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2.1 Participation in PRS implementation (overall perspective): Progress in implementation of the national PRS broadened the participatory process. Working group meetings and consultations of government agencies, municipalities, and civil society continued to take place. Furthermore, CONPES has been reformed in order to reduce representation of the government within the body, and, thus, to strengthen the autonomy of civil society. The reform also provided for the integration of other civil society actors such as youth, women, media representatives, and self-governed regions. On national level, workshops with delegates of ministries and departments were conducted, particularly dealing with education and health issues. On local level, however, consultations still are rather unsystematic and unsteady. The Public Investment Plan was introduced to civil society at public events in 15 departments; discussion took place in closed working groups attended by municipalities' representatives. 2.2 Participation in Policy Reforms linked to the PRS (specific perspective): Supplementing the ERCERP, the Plan Nacional de Desarrollo (PND) was presented, bringing out more profound measures to support economic growth. The interpretation of CSOs on the level of participation in the macroeconomic framework is not positive. For instance, the representative of the CSO umbrella organization Coordinadora Civil de la Emergencia y la Reconstrucción (CCER) in CONPES states that the macroeconomic part is still very closed (Bertelsen/Jensen 2002: 31). 2.3 Participation in PRS Monitoring: The institutional responsibility for PRS monitoring is equally shared by the Presidency and the MoF. According to the division of work, a staff unit within the Presidency aligns superior coordination and reporting. The unit, however, does not collect data, but is assigned to analyze and process primary data. The MoF is responsible for those aspects of monitoring that concern the budget and its implementation as well as the development of a medium-term fiscal planning. Civil control mechanism were demanded, however are not operationalized (GTZ 2004b: 5). It remains unclear whether CONPES-through its expert commissions-will have a stake in monitoring, and, as the case may be in the merging of ERCERP and PND (GTZ 2004b: 14). 2.4 Participation in PRS Revision: Once a year,
the government submits Progress Reports concerning ERCERP implementation;
to date two detailed reports have been developed. By furnishing own assessments,
the CCER tried to introduce alternative perceptions on government monitoring.
However, results are regarded as limited; furthermore, it is criticized
that civil society is not systematically involved in the follow-up of
the ERCERP (GTZ 2004b: 7).
3.1 Structures: The Nicaraguan PRS process involves the establishment of new forums and institutions for participation. The launch of CONPES as central forum for dialogue between government and civil society is looked upon favorably. 3.2 Rights: CONPES existence is constitutionally mandated; apparently the Nicaraguan government is willing to intensify societal participation. However, the criticism of civil society that their ideas and proposals are hardly reflected in the PRSP as well as the lack of "ownership" suggests that the proper role of civil society in the political processes remains blurry; especially regarding constitutional processes and institutions. The relative weakness of the judicial system disputes the enforceability of set rights. To what extent legally and politically enforceable participatory rights are implemented or planned is unclear. 3.3 Legitimacy: The Nicaraguan civil society looks back upon long-time experiences in the field of coping with crises. Because of their comparatively broad basis and long history, CSOs actively involved in the PRS process-such as FUNDEMOS (Democracy Support Group) and CCER-are clearly legitimate societal actors. However, neither Parliament nor peasants and ethnic minorities are involved in the PRS process. 3.4 Capacity: Despite existing capacity
straits and shortage of resources Nicaraguan civil society appears capable
of acting: For instance, FUNDEMOS and CCER were able to initiate their
own national consultation process. The fact that consultations were held
in the respective languages of indigenous communities is looked upon favorably.
4.1 Statistical data a. Developmental status
b. Indebteness After having reached the HIPC decision point in december 2000, Honduras was promised a debt relief of US$ 4.5 billion by IMF and World Bank. This is a reduction of about 72% of the country's total debt, which should result in decreasing debt service payments from 20 % (debt-to-revenue) in 1999 to below 9% in 2007. Jubilee Research - Nicaragua country profile Paris Club - Nicaragua debt treatments World Bank: HIPC - Nicaragua Case World Bank: Nicaragua Estimated Debt Service Payments c. Further statistical resources World Bank: Nicaragua Data & Statistics 4.2 Important documents a. Official PRS-related documents Government of Nicaragua / Coordination and Strategy Secretariat
of the Presidency (2003): Strengthened Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy.
