth strategy. In doing so, the advisor works closely with committees in the target regions of Centrale and Maritime. He fosters communication between all stakeholders involved in development planning, advises them on organisational procedures and provides expertise on monitoring the results of SCAPE. He also supports participating institutions in establishing a communication system between the national and sectoral levels as well as in individual regions, municipalities and prefectures.
Results
In August 2014, 65 representatives of the prefectures, municipal administrations and civil society organisations developed specific guidelines for good cooperation with the national steering bodies. They identified the following points for effective cooperation in establishing a participatory monitoring system: reliable information, planning certainty, effective instruments, the establishment of working groups and a communications strategy.
In working groups, these decentralised stakeholders then developed a communications strategy and an action plan for participatory monitoring for the Centrale and Maritime regions.
At the national level, the ministries responsible for decentralisation, environmental issues, development, employment promotion, and vocational education and training have received expert support in setting up their monitoring systems.
The relevant contacts in these ministries have been trained in the preparation of regular monitoring and performance reports. They have also undergone continuing professional development in the use of participatory approaches and the associated instruments and methods.
A need for additional advisory services was identified at 11 sector ministries, which are to receive support by GIZ in future.