Is the Claim that PRSPs Increase National Ownership of Programmes Assignment

Is the Claim that PRSPs Increase National Ownership of Programmes through Extensive Participation Substantiated in Specific Country Contexts - Assignment Example The adoption by local governments of policies advanced by international donor organizations like the IMF and World Bank often leaves doubt about the amount of relevance that they have for the states represented by these local governments. Ownership can be considered as influenced by the extent to which the PRSP reflects policies tailored to fit the needs of the individual country, and this might be seen as indicative of the amount of involvement (at all levels of the society) granted the nation in its compilation.   Previous attempts at formulating written strategies for reducing poverty (such as the Policy Framework Paper) had resulted in almost the entire document’s being drafted by the IFI in question (Piron & Evans, 2004). The PRSP differs in that it must be drafted by the country hoping to receive the grant or debt cancellation. Ownership can be called into question on more than one level. First, ownership by the local government can be questioned because of the nature of the document. The fact that grants and debt cancellations are dependent on its completion and approval by the IFI raises doubts as to whether the policies represented will originate with and reflect the needs of the recipient government and not the donor groups. Doubts also arise concerning the extent to which the nation as a whole may be said to own the PRSP, as internal frictions and disjointedness within the levels of government as well as between and among local non-governmental organizations may also prevent the document’s being representative of the different levels and sections of society. The meaning of the term â€Å"participation† is also relevant in the consideration of ownership of PRSP’s. Participation can range from cursory and superficial consultation of the local governments on the one hand, to (on the other hand) the empowerment of that government by entrusting it with a decision-making part in the process.