Achieving and sustaining successful development outcomes for the poor requires strategies that address key governance issues and promote the development of capable, accountable and responsive public systems – such as health and education. In addition, it requires approaches to help strengthen the capacity and confidence of citizens to hold those who plan, finance and deliver their services accountable.
Governance in health
The health sector embodies some unique characteristics that imply the need for a clear focus from a governance perspective, including the predominance of public health systems in countries where public sector capacity is weak, the involvement of the private sector and the need for regulation, the difficulties faced by service users and others in judging the quality of care, weak information systems and the life and death consequences of corrupt practices.
Governance in education
At ministry and agency level, our work might involve putting in better information management systems, assisting finance ministries with more robust ways of disbursing and accounting for funds, or perhaps building the capacity of a national curriculum development centre. Whatever the need, our approach is to work from the ground up: to get individuals operating better so that their organisations are doing a better job.
Added value
Improving governance in Burundi
We assisted the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Burundi to set up a new department responsible for policy guidance, leadership and ensuring quality improvements through reform of governance in primary schools.
Support to administration reform
We provided long-term technical support to the Ministry of Health in Afghanistan to contribute to improved governance, leadership and institutional development. This involved support to the Ministry of Health's Grant and Contract Management Unit, which administers performance-based partnership agreements for the implementation of the basic package of health services.
Developing an integrated health service plan
We worked with the Botswana Ministry of Health’s Division of Policy and Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation to develop a long-term integrated health service plan to meet the country’s future health needs. The plan is helping to strengthen Ministry management and governance processes.