Second Progress Report. November. Government of Nicaragua (2002): Strengthened Growth and
Poverty Reduction Strategy (SGPRS). First Progress Report. November. Government of Nicaragua (2001): A Strengthened Poverty Reduction
Strategy [Full PRSP]. July. Government of Nicaragua (2000): A Strengthened Poverty Reduction
Strategy [Interim PRSP]. August. IMF/IDA (2003): Nicaragua. Joint Staff Assessment of the
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Second Progress Report. December 19. IMF/IDA (2002a): Nicaragua. Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
Anual Progress Report. Joint Staff Assessment. November 19. IMF/IDA (2001): Nicaragua. Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.
Joint Staff Assessment. August 27. IMF/IDA (2000): Nicaragua. Joint Staff Assessment of the
Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. September 21. For the most recent official PRSP documents see b. Major donor-related documents European Commission: Nicaragua Country Strategy Paper 2002-2006 Freeman, Ted et al. (2004): Mainstreaming Gender Equality.
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). Evaluation Report 02/01:2,
Stockholm Nicaragua HIPC Completion Point Document (March 2004) Nicaragua HIPC Decision Point Document (December 2000) World Bank (2003): Nicaragua Poverty Assessment. December
23. World Bank (2001): Nicaragua Public Expenditure Review.
Improving the Poverty Focus of Public Spending. December 7. World Bank: Nicaragua Country Assistence Strategy (CAS) For further donor-related strategy documents see http://www.countryanalyticwork.net 4.3 Reports and analyses a. PRSP-related publications The " Centro de Información y Servicios de Asesoría
en Salud's " (CISAS) website offers a wealth of Nicaragua-related
PRSP documents and information: Angel, Saldomando (2004): Criterios desde la Perspectiva
de la Sociedad Civil sobre la Estrategia Nacional de Desarrollo. Bertelsen, Mette Frost/Jensen, Søren Kirk (2002):
Poverty Reduction Strategies. A Possibility for Participatory Economic
Policymaking? The Central American Experience. June. Bojö, Jan et al. (2004): Environment in Poverty Reduction
Strategies and Poverty Reduction Support Credits. World Bank, Environment
Department, Environmental Economics Series, Paper No. 102, Washington
D.C., November. (includes data on Nicaragua) Bojö, Jan/Rama Chandra Reddy (2003): Status and Evolution
of Environmental Priorities in the Poverty Reduction Strategies. An Assessment
of Fifty Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers. World Bank, Environment Department,
Environmental Economics Series, Paper No. 93, Washington D.C., November.
(includes data on Nicaragua) Bradshaw, Sarah/Ana Quirós Viquez/Brian Linneker
(2004): Gender Mainstreaming in Poverty Reduction Initiatives. Centro
de Información y Servicios de Asesoría en Salud (CISAS),
Second Draft, Managua, 17th of June. (based on Honduras case study) Bradshaw, Sarah/Brian Linneker (2003): Challenging women's
poverty: perspectives on gender and poverty reduction strategies from
Nicaragua and Honduras. Catholic Institute for International Relations
(CIIR), London. Bradshaw, Sarah/Brian Linneker (2002): Civil Society Responses
to Poverty Reduction Strategies in Nicaragua. Managua, August. Bradshaw, Sarah/Brian Linneker (2001): Challenging Poverty,
Vulnerability and Social Exclusion in Nicaragua: Some Considerations for
Poverty Reduction Strategies. Caillods, F./J. Hallak (2004): Education and PRSPs. A review
of experiences. A review undertaken with the support of DFID, UNESCO,
Interational Institute of Educational Planning, Paris. (includes data
on Nicaragua) Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) (2001):
Roundtable report on Participation and PRSPs in Bolivia, Nicaragua, Vietnam,
Senegal, and Burkina Faso. December. Cornally, Jennifer/Tom Crowley/Sally O'Neill (2004): The
Impact of Poverty Reduction Strategies on the Rural Sector in Honduras
and Nicaragua, Study carried out by Trócaire for the International
Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Tegucigalpa, Final Draft, May. Dewachter, Sara (2005): The Participation Conditionality
under Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers: The Joint Staff Assessment -experience.
