Support to Poverty Assessment and Reduction in the Caribbean - Background
The Caribbean region has adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as a framework to reduce poverty and accelerate sustainable human development. A number of countries have designed and implemented Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRS) and some of them are in the process of integrating the MDGs into their national plans and strategies. Central to these efforts is the need to adopt a systematic and harmonised approach to data collection and analysis to support policy formulation and to monitor progress on development outcomes and in particular on poverty reduction. Research has shown that the generation of economic statistics is reasonably sound but there are significant issues related to the collection, analysis and dissemination of social statistics that limit evidence-based social policy formulation. A major contributor to this paucity of credible and reliable data is the lack of structure in the data collection processes i.e. a “systems approach” and the absence of the required technical capacity to support the required analysis. In the absence of such a structured framework, the critical component of data dissemination is compromised.
In recognising the continuing region-wide and historical systemic challenges in social data collection and poverty monitoring, the United Nations Development Programme/SRO Barbados and the OECS, in 2002 commissioned the Hutcheon Study. The study highlighted that regular surveys on social and demographic indicators do not exist with the exception of Jamaica, and even when surveys are complete, there is a tendency for limited policy analysis and links to decision-making. Poverty assessments and by extension poverty reduction strategies have been constrained by lack of access to reliable high-quality data, inadequate poverty analysis, limited spatial analysis and absence of linkages among data collectors, analysts and policy makers. Various past and current projects, through training needs assessments and MDG reporting exercises, also identified the need for integration of data collection systems and that statistical systems require harmonisation and standardisation.
Further, accurate, early and easy monitoring of poverty and welfare indicators in each country periodically is critical to reducing poverty nationally and across the region. The standard household surveys which are currently used to analyze the poverty situation in most countries are expensive, constitute a rather heavy work load and have witnessed substantial delays in processing and utilization by policy makers.
Support to Poverty Assessment and Reduction in the Caribbean
This multi-donor programme is a coordinated response designed to provide capacity building inputs to support the strengthening of poverty and MDG monitoring and social policy development systems in Caribbean countries. It has been designed to build on existing statistical support programmes developed and supported by the CARICOM, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the UN system and other development partner agencies. The participating agencies have agreed to focus their support on inputs linked to the achievement of the MDGs as well as on supporting the strengthening of national and regional capacities to systematically collect, analyze and disseminate social data to inform social policy formulation. The overall outcome of this programme is intended to result in a systematic and coherent flow of donor inputs to support a Caribbean wide system of social data capture, poverty monitoring and policy development.
SPARC has five (5) key components – building national capacity for poverty assessments; monitoring and evaluation for policy and implementation; data dissemination and advocacy; regional coordination and the development of a legislative framework. Strategically, SPARC will, through the collaboration and partnership of development partners and stakeholders:
• Support the systematic collection, analysis and dissemination of social data, leading to sustainability over the long term;
• Enhance capacity to provide high quality data, but will be at the centre of a sustainable process of continued development of policy analysis capacity;
• Support country-driven and nationally owned poverty assessment and reduction strategies;
• Strengthen country-specific poverty monitoring and evaluation frameworks and support the involvement of civil society which is expected to result in a transparent and independent monitoring platform; and
• Sensitize senior policy makers and other relevant stakeholders to research techniques and outcomes that will be critical for timely and informed decision-making.
Mode of Operations
SPARC is based on a dual modality framework and currently operates on two (2) programme streams: a) a Regional Programme; and b) bi-lateral or parallel projects. The Regional Programme, managed by UNDP/SRO Barbados and the OECS and implemented by CARICOM, consists of pooled resources contributed by UNDP, the UN system and other donor partners. Currently the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has provided funding for the execution of the parallel stream in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
Governance Mechanism
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| 2007 meeting of the Programme Steering Committee – UN House, Barbados (October 18th, 2007) |
SPARC is governed by a Programme Steering Committee (PSC) comprising high-level representation from Regional organizations, Governments and Donors. The PSC has responsibility for among other things, providing oversight for the Project; approval of Annual Work Plans and resource allocation; reviewing progress in achieving outputs, outcomes and targets under the Project; approving Project reports and reviewing implementation and programme issues and determining appropriate solutions.
Current members of the PSC are:
1. Chair – Glen Avilez, Belize
2. Beverly Harris, St. Kitts and Nevis
3. Brendalee Adderley, Bahamas
4. Carol Salim, Trinidad and Tobago
5. Vanessa Profit, Guyana
6. Dr. Philomen Harrison, CARICOM Secretariat
7. Franzia Edwards, CARICOM Secretariat
8. Leisa Perch, United Nations Development Programme
9. Thomas Gittens, United Nations Development Programme
10. Koen Rossel-Cambier, United Nations Children’s Fund
11. Dr. Letnie Rock, University of the West Indies – Cave Hill Campus
12. Dr. Sterling Mungal, European Commission
13. Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
14. McDonald Thomas, Caribbean Development Bank
15. Phyllis Roett, Canadian International Development Agency
16. Sharon Miller, Inter-American Development Bank
17. Amory Hamilton-Henry, SPARC Coordinator
The PSC is supported in its functions by the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), with membership drawn from CARICOM, OECS, CDB, UNDP, IDB, UWI, two Country Representatives; one of whom is the chair of the PSC. A PDF report compiled from the last PSC meeting held at UN House, Barbados on October 18th, 2007 can be read by clicking here (Adobe Acrobat Reader required).
