Essentials
United Nations Development Programme
Evaluation Office
ESSENTIALS No. 10 MAY 2003
UNDP Practice Area: Poverty Reduction
Synthesis of Lessons Learned
Monitoring Poverty
Introduction
Development, which was signed by the
governments of 117 countries. Absolute
Although the proportion of people living in
poverty was defined in the following terms
poverty is shrinking, high population growth
to differentiate it from overall poverty:
in poor countries means the absolute
“Absolute poverty is a condition
number of poor people is rising. Overall, 1.2
characterized by severe deprivation of basic
billion of the developing world’s 4.8 billion
human needs, including food, safe drinking
people still live in extreme poverty on less
water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter,
than US$11 a day while another 2.8 billion
education and information. It depends not
live on less than US$2 a day. The gap
only on income but also on access to social
between rich and poor has also grown.
services.” On the other hand, overall
Today, the richest fifth of the world’s
poverty is seen as having “various
population receives 85 percent of total world
manifestations, including lack of income and
income, while the poorest fifth receives just
productive resources sufficient to ensure
1.4 percent of this total. Globalization has
sustainable livelihoods; hunger and
helped to expand opportunities for millions
malnutrition; ill health; limited or lack of
of people around the world. At the same
access to education and other basic
time, the benefits of globalization have been
services; increased morbidity from illness;
shared unevenly across the developing
homelessness and inadequate housing;
world, and many substantial challenges
unsafe environments; and social
remain.
discrimination and exclusion. It is also
characterized by a lack of participation in
Concept: What is poverty, and how
decision-making and in civil, social and
cultural life.”2
to monitor it?
Therefore poverty is a deprivation of not
A complex and multidimensional concept,
only essential assets but also denial of
poverty is no longer thought of exclusively
opportunities to which every human being is
as having a material component expressed
entitled so as to attain a minimal standard of
in monetary value. Instead, it also consists
well-being.
of non-material components such as social
indicators, environmental and gender
Goals and targets in key development areas
issues, accountability and vulnerability. All
were set to reduce poverty throughout the
such facets are inextricably linked to one
1990s at various international conferences
another. An attempt to define absolute
and world summits – e.g. the 1990 World
poverty was made in the final Copenhagen
Summit for Children, and the 1995
Declaration of the World Summit for Social
Copenhagen World Summit for Social
Development. A core list of such goals and
ownership of the institutional framework, or
targets became known as the International
else efforts are likely to remain fragmented.
Development Targets (IDTs). These time-
This calls for the development of an
bound and measurable goals and targets
evaluation culture as a practical tool, rather
were distilled and combined into a single set
than a sanction, so that it can be proactively
that is known as the Millennium
used by national authorities to define and
Development Goals or MDGs after the
implement poverty monitoring instruments.
Millenium Declaration was adopted by 147
leaders from around the world – 191
Countries trying to tackle poverty are also
Nations in total – at the close of the United
challenged by the issue of institutionalizing
Nations Millennium Summit in September
an effective disaggregated approach to
2000. First among said goals is poverty,
assess changes in the status of the poor
which these leaders committed to halve by
and marginalized (e.g. women and girls,
2015, the baseline being the 1990 level.3
older people with disabilities, indigenous
people, refugees and internally displaced
A poverty monitoring system is an essential
persons, among others, who are particularly
component of a viable poverty reduction
vulnerable to poverty) at the national and
strategy. It should serve as an analytical
local level. Yet, this is often impeded by lack
tool for understanding the dimensions and
of political prioritization and adequate
dynamics of poverty to enable policy-
resources in the formulation of policies and
makers to understand its impact on the lives
strategies among national and international
of people who are denied an opportunity to
stakeholders.
realize their full potential.
What to do?
While the outcomes of monitoring poverty
are not always self-evident and may
• Support national institutional framework
become apparent only with time, it is
for poverty monitoring to ensure that
important to draw key lessons from the
efforts of different national agencies are
experience. These outcomes have major
coordinated and facilitate the
implications for fostering innovations in
participation of different types of
poverty reduction strategies as well as
stakeholders within existing mandates
programming for human development,
and capacities.
political participation and social integration.
