As part of efforts to build international benchmarks for the quality of public spending and promote informed decisions on resource allocations in developing countries, the Transparency and Accountability Program (TAP) and Global Development Network co-hosted the first peer review workshop for the Strengthening Institutions program in Prague on January 13th-15th. The workshop brought together representatives from the program’s 15 partner organizations to examine their analyses to date on program budgeting and benefit incidence in their nations’ health, education, and water sectors. They also participated in training sessions to shape the next phase of the project focusing on measuring cost effectiveness.

As a result of the workshop, partners now have clear ideas of how to revise and strengthen the studies they’ve already conducted and how best to move forward with their cost effectiveness analysis. Proposed reforms will be presented to senior government and donor officials of each country in phases over the next few years.

To learn more about the Strengthening Institutions program, go to: http://www.gdnet.org/cms.php?id=dfid_funded_project.

The 15 partners are located in developing countries and transition economies:

Advanced Social Technologies (AST) - Armenia
Center for Economics and Development Studies (CEDS) Faculty of Economics, Padjadjaran University – Indonesia
Center for Research and Communication (CRC) – Philippines
Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS) – India
Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth (CIPPEC) - Argentina
Center for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) – Nigeria
Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) – Uganda
Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) – Tanzania
Fundación para el Desarrollo de Guatemala (FUNDESA) – Guatemala
Graduate School of Public Administration and Public Policy (EGAP, Tecnológico de Monterrey University) – Mexico
Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) - Kenya
Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) – Ghana
Policy Research and Development (PRAD) – Nepal
Research Center of the University of the Pacific (CIUP) – Peru
Unnayan Shamannay (US) - Bangladesh