TILITONSE THEORY OF CHANGE & LINKAGE WITH POLITICAL ECONOMY ANALYSIS Mrs. Asiyati Lorraine Chiweza (PhD, MPA, BsocSc) Senior Lecturer Chancellor College, University of Malawi Department of Political and Administrative Studies P.O Box 280, ZOMBA E-mail: achiweza2001@yahoo.co.uk 27 February, 2013, Wamkulu Palace, LILONGWE

Outline of the Presentation Theories of Change in perspective Tilitonse’s Theory of change, Background & linkage with Political Economy Analysis? How will CSO projects achieve Tilitonse programme results

The Tilitonse Theory of Change What is a theory of change? A set of related assumptions or statements about how something happens/change occurs. ‘An explanation of the causal links that relate program inputs to expected program outputs, outcomes, and impacts’ (Weiss, 1998). Usually each funding organisation or programme has got its own- explicit or implicit.

VARIOUS FUND GRANTING BODIES/PROGRAMMES WITH DIFFERENT THEORIES, TARGETING DIFFERENT CORNERS BUT ALL WORKING TOWARDS ONE GOAL IMPROVING GOVERNANCE IN MALAWI DCP LIULATHU USAID,ODI, AUSAID OPEN SOCIETY INDIVIDUAL DONORS: DFID, GIZ, IRISH-AID NORWEGIAN, EU TILITONSE

Three important elements/ questions a programmes TOC addresses What is (are) the main development/Governance problem (s) that the project/programme wants to address? 1. Development/Governance Problem What change does the programme want to achieve? (Outcomes and impacts) 2. Desired Change How does the programme want to achieve the desired change? 3. How to achieve the desired change

TILITONSE: IMPROVED CITIZEN VOICE & IMPROVED GOVERNANCE

What is Governance? The exercise of economic, political, and administrative authority to manage a country’s affairs at all levels. It comprises mechanisms, processes, and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests (needs), exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations, and mediate their differences (UNDP).

Why Governance- Tilitonse & MGDS II MGDS II Theme 5: Malawi Government recognizes that the successful implementation of its development strategy depends on the prevalence of good governance. It states that: Broad based growth and improvement in the quality of life and social wellbeing flourishes with good democratic governance. Good governance keeps in check distortionary incentives and ensures equitable allocation and distribution of public resources This suggests that context for development matters. Implementation of development interventions has to take into account an understanding of the institutional, political, and cultural context in which they are being implemented.

TILITONSE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT: 1. Development is not JUST a technical exercise but also political one Sustainable development, growth and poverty reduction cannot be achieved without capable and accountable governance which is largely dependent on getting the right kind of politics. Development interventions in many places have not faired well because development is often treated as a wholly rational and technocratic process. Driven by the assumption that interventions or policies can mostly rely on universal, dependable ‘best formulae’ that can simply be taken off the shelf and implemented according to the accompanying prescriptions. e.g. liberalization, decentralisation policy, domestic violence bill More resources to organisations will do the trick. Capacity building of citizens and other actors will solve the problem

In reality, While issues of resources and capacity may be part of the equation, you have various actors with vested interests whose actions and decisions impact on the implementation of the interventions/policies. These actors either block or support change. It depends on the balance of power. ‘Institutions’ (rules of the game regulating those interventions/policies) . Sometimes interventions only deal with the tip of the iceberg hence anecdotal and temporal successes

2. Development is a collective action problem Development depends on solving collective action problems which require different interest groups to find ways of cooperating to produce positive some outcomes, and deliver broad public benefits Thus development entails building and sustaining relationships between stakeholders who often have sharp differences in commitments, capacity and outlook Development is rather a ‘wicked problem’ to be addressed through collaboration than a ‘tame problem’ amenable to negotiation and conventional plans or ‘a critical problem’ that can be solved through short-term coercion Absence of development can often be explained by the failure of interest groups to cooperate around common goals

Development/Governance Challenges Tilitonse is targeting Tilitonse has identified three key governance problems at the national & local that impact on Malawi’s development goals and delivery of public goods and services: 1. Low levels of inclusiveness i.e. Minimal VOICE or non transformative levels of citizen participation and influence in various governance processes with particular focus on the exclusion of some groups. 2. Inadequate accountability i.e. of duty bearers in the public sphere for their actions, inaction and decisions. 3. Inadequate responsiveness i.e. Failure of duty bearers to sufficiently respond to citizen inputs and demands in accordance with the principles of democratic governance

Tilitonse Desired Developmental/Governance changes Strengthened citizen voice should lead to improved governance Inclusivity – hitherto various stakeholders & excluded groups within a particular issue are taking an active part and actually influencing outcomes. Ensure that the interests of the poor and excluded are heard; Further the interests (at the same time) of more powerful groups; and Enhance (through this combination) the potential influence over government Accountability - duty bearers at the different levels of the state/government or any other public arena providing explanations willingly or compelled to do so, for their actions, inactions, decisions or indecisions. Responsiveness – public duty bearers responding favourably to voices from below or showing dutiful consideration of the same.

Key Proposition of the Tilitonse Theory of Change Given this background and the desired changes the key proposition of the Tilitonse theory of Change: Strengthened citizen voice and action for institutional change will lead to better governance in terms of inclusivity, accountability, and responsiveness.

How will the desired changes be achieved? The programme hopes to contribute to the achievement of the desired developmental changes by supporting CSOs to implement projects that will deliver four key outputs: Increased capacity of citizens, especially the poor and excluded groups, to claim their rights. Increased access to information on rights, entitlements and responsibilities especially for poor and excluded citizens. Strengthened monitoring by Malawian organisations of public policy and budget commitments, service delivery and public resource management at both national and local levels. Improved engagement of Malawian organisations in influencing policies, strategies and resource allocations at local and national levels .

What does this mean? Merely raising citizen voice while it is important is not enough as it assumes a listening government. The key issue for the Malawi is how to get listening public authorities at various levels (national & local). Citizen voice and citizen action are not ends in themselves. They are a means to institutional change that delivers the desired results. However, institutional change depends on the balance of power between those who want change and those who oppose it. This is a profoundly political process. We therefore need to have a good grasp of the institutions surrounding the issues we are dealing with, and the policy processes behind these issues, and the interests and incentives of those who oppose and support some. changes.

How will CSO projects achieve programme results? Through the application of the THEORY OF CHANGE Proposed CSO projects need to speak to the theory of change and to any of the four key outputs. Tilitonse is encouraging collaboration and not confrontation, working together and not in isolation. ‘MUTU UMODZI SUSENZA DENGA’ Because development is a collective action problem, effective citizen action is not about individuals acting in isolation. It is about collective action through coalitions of interests and social groups. By employing Political Economy Analysis to diagnose problems and develop, implement, monitor and evaluate relevant interventions Tilitonse would like to encourage and build capacity of CSOs to use Political Economy Analysis tools to aid problem in order to strategically identify governance problems , appropriate interventions, and entry points By understanding actors, their interests and incentives, politics of policy processes, and institutions surrounding the issue of interest in order to determine which actors to target and work with, when and how.

Why Political Economy Analysis? World over there has been increasing recognition of the key role politics plays in development . Development is increasingly seen not just as a technocratic process but as an inherently political process. Politics determines How resources are used and policies are made. How certain policies are implemented Why policies succeed or fail Who benefits or does not benefit from policy programmes Therefore solutions/interventions need to be based on a good understanding of both political & technocratic factors