The lessons learned from monitoring
• Support government to strengthen
poverty presented in this ESSENTIALS are
statistical information systems and M&E
drawn from a diverse pool of resources from
structures among national statistics
UNDP’s experience and those of key
bureaus, universities, CSOs and private
partner organizations.
sector to ensure production of reliable
and high quality statistics on a regular
Lessons Learned
basis.
• An effective approach for • Foster national ownership of poverty
monitoring poverty has to overcome
reduction goals and strategies through
both political and technical issues
consultations with public, civil society and
other actors. Such efforts should be
specifically directed at establishing clear
Monitoring poverty is an ongoing and
roles and responsibilities for developing
daunting challenge both for those who are
independent monitoring systems so as to
living in it and for development agencies
encourage poverty monitoring by the
that are trying to address it. An effective
beneficiaries and community based
poverty monitoring system requires national
groups, including NGOs and CSOs.
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ESSENTIALS No. 10 • MONITORING POVERTY • 2
• Sensitize policy-makers to the
living conditions within its borders, “the
importance of monitoring the qualitative
country’s capacity to monitor and evaluate
and quantitative dimensions of poverty
its progress towards meeting MDGs, is
for (i) identifying a core set of indicators
rated as being strong in only four of 60
for monitoring poverty at the intra-
categories.”4 Of the six categories under the
household, household, community, sub-
Poverty Reduction Target, one rated strong,
national and national levels; (ii)
another rated fair while the remaining 4
identifying best practices for the design of
rated weak – including the one on
innovative and participatory policies and
‘Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.’
programmes; and (iii) setting up
monitoring procedures that allow for
Yet Nepal has initiated in 2001 a major
comparison of qualitative and quantitative
national planning exercise with the
data over time – by creating a network of
preparation of the PRSP. This exercise and
national experts and practitioners on
ensuing document were also used as the
monitoring poverty.
Approach Paper to the Tenth Five-Year
Plan. The Government is now in a position
• Promote public feedback on the impact
to develop “a mechanism that allows for
on the poorest groups of policies,
sustained policy review of successes and
strategies and programmes at different
failures of poverty-reduction policies and
levels of society by (i) supporting
programmes at various levels” that will be
participatory poverty monitoring starting
based on a poverty monitoring system at
from the grassroots level; and (ii)
the grassroots level. 5
enabling people to access information on
programmes and relevant data to
Example:
empower them to participate in the effort
To popularize MDGs, the 2002 National
to overcome poverty.
Human Development Report (NHDR) of
Zambia will focus on the first MDG of
• Advocate for the conduct of MDG
halving poverty and hunger. As part of this
assessment exercises by popularizing
initiative, two stakeholder workshops were
MDGs through various fora such as
held on the NHDR where MDGs were
media campaigns, training workshops
explored in greater detail. In addition, as
involving civil society organisations
Zambia drafts its first MDG report, publicity
(CSOs), international development
and the preparation of the report itself
partners and relevant government
involves media programmes, workshops,
representatives.
data collection and establishing a broad
monitoring framework that also included
• Promote the use of IT as a key tool for
parliamentarians and donors.
accessing and presenting datasets for
poverty monitoring.
• The MDGs and PRSPs are catalysts
Example:
for building national capacity to
The UN Secretary General is expected to
systematically monitor and report on
report annually to the General Assembly on
goals and targets
the global progress made toward achieving
MDGs. At the same time, individual
The time-bound and measurable human
countries are to produce an assessment
development goals and targets formulated
report of their respective progress by 2004.
as part of the Millennium Declaration have
played a major role in mobilizing national
Several countries have already issued such
and international development agents.
reports, and a model of its kind is the one
from Nepal. A “frank” report on the status of
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ESSENTIALS No. 10 • MONITORING POVERTY • 3
Although a few countries had already
goals but rather as a realistic aim to
started building capacity to monitor and
strive for.
