Independent Evaluation

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Special Evaluation Study on Involvement of Civil Society Organizations in Asian Development Bank Operations
Completed: 2006

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recognizes the growing role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Asia and Pacific region's development, and interacts with international, country, and grassroots CSOs. Further, ADB policies acknowledge the importance of capacity building and institutional development support to CSOs to strengthen this role in its operations.

However, the involvement of country CSOs, which include grassroots CSOs or community-based organizations, in ADB operations has not been analyzed or evaluated sufficiently. This gap needs to be filled, because ADB and the international community are placing more emphasis on the role of country systems and national organizations in leading the development agenda.

This report undertook a desk study comparison of loans, grants from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR), technical assistance (TA) funded by grants from the Poverty Reduction Cooperation Fund (PRF) and the National Poverty Reduction Strategy (NPRS), and other TAs.

  Summary of Findings

• Country Strategy and Programming (CSP) Processes
  ADB's capacity to engage CSOs effectively in the CSP process has been strengthened in recent years. Despite the increased consultations, the concerns of grassroots organizations and beneficiaries might not always be reflected effectively in CSP formulation.



• Loan, TA, and Grant Operations
  The typology of CSO involvement in ADB operations is increasingly diverse. However, CSO involvement in strategically important areas, such as policy advocacy and monitoring and evaluation, is comparatively rare.



• Capacity Building
  The increase in ADB spending on CSO capacity building focuses on organizational development of grassroots CSOs, such as water users associations and farmers' groups. However, where CSOs are involved in network development, their role is usually narrow, focusing mainly on facilitating information exchange and communication related to short-term project implementation issues.



• Governance and Anticorruption
  The strategies for involving civil society as partners in implementing ADB governance and anticorruption polices are weak.



• Gender and Development (GAD)
  The strategy for involving CSOs in implementing GAD policies has been effective, particularly in its long-term approach and early focus on institutional capacity building by putting in place appropriate legislation and regulations in DMCs.



• Knowledge Management Processes
  ADB has made progress in developing the processes for knowledge creation and capture regarding CSO involvement in ADB operations. Much of this knowledge, however, is based on qualitative, rather than quantitative, data and information.

  Key recommendations

• Strengthening quality-at-entry processes for CSO involvement in ADB operations based on a systemic analysis of previous good practices, and allocating the resources for CSO involvement in the design of projects that envision this involvement.



• Enhancing CSO involvement in CSP formulation and reviews whenever appropriate in the country context and the design of the program.



• Enhancing CSO partnership capacity in thematic and sectoral policy formulation and implementation by making a greater effort to harness the skills and capabilities of CSOs in the fight against corruption.



• Strengthening ADB knowledge management systems for CSO Involvement through (a) formulating criteria and categories for good practice of CSO involvement, and (b) improved categorization of ADB resident mission information systems on CSOs and improved knowledge retrieval by ADB headquarters.