KYRGYZSTAN TODAY Policy briefs on - Department of Geography
KYRGYZSTAN TODAY Policy briefs on - Department of Geography
KYRGYZSTAN TODAY Policy briefs on - Department of Geography
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Kyrgyzstan” Foundati<strong>on</strong>, would provide a real opportunity for NGOs to participate in<br />
m<strong>on</strong>itoring and evaluati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> programs, including the CDS.<br />
Currently, the Asian Development Bank provides financial assistance to develop a<br />
matrix <strong>of</strong> indicators for m<strong>on</strong>itoring and evaluating the CDS and its regi<strong>on</strong>al programs.<br />
Am<strong>on</strong>g the c<strong>on</strong>sultants working in the regi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> the Republic and in cities <strong>of</strong> Bishkek<br />
and Osh are representatives <strong>of</strong> the n<strong>on</strong>-governmental sector. The early launch <strong>of</strong> pilot<br />
projects by the “Soros-Kyrgyzstan” Foundati<strong>on</strong> and other interested d<strong>on</strong>ors would<br />
increasingly involve civil society in m<strong>on</strong>itoring and evaluating the CDS and other socioec<strong>on</strong>omic<br />
programs.<br />
As indicated above, <strong>on</strong>e important issue <strong>of</strong> NGO participati<strong>on</strong> in the process <strong>of</strong><br />
m<strong>on</strong>itoring and evaluati<strong>on</strong> is the training <strong>of</strong> NGO representatives. They should be<br />
able to use tools for m<strong>on</strong>itoring and evaluating the CDS and the programs <strong>of</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al<br />
development. Unfortunately, discussi<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the issue with some representatives <strong>of</strong> NGOs<br />
has shown a low level <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essi<strong>on</strong>alism; i.e., they are unready to effectively use these<br />
tools.<br />
It is well-known that the nati<strong>on</strong>’s development strategy was developed mainly by<br />
public bodies (Ministries, state committees, agencies and provincial and district state<br />
administrati<strong>on</strong>s). At the same time, independent experts, including representatives <strong>of</strong><br />
the n<strong>on</strong>-governmental sector, also participated in developing certain aspects <strong>of</strong> the CDS.<br />
For example, 14 members <strong>of</strong> the working group, established by the order <strong>of</strong> Bishkek’s<br />
Mayor, participated in the work <strong>of</strong> the Bishkek development program “Favorite city”<br />
for 2008 - 2010. Half <strong>of</strong> them were experts from NGOs.<br />
Those NGO representatives who participated in the elaborati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> some comp<strong>on</strong>ents<br />
<strong>of</strong> the CDS and its regi<strong>on</strong>al programs could successfully participate in m<strong>on</strong>itoring and<br />
evaluating these programs. Today, governmental bodies do not object to the participati<strong>on</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> NGOs in m<strong>on</strong>itoring and evaluati<strong>on</strong>. However, they want NGOs to m<strong>on</strong>itor and<br />
evaluate those parts <strong>of</strong> the program in which the human and financial resources <strong>of</strong><br />
governmental bodies are insufficient. For example, the Bishkek Development Program<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tains 29 new indicators that have not been previously recorded. This caused difficulties<br />
in m<strong>on</strong>itoring and evaluati<strong>on</strong> by the specialists <strong>of</strong> municipal bodies. The specialists<br />
(in particular, the Office <strong>of</strong> Ec<strong>on</strong>omic Development <strong>of</strong> Bishkek City Administrati<strong>on</strong>)<br />
asked program developers to help determine the values <strong>of</strong> those indicators. But neither<br />
the developers nor independent experts from NGOs were able to help in this effort. It<br />
turned out that the NGOs were not involved in developing a methodology to determine<br />
the values <strong>of</strong> these indicators, because it was not their task. Representatives from NGOs<br />
argue that this would have required additi<strong>on</strong>al resources, including financial, because<br />
determining the values <strong>of</strong> certain new indicators would require more work in the form<br />
<strong>of</strong> questi<strong>on</strong>naires and surveys <strong>of</strong> the populati<strong>on</strong> or specific target groups. Due to the<br />
lack <strong>of</strong> funding, governmental bodies were similarly unable to perform this work. They<br />
would like this to be d<strong>on</strong>e by NGOs, with financial support from external or internal<br />
d<strong>on</strong>ors.<br />
NGOs already have enough work in the area <strong>of</strong> m<strong>on</strong>itoring and evaluating the CDS.<br />
Experience has shown that many NGOs wish to participate in the process <strong>of</strong> m<strong>on</strong>itoring<br />
and evaluati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the CDS and its regi<strong>on</strong>al programs. For instance, NGOs I work for<br />
tried to help develop the CDS. We participated in seminars organized by the President’s<br />
Administrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the Kyrgyz Republic. By the end <strong>of</strong> <strong>on</strong>e workshop, we sent to the<br />
President’s Administrati<strong>on</strong> proposals and comments for inclusi<strong>on</strong> in the CDS. However,<br />
we have still not received any resp<strong>on</strong>se, neither positive nor negative. Other NGOs have<br />
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