measure poverty and inequality prior to
2000, many others had not. With the
• Support the development of the MDG
reaffirmation of the development goals and
country report, which serves as a
the adoption of the Poverty Reduction
comprehensive benchmark against which
Strategy Paper (PRSP) approach, a number
to judge progress, and the PRSPs, which
of the latter countries realized the
function as ‘national roadmaps’ for
inadequacy of their systems as they were
reaching long-term MDG targets, by
faced with the challenge of collecting
incorporating these tools in the
information for MDG country reports and the
assessment of poverty alleviation
PRSPs.
programmes and progress towards
national poverty reduction targets. These
Box 1 – PRSP Approach: Monitoring &
two processes provide an opportunity to
Evaluation
think through long-term development
goals and to critically revisit the
“In most countries, the preparation of
challenges and opportunities faced by
PRSPs has involved useful steps toward
any given country in addressing poverty.
better poverty data and diagnostics, helped
to clarify national targets and indicators for
• Raise awareness on the importance of
poverty reduction, and increased attention
to monitoring and evaluation. Many
collecting accurate and comprehensive
countries have identified and started to fill
data on poverty and wellbeing by building
important gaps in their data about poverty
the capacity of national statistical
and inequality, and have begun to
institutes and other entities involved in
strengthen the institutional arrangements for
the data collection to design, conduct,
ongoing data collection and analysis. [All the
and process surveys, and analyse the
PRSPs] have included plans to improve
resulting data.
monitoring and evaluation capacities.”6
• Assist governments and Civil Society
Consequently, at the country level, poverty
organisations (CSOs) in making the link
monitoring systems are being designed or
between their targets and policy
improved upon to bring about a more
formulation. As poverty reduction policies
coordinated national level approach to data
need to be informed by the results of the
and information collection, analysis,
data collection and analysis, a systematic
dissemination and storage. In some 60 low-
dialogue needs to take place between
income countries such broad-based,
government and CSOs.
country-led processes have occurred and
have facilitated the promotion of a more
Example:
open, inclusive and focused national
Until recently, the Albanian public
dialogue on the most effective policies and
administration has had incomplete and
public actions for poverty reduction.
sporadic knowledge of the international
conventions UN International Conferences
What to do?
and Summits held in the 1990s – including
the MDGs – the country is a party to.
• Promote MDG buy-in by developing
national advocacy campaigns to mobilise
However, the UN Country Team has been
and sensitise national stakeholders and
very active in raising awareness about
the local donor community highlighting
MDGs. A far-reaching advocacy campaign,
the significance and role of the MDG
consisting of workshops and training on
targets and assessments. The MDGs
MDGs, was conducted across Albania
should not be viewed as unattainable
extending to all regions and constituencies.
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ESSENTIALS No. 10 • MONITORING POVERTY • 4
This initiative was widely covered in the
• Global poverty reduction targets
media and has led to the appointment of
need to be tailored to the national
two MDG Ambassadors (chosen among top
circumstances
national political figures).
Despite comparable objectives, there is a
In addition, a Non Governmental
great variation in the ways in which poverty
Organisation (NGO) was commissioned to
is defined and consequently measured in
write the country’s first MDG report. The
developing countries. A poverty line,
report was launched in 2002 and led to a
generally taken to be a threshold in terms of
‘Strategy for Follow-up to the Albania
income or wealth, may be identified on the
Millennium Development Goals Report’.
basis of observation or the assessment of
Strong political commitment to improve
needs, and some poverty lines have been
follow-up and reporting processes was
adopted primarily because they provide a
clearly demonstrated by the Ministry of
useful indicator of need. They are seen as
Foreign Affairs during the preparation of the
indicators of poverty, rather than precise
report. The UN Country Team is now taking
measures, as lack of income is not usually
measures to support the continued
thought of as a sufficient definition of
commitment to MDGs and is in the process
poverty. Attempts to apply poverty lines with
of establishing a CSO Forum that will
greater precision, for example to the
independently monitor the progress toward
position of women within households or the
the MDG targets.
special needs of people with disabilities,
Example:
make the application of poverty lines
progressively more complex – and there
Sri Lanka was one of the first developing
may be a tradeoff between sensitivity and
countries to recognise the multidimensional
applicability. Thus “localising” targets
nature of poverty and to take action against
remains a challenge for many countries that
it. Prior to the 1990s it was heralded as a
are actively involved in the global effort to
leader making tremendous strides.
reduce poverty.