University of Antwerp, Institute of Development Policy and Management,
IDPM-UA discussion paper 2005-6, April. (includes data on Nicaragua) Dijkstra, Geske (2005): The PRSP Approach and the Illusion of Improved Aid Effectiveness: Lessons from Bolivia, Honduras and Nicaragua, in: Development Policy Review, Vol. 23(4), July, pp. 443-464. Driscoll, Ruth/Alison Evans (2005): Second-Generation Poverty Reduction Strategies: New Opportunities and Emerging Issues, in: Development Policy Review, Vol. 23(1), pp. 5-25. Egulu, Lawrence (2004): Trade Union Participation in the
PRSP Process. World Bank, Social Protection Unit, Washington D.C. (includes
Nicaragua case study) Enzi, Christine (2003): Armutsbekämpfungsstrategien
auf dem Prüfstand. Der PRSP-Prozess in den österreichischen
Schwerpunktländern Mosambik, Nicaragua und Uganda. In: Österreichische
Forschungsstiftung für Entwicklungshilfe (ÖFSE) (ed.): Österreichische
Entwicklungspolitik. Berichte, Analysen, Informationen. Vienna, pp. 15-24. European Network on Debt and Development (EURODAD) (2002):
Private Sector Development - Pro-poor, or merely Poor, Service Delivery?
Brussels, April. (includes data on Nicaragua) Forner, Patricia (2002): How Is The Next Generation to Live?
The Enhanced HIPC II and a Strategy to Reduce Poverty in Boliva, Honduras
and Nicaragua, in: Alan Whaites (ed.): Masters of their own development?
PRSPs and the prospects for the poor, Monrovia/Kalifornien: World Vision,
pp. 110-133. Fox, James W. (2003): Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers:
Review of Private Sector Participation. USAID Development Information
Services (DIS), Washington D.C., October 31. (includes data on Nicaragua) German, Tony/Arturo J. Cruz-Sequeira (2003): Independent
Evaluation of SDC's Bilateral Engagement in the Poverty Reduction Strategy
Paper (PRSP) Process. Part 2: Case Studies - Nicaragua. Gerster Consulting/Development
Initiatives, 2 April. GTZ (2005): Making Poverty Reduction Strategies Work -Good
Practices, Issues, and Stakeholder Views-A Contribution of German Development
Cooperation for the 2005 PRSP Review May 2005. Eschborn, May. (includes
Nicaragua Good Practice sheet) GTZ (2004b): National Monitoring of Sustainable Poverty
Reduction Strategies / PRSPs. Volume 2: Country Study Nicaragua. Eschborn. Guimarães, João/Nestor Avendaño (2003):
A Strategy without Ownership? Executive Summary, Country Report Nicaragua.
Evaluation and Monitoring of Poverty Reduction, Project financed by the
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Institute
of Development Studies, The Hague, December. Helmsig, Bert et al. (2003): Descentralización, Gobernabilidad
Local e Implementación de las Estrategias de Reducción de
Pobreza en Bolivia, Honduras y Nicaragua. Evaluation of Poverty Reduction
Strategies (PRSP) in Latin America, Research project commissioned by SIDA,
Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague Heidel, Klaus (2004): Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers
- blind to the rights of the (working) child? The (I-)PRSPs' perception
of child labour. A problem outline and annotated collection of source
material. Kindernothilfe/Werkstatt Ökonomie, Duisburg/Heidelberg,
March. (includes data on Nicaragua) Hewitt, Adrian/Ian Gillson (2003): Review of the Trade and
Poverty Content in PRSPs and Loan-Related Documents. Report commissioned
by Christian Aid, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London. (includes
Nicaragua case study) High-Level Forum on the Health MDGs (2004): MDG-Orientated
Sector and Poverty Reduction Strategies: Lessons from Experience in Health.
Abuja, December. (includes data on Nicaragua) Hunt, Sarah/Yolanda Rodriguez (2004): Nicaragua [PRSP] Update.
Trócaire, Final Version, Managua, 31 August. Ibis (2001a): The PRGF, conditions, participation and ownership.
The Nicaraguan Case. November. Ibis (2001b): Input for the PRSP Review. Poverty Reduction
and Participation. June. IMF/IDA (2002b): Review of the Poverty Reduction Strategy
Paper (PRSP) Approach: Early Experience with Interim PRSPs and Full PRSPs.
Prepared by the Staffs of the IMF and World Bank, Washington DC., March
26. (includes data on Nicaragua) Knoke, Irene/Pedro Morazan (2002): PRSP: Beyond the Theory.
Practical Experiences and Positions of Involved Civil Society Organisations.
