Mid-Term Review of the AGIR Programme - Sida
Mid-Term Review of the AGIR Programme - Sida
Mid-Term Review of the AGIR Programme - Sida
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2 F I N D I N G S<br />
2.3.4 <strong>AGIR</strong> CSO Partners and <strong>the</strong> Range <strong>of</strong> Activities<br />
According to <strong>the</strong> approved <strong>AGIR</strong> strategic planning programme document, <strong>the</strong> quantitative<br />
target for <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> partnerships to be established by <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> programme<br />
in 2014 was 39 CSOs. However this target has already been bypassed, as <strong>the</strong><br />
number <strong>of</strong> active partnerships established has now reached 43. 22 Additionally, o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
interested prospective or ‘emerging’ partners are currently in <strong>the</strong> process <strong>of</strong> being<br />
enrolled in <strong>the</strong> programme, qualifying (or not) through recently-undertaken partner<br />
evaluation processes.<br />
One reason for this expansion <strong>of</strong> partners is <strong>the</strong> addition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> intermediary organisation,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Swedish Cooperative Center – SCC, that became operationalised within<br />
<strong>AGIR</strong> in 2011, one year later than <strong>the</strong> three original intermediaries. An additional<br />
reason is that <strong>the</strong> intermediaries, through early partnership assessments, soon found<br />
that very few CSOs qualified for long-term core partnerships as <strong>the</strong>ir capacity, particularly<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir institutional capacity, was lower than expected. 23 More CSOs were <strong>the</strong>n<br />
supported in institutional streng<strong>the</strong>ning through nursery funds, thus increasing <strong>the</strong><br />
pool <strong>of</strong> potential partners.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> review team’s initial contact with <strong>the</strong> <strong>AGIR</strong> intermediaries, it learned that <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>AGIR</strong> programme was originally meant to focus on national/central level CSOs.<br />
However, <strong>the</strong> intermediaries found that an approach that integrates relevant CSOs at<br />
<strong>the</strong> local level would ensure critical linkages and provide a much sounder and more<br />
sustainable basis for <strong>the</strong> programme. As a result, locally-based CSOs are now being<br />
recruited into <strong>the</strong> programme. This adaptation to <strong>the</strong> programme parameters will be<br />
discussed later in <strong>the</strong> report.<br />
Within <strong>the</strong> scope <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> current four <strong>the</strong>matic components <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>AGIR</strong> programme,<br />
<strong>the</strong> current partners comprise different types <strong>of</strong> CSOs, which can be characterised as<br />
follows:<br />
Human Rights-Based CSOs: e.g. <strong>the</strong> Human Rights League and a range <strong>of</strong><br />
more specialised organisations focusing on issues such as women/gender, <strong>the</strong><br />
youth, children, <strong>the</strong> elderly, people living with HIV/AIDS and <strong>the</strong> disabled.<br />
While many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se organisations are Maputo based, at least two are locally<br />
based, i.e. Akhilizeto in Nampula province and Magariro in Manica province<br />
working with community rights and decentralised consultative councils (IP-<br />
CCs).<br />
22 This number does not include some partner organisations whose contracts have been suspended,<br />
due to non-adherence to internal governance criteria, <strong>the</strong>se measures relate to - MONASO, MEPT,<br />
and MISA.<br />
23 MASC was faced with a similar situation <strong>of</strong> CSOs with low capacity and as such, was also forced to<br />
start with fewer qualified CSOs than expected.<br />
39