However, a considerable slow down in
progress in the 1990s, and its adoption of
What to do?
the PRSP approach motivated the
Government to produce its first National
Policy Framework on Poverty Alleviation
Goals and indicators should represent
with the assistance of UNDP and the World
the core developmental vision of a
Bank.
country as well as its government’s effort
to meet international goals. Facilitate a
A series of sector studies on poverty related
national level dialogue on the pertinence
issues were supported through this initiative
and feasibility of the goals. The
that fed into a number of participatory
examination of the goals should lead to
workshops and seminars, allowing a wide
their revision so as to fit the country’s
range of stakeholders to discuss their ideas,
individual circumstances and needs by (i)
concerns and findings. This input in turn led
reviewing national policies, strategies
to the formulation of a comprehensive and
and programmes with an impact on
integrated national policy framework for
poverty including legal and enabling
attacking poverty and the better design of
frameworks; (ii) financial control and
programmes that address poverty.
budgetary allocations; (iii) planning and
coordination systems; (iv) character of
economic reforms; (v) section of
populations augmenting income as a
result of national growth strategies; (vi)
social security nets; (vii) local and
national resource management; (viii)
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ESSENTIALS No. 10 • MONITORING POVERTY • 5
status of implementation of programmes
with the help of the UN Country Team. The
with participatory approaches; and (ix)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional
national policy on NGOs, CBOs and
Cooperation (the coordinating entity for the
voluntary organizations.
production of the report) then took it upon
itself to solicit feedback from all other
Engage all stakeholders in poverty
Ministries.
reduction efforts by identifying and
facilitating their role in future action,
The making of the report and the subsequent
including country-specific and common
feedback brought to light gaps, needs, and
recommendations.
follow-up actions. It was felt that some goals
needed to be further adapted through the
Ensure new and revised targets are
addition of more pertinent targets.
being incorporated in the scope of
national data collection tools/surveys
The production of this situation analysis was
through national dialogue on poverty-
not viewed by the Government as an
related conceptual and measurement
exercise to comply with UN reporting
issues, including critique of conventional
requirements. Instead it was seen as a way
approaches, indicators, assessment and
to examine, “track and monitor human
monitoring systems.
development within a holistic and coherent
framework common to most countries, by
Example:
building alliances and fostering the
In Vietnam, the Government wanted its
participation of all stakeholders.”7
Comprehensive Poverty Reduction and
Growth Strategy (CPRGS) to reflect its
The MDG report became an awareness
commitment to the international targets. Yet
raising and advocacy instrument for both
it also found it important to adapt the MDGs
national authorities and civil society. Its
to local circumstances, rather than adopting
official launch, which was covered by the
them in their original form.
media, took place on the 24th October 2002
The initial goal of halving poverty between
and was widely attended by high-ranking
1990 and 2015 had already been met by
government representatives, the donor
2000, it made sense for Vietnam to define
community, the private sector and NGOs.
new targets. Therefore, in 2001 and early
The possibility of producing another report
2002 the Poverty Task Force – consisting of
that looks at the measures required to tackle
16 government ministries, 6 donors, 4
the gaps is now being explored.
international NGOs and 4 local NGOs –
developed a whole range of new targets
which were approved, along with the
• Effective monitoring depends on the
Comprehensive Poverty Reduction and
active collaboration of national and
Growth Strategy (CPRGS) by the Prime
international stakeholders
Minister in May 2002. Vietnam now has two
new poverty targets, the first of which aims to
Effective sustainable development
reduce by 40% the proportion of people
interventions find their root in strong
living below the international poverty line
partnerships and inclusive participation.
between 2001 and 2010. The second aims to
Different actors add value to the process by
reduce by 75% the number of people living
looking at poverty through different lenses
under the international food poverty line by
(e.g. feminization of poverty) that has
2010.
implications for both the scale and scope of
the different aspects of poverty. Their
Example:
collaboration allows for the strategic use of
The Government of Mauritius took the lead in
resources, since no one agency alone is in
producing a MDG report at the end of 2001
a position to address poverty, and for the
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ESSENTIALS No. 10 • MONITORING POVERTY • 6
sharing of a wide range of national and
concerns expressed by the latter, and
international experience and lessons
making such information
learned while at the same time fostering
understandable and available to
ownership of the process.
international organizations and donors.
