Case Studies

These case studies are in the author's language of choice. Unless otherwise indicated, a summary is provided in the other official language.

Supporting Development Finance Institutions in Southern Africa
By Gord Evans
(disponible en français)

Increasingly, regional solutions are being advanced to spur economic growth among developing nations. The Southern African Development Community (SADC), comprising fifteen member states, supports a regional network of 27 development finance institutions. The project described in this case study outlines the technical assistance provided to SADC’s Development Finance Resource Centre (DFRC), through the CIDA-funded Deployment for Democratic Development initiative. The project’s core outputs included 5-year strategic and 2-year business plans and a results-based management framework for SADC/DFRC. What is noteworthy about this project is the intensity of effort applied during the inception stage to consult with members (involving some heroic travel logistics) and redefine the original problem statement, which miscast relationship issues between DFRC and senior SADC personnel as flawed governance arrangements. This refocusing of the project paved the way for the successful effort by Stuart Kufeni, DFRC’s CEO, and Frank Schwartz, the Canadian consultant, to develop and obtain buy-in for the strategic plan.

Using a Participatory Approach to Develop Phase II of the Government Action Plan for the Improvement and Modernization of Public Finance Management (PAGAM/GFP II)
By Lucie Rouillard, Pierre Martineau, Jean-Philippe Lapointe
(only available in French)

This case study describes an initiative funded through the Deployment for Democratic Development Mechanism (DDD). Using an organizational development participatory approach to support the development of Phase II of the Government Action Plan for the Improvement and Modernization of Public Finance Management (PAGAM/GFP), this initiative, which was accomplished in Mali between April 2009 and June 2010 by three Canadian consultants, involved and integrated the work of nearly a hundred representatives from the Public Service, the Civil Society, the National Assembly, various other Institutions in Mali as well as Technical and Financial Partners. While the new approach required more than twice the time originally estimated and costs initially budgeted to carry out the initiative, it aimed at sustainably building the capacity of the various participants and a better appropriation of the Plan by those responsible for its implementation and other stakeholders. The Action Plan was adopted by the Mali Government in July 2010. The participatory approach used, as reported by Malian officials, greatly helped the adoption process by the Government.

Strengthening Tanzania's Public Leadership Code of Ethics Act
By Mary Gusella

The CIDA-funded project, Support to Tanzania’s Ethics Secretariat for the Updating of the Public Leadership Code of Ethics Act, was undertaken at the request of the Ethics Commissioner of Tanzania who sought Canada’s support and assistance in responding to the President’s declaration in Parliament that he wished to place a priority on revising the Public Leadership Code of Ethics Act. The project was led by Mary Gusella, former Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, in close collaboration with the Ethics Commissioner, Mr. Justice Steven Ihema. The original wide-ranging request was reworked to accommodate tight time frames and a modest budget. The key objective became development of a decision-making document outlining proposals for legislative amendments. To inform the consultative process, Professor Adam Dodek and his students at the Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa prepared a series of research papers on legal frameworks for conflict of interest regimes in selected countries and an analysis of standards adopted by key international organizations. A clause-by-clause analysis of the current legislation and specific proposals for amendments were prepared by the consultant. Notwithstanding the extremely ambitious time lines, the deadline for the decision-making document was met. Most importantly, the Ethics Commissioner stated that he was “very satisfied” with the project’s quality of support and that “95%” of the material generated by the project was used in advancing proposals to the Government. The decision-making document is now within the Cabinet system.

Gender Budgeting: Influencing Policy Choices in Niger and Ukraine
By Gordon Evans, Marie Fortier-Balogh and Diana Ivancic-Skinner

Many developed and developing countries are attempting to increase the gender-responsiveness of government policy and budgetary choices. Two projects delivered through the CIDA-funded Deployment for Democratic Development (DDD) present different approaches in dissimilar countries to this common goal. In Ukraine, analysts in the Office of the President now assess the state budget using the project-produced Budget Analysis Manual, which includes a chapter on gender impact assessment. In Niger, three pilot ministries have adapted Quebec’s model on collecting gender-differentiated data in order to understand the differential impacts on men and women of ministry policies and programs. Although neither project was specifically tasked with facilitating a gender budget, their work invariably leads to and confronts the traditional, “gender-blind” government budget process. Both projects recognize that evidence-based policy decisions cannot be made in a data vacuum and recommend practical tools to address these gaps.

Strengthening Checks and Balances: Budget Analysis in Ukraine’s Office of the President
By Gordon Evans

The CIDA-funded project, National State Budget Analysis by Secretariat of the President, continues Canada’s long-standing commitment to democratic development in Ukraine. Led by the Conference Board of Canada and its local partner, the Ukrainian International Centre for Policy Studies, the project was initially conceived as a straightforward capacity building exercise where methodological expertise would be transferred through workshops. However, a more ambitious project emerged at the client’s request during the inception mission. First, the consultants were tasked with drafting a budget analysis manual; second, the manual was to include a gender budgeting chapter. The manual was duly produced and tested over a three-month period. Client ownership of the manual was certainly cemented during the October workshop where the President Office analysts and consultants applied the model “live” to the actual 2009 budget. Since the project’s conclusion, the Ukrainian partner reports that the analysts have contacted her regarding application of the methodology. Sustainability appears promising.

Dreaming Big, Implementing Not-So-Big: Development Coordination in Jordan’s Ministry of Labour
By Leslie Shimotakahara

Canada along with a host of other development partners has long played a leading role in assisting with Jordan’s long-term educational and labour market reform strategy, taking a Sector-Wide Approach (a SWAp). This case study examines what happened when the envisioned SWAp outstretched what could be realistically implemented within the funds available. Brenda Cooke, the Canadian expert whom DDD contracted to assist with the set-up of the unit responsible for implementation, shares how she helped get the project back on track. Through her provision of advice and technical assistance in human resource management and organizational design, the project was salvaged and the project climate was turned around – yielding some valuable lessons about dealing with change.