Draft for Discussion for the International GTZ-Conference "Beyond
the Review: Sustainable Poverty Alleviation & PRSP", Berlin,
May 13-16 2002. (includes data on Nicaragua) Krakowski, Michael (2004): Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers
in Lateinamerika: Nicaragua. Hamburg Institute of International Economics,
HWWA-Report 241. Ladd, Paul (2003): Too hot to handle? The absence of trade
policy from PRSPs. Christian Aid, April. (includes data on Nicaragua) Laterveer, Leontien/Louis W. Niessen/Abdo S. Yazbeck (2003):
Pro-poor health policies in poverty reduction strategies, in: Health Policy
and Planning, Vol. 18(2), pp. 139-145. (includes data on Nicaragua) Lathrop, G. (2004): Desarrollo Económico Local y
Alivio de la Pobreza en Bolivia, Honduras y Nicaragua. Evaluation of Poverty
Reduction Strategies (PRSP) in Latin America, Research project commissioned
by SIDA, Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague. Linneker, Brian (2004): Overview of the Poverty Reduction
Strategy Process in Nicaragua. Managua, March. Lineker, Brian/Ana Quirós Víquez (2005): Critical
Reflections on Progress Towards the Millenium Development Goals in Nicaragua.
Draft Report, International Cooperation in Development (ICD) & Centro
de Informacíon y Servicios de Asesoría en Salud (CISAS),
Managua, September. Linneker, Brian/Sarah Bradshaw/Ana Quirós Viquez
(2004): Evaluation of the Development and Implementation of the Poverty
Reduction Strategy in Nicaragua. Centro de Información y Servicios
de Asesoría Salud (CISAS)/Coordinadora Civil (CC), Managua, May. Lucas, Henry/David Evans/Katherine Pasteur (2004): Research
on the current state of PRS monitoring systems. Institute of Development
Studies (IDS), Discussion Paper 382, Brighton, December. (includes data
on Nicaragua) Marcus, Rachel/John Wilkinson (2002): Whose Poverty Matters?
Vulnerability, Social Protection and PRSPs. Childhood Poverty Research
and Policy Centre (CHIP), Working Paper No. 1. (includes data on Nicaragua) Mitlin, Diana (2004): Understanding Urban Poverty - What
the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers tell us. London. (includes data
on Nicaragua) OECD/DAC (2004): Role of Infrastructure in Economic Growth
and Poverty Reduction. Lessons Learned from PRSPs of 33 Countries. DAC
Network on Poverty Reduction, Berlin, October 27-29. (includes data on
Nicaragua) OECD/DAC (2003): Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) in Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) as of January 2003.
OECD, Global Forum on Knowledge Economy, Paris, 4-5 March. (includes data
on Nicaragua) O'Neill, Sally/Maura Leen (2002): PRSPs - Policy & Practice
in Honduras and Nicaragua. Trócaire's contribution to the World
Bank/IMF PRSP review process. January. Possing, Susanne (2003): Between Grassroots and Governments.
Civil Society Experiences with the PRSPs. A Study of Local Civil Society
Response to the PRSPs. Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS),
Working Paper 2003:20, Copenhagen. (includes Nicaragua case study) Richardson, Lydia & Erin Coyle (2003): Experience with
Poverty Reduction Strategies in Latin America and the Carribean, PRSP
Monitoring & Synthesis Project (=Synthesis Note 5), London: ODI, February.
(includes data on Nicaragua) Ruckert, Arne (2005): (Re-)producing Neoliberal Hegemony?
The Poverty Reduction Strategy in Nicaragua. Prepared for Delivery at
the Canadian Political Science Association Conference, Western University,
London (Ontario), June 2-4 2005. Schmidt, Mary Beth (2002): Review of the Integration of
Social Funds With Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers and Country Assistance
Strategies. Consultant's Report to Human Development Network, World Bank
Group, Washington D.C, May 31. (includes data on Nicaragua) Tharakan, Pradeep/Mia MacDonald (2004): Poverty Environment.
Developing and Testing a PRSP Evaluation Methodology. World Wildlife Fund
(WWF), Macroeconomics for Sustainable Development Program Office, November.
(includes Nicaragua case study) Trócaire (2004): Are PRSPs Combating Rural Poverty
in Honduras and Nicaragua? Lessons for a New Generation of PRSPs. Policy
Briefing, August. Viquez, Ana Quirós (2003): Nicaragua. Health in the
Poverty Reduction Strategy. October. Centre of Information and Advisory
Services on Health (CISAS), October. Viquez, Ana Quirós (2002): The PRSP Process in Nicaragua.
