Mid-Term Review of the AGIR Programme - Sida

2 findings
4 Recommendations
The key recommendations are as follows:
Intermediaries Coordination Role
The intermediary management body – ICC – needs to concentrate more on
programme-level strategic planning, the coordination of implementation activities,
consistent data collection and reporting on programme results. This
could be accomplished by the ICC as it exists as this insight is not simply
about the creation of another level of management, but rather the need to take
a different view of the purpose of the management. The need for the programme
to be seen and to function as a programme is essential to its sustainability.
From this perspective, harmonisation is an end in itself, and is an outcome
that the AGIR programme should work towards. While it can be said
that there is recognition of this need among the intermediaries, each has been
extremely cautious in suggesting how this process could work to make it happen.
An open and focused discussion should take place between the intermediaries
on the future and increased role of the ICC and technical support
groups.
The AGIR programme should focus on promoting a wider discussion on donor
coordination in support to civil society, focusing on ways of attaining
more specialisation, avoiding duplications and promoting a wider-range of areas
for potential funding to other organisations that do not fall under AGIR
areas. This does not necessarily mean closing the programme for additional
funding, but means, above all, making the programme a good contributor to
the strengthening of civil society sustainability, facilitating processes of diversification
of funding, but in a context of a better coordination, sharing of information
and a strategic focus on capacity development. This would also improve
the visibility of the AGIR programme among donors and civil society in
general.
Intermediaries need to continue lobbying for common and core funding, and
intensified capacity development in fundraising. The AGIR programme needs
to increase its capacity strengthening activities that include fundraising skills
and strategies. Particular attention should be paid to strategies that enhance
emerging and local partners, which are particularly vulnerable.
The AGIR intermediaries need to strategise and plan for the wider implications
of intensified joint effort to improve outcomes in gender and HIV/AIDS.
This should be done through a careful review of the joint outcomes for cross-
73