Mid-Term Review of the AGIR Programme - Sida

2 F I N D I N G S
number of position papers have been published in relation to a variety of issues in the
four sub-programmes, resulting in increased visibility or more tangible immediate
results. The capacity to document and share lessons learned and publish research/
studies varies across partners, with organisations with longstanding experience performing
better. Although joint positioning is emerging, it still tends to be individualised
among the partner organisations, where some perform better and more frequently
than others.
The outcomes of the AGIR thematic areas are particularly difficult to assess, taking
into account the multiplicity of activities and the scope of work of the many CSO
partners. The reporting on these areas mainly focuses on activities and still reflects
the repeatedly-mentioned difficulties of partners to report on results, and to impact
and demonstrate them with evidence. Consequently, considerable outcomes have
been achieved through the implementation of the programme, but meagre evidence
about the impact has been produced in the thematic areas. Generally, the programme
contributes to the strengthening of the capacity of the partners to improve in their
input in the thematic areas. However there are also other organisations that do not
benefit from AGIR support in most of the areas in which they operate, thus making
the attribution of impact very difficult.
The reliance on partners’ strategic plans, combined with a strict vision of good donorship
that prevents the programme from proposing appropriate courses of action, can
be an obstacle to the attainment of the AGIR objectives. It also poses a challenge to
the analysis of the value of the outcomes for the programme objectives, since different
organisation’s strategic objectives, even if aggregated by a programme, do not
necessarily demonstrate a clear process of change in the same direction. Following a
coherent pathway of change through the various spheres of influence to intended outcomes
within a programme like AGIR becomes much more difficult when the ability
to link various organisational levels through strategic plans that show linkages between
the programme to CSO to beneficiaries does not exist.
On progress towards outcomes in sub-programme managed by IBIS
The sub-programme managed by IBIS comprises four thematic specific objectives.
Progress has been made towards reaching outcomes under all four objectives 27
through a number of activities that are fairly evenly distributed in three of the four
rights to land).
27 Immediate Objective 1: Citizens are empowered to demand accountability from public bodies.
Immediate Objective 2: Citizens across Mozambique have access to quality information from a
plural, principled and gender balanced media; Immediate Objective 3: Citizens’ right to public information
is respected and supported by a strong legal framework; Immediate Objective 4: Enabling
an environment for freedom of information, expression and the press.
55