The mobilisation of stakeholders calls for
Ensure that each national and
result-oriented partnerships among a range
international actor/agency brings to the
of actors in the state and public sector,
table a different set of skills and
CSOs, the private sector, national and
interests that can influence the process
international foundations and donor
and draw attention to the issue it is
institutions. The role of these agencies is
championing.
two-fold. They can campaign to raise
awareness on poverty reduction and also
Clarify the role of international
monitor progress to generate and sustain
multilateral partners in the country to
political momentum and public interest.
local partners – who are there not only
to help build national capacity but also
What to do?
to support the operation of poverty
monitoring systems, ensure their
Support participatory processes to foster
transparency and advocate for
not only the involvement of the
institutionalised forms of dialogue, rather
government and its line ministries but
than ad hoc consultations.
also that of civil society, making
particular efforts to reach out to
Example:
traditionally marginalized groups in both
A UNDP and World Bank funded qualitative
the development and processing of
study conducted in Latvia in 1998, aimed to
poverty surveys. This could be initiated
complement the information gathered
by making available all relevant
through standard quantitative surveys. This
data/documentation in the local
Social Assessment was predicated on a
language and by convening thematic
participatory approach intended to involve
Task Forces with a wide-range of
stakeholders at every stage and to
national and international maximize Latvian ownership and
representatives.
engagement. The Steering Committee
overseeing the process was composed of
Sustain key aspects of participation,
representatives of the Ministry of Welfare,
including information sharing and
the Bank Resident Mission, the Latvian
openness of decision-making and
Academy of Sciences and UNDP.
debate about alternative policy choices,
so that dialogue with non-governmental
The assessment, which was widely shared
stakeholders can be routinely conducted
with key development organisations,
by governmental institutions.
brought to the forefront issues including
housing and medical costs, access to
Support capacity building of CBOs and
education and information and public health
civil society organizations (CSOs) to
and alcoholism – was one of the studies
enable them to engage substantively
used as the basis for the development of
with international organizations in the
pro-poor policies. In this instance, national
monitoring process through relevant
ownership and initiative to combat poverty
training and systematic information-
gained real momentum in 1999 and
sharing. National and local culminated in the drafting of a National
organizations need to be strengthened
Poverty Alleviation Strategy.
for giving regular feedback to local
participants and taking stock of the
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ESSENTIALS No. 10 • MONITORING POVERTY • 7
Example:
Given the complex nature of poverty,
The Uganda Participatory Poverty
effective monitoring at different levels of
Assessment Process (UPPAP) is an
society has been difficult to implement,
initiative launched by the Government, and
although the momentum is picking up.
implemented in partnership with Oxfam GB,
that sought to bring the perspectives of poor
Countries are also faced with difficulties in
Ugandans, through consultations, into the
integrating the results into decision-making
formulation and the implementation of
processes. However, monitoring of progress
policies and planning for poverty reduction
only bears its fruits if the findings are
at both district and national levels.
subsequently translated into effective policy
formulation and programme interventions.
In 1997 prior to the launch of UPPAP,
Given that policy decisions and
Uganda had developed a Poverty
programmes are not always based on
Eradication Action Plan (PEAP), which is
objective evidence, it is crucial to make
still the country’s comprehensive
available compelling evaluative evidence
development framework. Although the
through an effective information system and
PEAP was formulated as a result of a broad
advocacy strategy. The challenge is to
consultative process – involving central and
provide valid information at the right time to
local government, civil society and the
the most strategic national and international
private sector – the poor, for whom the Plan
policymakers.
was developed, were not consulted. UPPAP
was thus established to provide a
The countries that have made significant
mechanism for linking the perspectives of
strides in monitoring poverty have done so
the poor to the policy formulation processes.
with the support of partners and the
mobilisation of different constituencies.