Participation of Civil Society. Managua, May 25. Vos, Rob/Maritza Cabezas (2004): Illusions and Disillusions
with Pro-Poor Growth. Regional Report 2004. Executive Summary. Evaluation
of Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSP) in Latin America, Research project
commissioned by SIDA, Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague. Vos, Rob et al. (2003): Can Poverty be Reduced? Experiences
with Poverty Reduction Strategies in Latin America. 2003 Regional Report.
Evaluation of Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSP) in Latin America, Research
project commissioned by SIDA, Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague,
December. Wemos/Medact (2004): Pushing the boundaries: health and
the next round of PRSPs. June. (includes data/case study on Nicaragua) World Bank Operations Evaluation Department (OED) (2004):
OED Review of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) Process. Nicaragua
Case Study. Corporate Evaluation and Methods Group, Washington D.C., July
6. World Bank Operations Evaluation Department (OED)/IMF Independent
Evaluation Office (IEO) (2005): The Poverty Reduction Strategy Initiative.
Findings from 10 Country Case Studies of World Bank and IMF Support. Washington
D.C. (includes Nicaragua case study) World Bank (2005): Poverty Reduction Support Credits: A
Stocktaking. Operations Policy and Country Services (OPCS), Washington
D.C., June 24. (includes data on Nicaragua) World Bank (2004a): Poverty Reduction Strategies: Their Importance for Disability. Disability and Development Team, Washington D.C., July 7. World Bank (2004b): A Review of Population, Reproductive
Health, and Adolescent Health & Development in Poverty Reduction Strategies.
Population and Reproductive Health Cluster/Health Nutrition and Population
Central Unit, Washington D.C., August. (includes data on Nicaragua) World Bank (2002): Participation and Civic Engagement in
Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRSP). Good Practice & Lessons Learned.
The Case of Nicaragua. World Bank, Participation and Civic Engagement
Group, Washington D.C. World Development Movement (2005): Democracy and the Poverty
Reduction Strategy process: Country cases. May. (includes short Nicaragua
case study). World Health Organization (2004): PRSPs: Their Significance
for Health: second synthesis report. Geneva. (includes data on Nicaragua) World Vision (2001): Submission to the Comprehensive Review
of the PRSP Approach. Policy and Advocacy Department. (includes data on
Nicaragua) b. Background reading Bradshaw, Sarah/Brian Lineker/Rebeca Zúniga (2001):
Social Roles and Spatial Relations of NGOs and Civil Society: Participation
and Effectiveness in Central America Post Hurricane "Mitch". Feiring, Birgitte/MRG partners (2003): Indigenous Peoples
and Poverty: The Cases of Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicragua. Minority
Rights Group International. Shamsie, Yasmine (2003): Mutual Misgivings: Civil Society
Inclusion in the Americas. Prepared for: VOICES: The Rise of Nongovernmental
Voices in Multilateral Organizations. The North-South Institute, Ottawa,
October. Willman-Navarro, Alys (2004a): Making it at the Margins:
The Criminalization of Nicaraguan Women's Labor Under Structural Reform.
Paper prepared for the Women in International Security Conference, Washington
DC, June 3-8. Willman-Navarro, Alys (2004b): Sticks as Carrots: Open Market
Operations and Internal Debt in Nicaragua. The New School University,
Graduate in International Affairs, New York/NY, April. Wils, Frits (1995): NGOs in Latin America. Past strategies,
current dilemmas, future challenges. INTRAC Occasional Paper Series No.
8, May. 4.4 Links to stakeholders involved Centro de Información y Servicios de Asesoría
en Salud (CISAS): PRSP website Research project on PRSP in Latin America (2003-2007), SIDA
& Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague/NL b. Civil society Centro de Información y Servicios de Asesoría
en Salud (CISAS) Coordinadora Civil El Observador Económico NicaNet - The Nicaragua Network Directory of Development Organizations (national / international) c. Donors / International actors Aid Harmonization & Alignment Iniatiative - Nicaragua
country profile International Monetary Fund (IMF) - Nicaragua country profile World Bank - Nicaragua country profile United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - Nicaragua
country office 4.5 General country information Development Gateway Freedom House - Nicaragua country profile A further comprehensive collection of web links can
be found at the University of Texas: http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/ca/nicaragua/
4.6 General links that also provide country-specific information European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad) International Monetary Fund (IMF) The World Bank Group Paris Club Source : www.prsp-watch.de (September 2005) © German Version: VENRO |
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