Data needs of a donor Rob Swinkels Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Netherlands aid We’re spending € 4.5 bn per year on aid We’re spending € 4.5 bn per year on aid Large part of the Dutch public believes this is wasted Large part of the Dutch public believes this is wasted So we intensified our efforts to monitor and communicate results So we intensified our efforts to monitor and communicate results

Monitoring results In 2011, we collected ‘result formats’ from 33 embassies, 160 in total In 2011, we collected ‘result formats’ from 33 embassies, 160 in total These are completed by embassy staff These are completed by embassy staff Structure of format: context, problem description, intervention logic, results achieved, what went less well, lessons learned, resources spent Structure of format: context, problem description, intervention logic, results achieved, what went less well, lessons learned, resources spent These ‘result formats’ will all be put online and made available to the public These ‘result formats’ will all be put online and made available to the public

Aligning to country systems We do very little ‘own’ projects. Instead we work through country’s own programmes. We do very little ‘own’ projects. Instead we work through country’s own programmes. But we donot want to ‘claim’ a country’s result. But we donot want to ‘claim’ a country’s result. We want to show what progress countries are making We want to show what progress countries are making And what contribution we have made to that And what contribution we have made to that No standard indicators No standard indicators

So the embassies rely on national monitoring systems of a country. And national statistical systems. So the embassies rely on national monitoring systems of a country. And national statistical systems. Good news: Data on some key standard indicators are increasingly available (e.g. school enrolment, access to improved drinking water). Problem: but we lack data on indicators that show the real results.

We need data on results that matter Examples Is poverty coming down? Is farmer income and or food security improving? Reproductive health: are women able to access and use birth control measures? How about protection against Hiv/AIDS, such as condom use? Sanitation: Are people actually applying hygienic practices at home - washing hands (behavioural change)?

We need data on results that matter More examples Education: are teachers showing up in class? Are children learning anything at school? Security and crime: is it improving? Are women feeling safer? (Sexual violence) Environment: is the quality of the environment being maintained or improving?

We need data on results that matter (2) We need disaggregated data: by administratative units and by gender We need disaggregated data: by administratative units and by genderExamples: Quality of service delivery by local governments, is it improving? (Citizen feedback) Quality of service delivery by local governments, is it improving? (Citizen feedback) The local investment climate, how does it differ across the country? Are local entrepreneurs saying it is improving? (Entrepreneurs feedback) The local investment climate, how does it differ across the country? Are local entrepreneurs saying it is improving? (Entrepreneurs feedback) Accountability of local governments and service delivery agents. Are they becoming more transparent? Are people – especially women - more involved in decision making? Accountability of local governments and service delivery agents. Are they becoming more transparent? Are people – especially women - more involved in decision making? Local level corruption: does it exist and who suffers from it? Is it improving? Local level corruption: does it exist and who suffers from it? Is it improving?

Conclusion Without more and better data, we cannot demonstrate that countries we support are making ‘real’ progress Without more and better data, we cannot demonstrate that countries we support are making ‘real’ progress It is not just about results of Dutch aid. We want these data to be available and used by countries themselves, It is not just about results of Dutch aid. We want these data to be available and used by countries themselves, we want to see more debate in our partner countries, based on good data we want to see more debate in our partner countries, based on good data