UPPAP is a three-year process that
They availed themselves of the resources
involves several phases, the first of which
and perspectives at their disposal to take
was the first Participatory Poverty
stock of their situation and bridge the gap by
Assessment (PPA). It brought together the
converting the findings into pro-poor policies
voices and perspectives of the poor
and strategies.
consulted in 24 rural and 12 urban
communities in 9 districts. The process is
What to do?
expected to continue through interaction
with national policy processes, facilitation of
Ensure that monitoring serves several
district capacity development for
functions in such a way that the
participatory planning and monitoring, and a
information gathered at one level is
second PPA.
Uganda’s deepening
useful at the next. Raw data should
commitment and broadening ownership of
therefore be made available to the
reform has helped place it among the top
public and widely disseminated so as to
economic performers in Africa in terms of
improve core indicators, including
efforts to reduce absolute poverty.
magnitude and mapping of poverty and
inequality, productive assets and
income, quality of life, and social
• Monitoring is only constructive
participation. Only with knowledge of the
when it leads to concrete follow-up
findings can stakeholders mobilize for
actions
change.
Monitoring poverty allows the different
CSOs should be encouraged to
stakeholders to not only gauge the progress
collaborate with governments and
being made towards the mitigation of
coordinate their actions to achieve
poverty, but also learn from the experience.
commonly shared poverty reduction
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ESSENTIALS No. 10 • MONITORING POVERTY • 8
objectives through regular and
American Development Bank, the World
transparent consultations, while Bank, the Economic Commission for Latin
governments should be assisted in
America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and
aligning with national cycles for
UNDP which has set up a system of
decision-making, especially annual
household surveys to measure living
budget cycles.
conditions. While another UNDP led
programme has been linking
Governments should be held
macroeconomic policies to poverty
accountable by CSOs, donors and other
reduction.
international bodies – through the
MDG/PRSP reporting systems that offer
Within this framework, in Bolivia, support
such a platform – and follow through on
was provided by UNDP to the Unit for the
the policy commitments they made.
Analysis of the Economic Programme, a
semi-autonomous research institute that
Example:
has played a primary role in developing the
Throughout the 1990s, a vast amount of
country’s interim and full PRSPs. Support
household survey data was generated in
was also given to the government to include
Cambodia. However, since much of the
crosscutting concerns into the PRSP, such
data were not comparable and the
that governance, social capital and gender
government recognized the importance of
could be integrated with poverty. More
timely and reliable data as a baseline to
specifically, in Bolivia – a country where
monitor progress towards set targets, it
more than 30% of people live from
developed a new poverty monitoring and
agriculture, farming and forestry and which
analysis system.
has recently experienced social conflict in
rural areas involving indigenous people –
In 2001, with the support of UNDP, the
the PRSP has helped the government to
Royal Government of Cambodia adopted a
reflect on key issue of lack of access to
result-oriented, country-owned, poverty
assets such as land in the formulation of its
focused and participatory-based poverty
pro-poor policies.
monitoring and analysis (PMA) system. The
ensuing PMA Technical Report outlines a
1
proposal for the establishment of a National
US$1 a day is expressed in Purchasing Power
Poverty Forum, i.e. a mechanism capable to
Parity (PPP).
2 The Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of
promote a broad partnership on poverty. On
Action: World Summit for Social Development 6-12
the whole, the government expects to use
March 1995, United Nations, 1995.
this system to inform its pro-poor policy
3 Numerical targets were set for each goal, these are
decision-making as well as its main tool for
to be achieved in most cases over a 25-year period –
regular reporting on the country’s progress
between 1990-2015.
4 UNDP. Measurable Results Make all the Difference.
towards achieving the MDGs.
By David Todd. Choices Magazine. September 2002.
5 Unite Nations Country Team of Nepal, and HGM
Example:
Nepal. Millennium Development Goals: Nepal
In Latin America and the Caribbean a series
Progress Report 2002.
6 IDA & IMF. Review of the Poverty Reduction
of successful regional initiatives on
Strategy Paper (PRSP) Approach: Main Findings.
monitoring poverty, have been taking place.
2002.
Programa para el Mejoramiento de las
7 UNDP South and West Asia SURF. Localising the
Encuentras de las Condiciones de Vida
MDGs: Some Examples. 2002.
(MECOVI) is an initiative of the Inter-
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UNDP, Evaluation Office
ESSENTIALS No. 10 • MONITORING POVERTY • 9
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UN Resident Coordinator. United Nations Development Goals: Cambodia 2001.
UN Resident Coordinator. United Nations Country Team in Sri Lanka. 2000.
UN Resident Coordinator. 2001 Annual Report of the Resident Coordinator in Zambia. 2002.
Other Sources
African Development Bank et al. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Africa: Progress,
Prospects, and Policy Implications. June 2002.
Alison Evans. Poverty Reduction in the 1990s: An Evaluation of Strategy and Performance. World Bank
Operations Evaluation Department. 2000.
Department for International Development. Halving World Poverty by 2015: Economic Growth, Equity and
Security. 2000.
IDA & IMF. Good Practices for PRSP Design and Implementation: A Summary for Practitioners. 2002.
IDA & IMF. Review of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) Approach: Main Findings. 2002.
Investment Development Consultancy, and Development Strategies. Evaluation of EC Country Strategy:
Uganda 1996-2000. 2001
United Nations Development Group. Hand-out on The Implementation of the MDG Core Strategy. New
York: September 2002.
United Nations General Assembly. Resolution A/RES/55/2. 18 September 2000.
World Bank Operations Evaluation Department. Evaluation and Poverty Reduction: Proceedings from a
World Bank Conference. 2000.
World Bank Operations Evaluation Department. IDA’s Partnership for Poverty Reduction. Précis Number
218. Winter 2002.
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World Bank Operations Evaluation Department. Poverty Assessments: Maximizing Impact. Précis
Number 195. Winter 2000.
World Bank Operations Evaluation Department. Poverty Reduction in the 1990s: The World Bank
Strategy. Précis Number 202. Autumn 2000.
World Bank Operations Evaluation Department. Uganda: Policy, Participation, People. Précis Number
214. Fall 2001.
Contact Institutions
United Nations
DevLink – United Nations Development Group (UNDG)
http://www.undg.org/
DGO – The United Nations Development Group Office
http://www.dgo.org/
ILO – International Labour Organization
http://www.ilo.org/
UN – United Nations
http://www.un.org/
UNCDF – United Nations Capital Development Fund
http://www.uncdf.org/
UNDP – United Nations Development Programme
http://www.undp.org/
This site is also the portal to individual UNDP country sites
UNFPA – United Nations Fund for Population Activities
http://www.unfpa.org/
UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund
http://www.unicef.org/
UNIFEM – United Nations Development Fund for Women (a fund administered by UNDP)
http://www.unifem.org/
WFP – World Food Programme
http://www.wfp.org/
The World Bank
http://www.worldbank.org/
Other Resources
CIDA – Canadian International Development Agency
http://www.cida.org/
Danida – Danish International Development Agency
http://www.um.dk/english/
Development Gateway
http://developmentgateway.org/
DFID – Department for International Development
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/
Eldis – Gateway to Development Information
http://www.eldis.org/poverty/index.htm
GTZ – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit GmbH
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UNDP, Evaluation Office
ESSENTIALS No. 10 • MONITORING POVERTY • 11
http://www.gtz.de/publikationen/english/
OECD – Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
http://www.oecd.org/
Oxfam GB
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/
SIDA – Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency
http://www.sida.org/
IDS – Institute of Development Studies
http://www.ids.ac.uk/ids/pvty/
USAID – United States Agency for International Development
http://www.usaid.gov/
The ESSENTIALS series summarizes and synthesizes main lessons learned and recommendations
made by UNDP and other development agencies on selected subjects. It is designed to provide UNDP
country offices and headquarters easy access to lessons learned from evaluations.
Evaluation Office (EO)
Telephone: (212) 906 5095
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Intranet: http://intra.undp.org/eo
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Internet: http://www.undp.org/eo
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UNDP, Evaluation Office
ESSENTIALS No. 10 • MONITORING POVERTY • 12
