Aid managers need to consider what decentralisation means for effective aid in their particular country context. Table 1 summarises challenges identified during the evaluation, and potential aid management implications. Table 1 Summary of challenges and implications for improving services in decentralised systems Challenge Implications for presented by the Australian decentralisation aid program Responsibilities Program may be managers need distributed to decide how to across different align with national and priorities at subnational each level. This government and may require authorities. difficult and may challenge relationships. Roles and Up-to-date responsibilities information across tiers of needed to government inform often unclear. decisions, and for assessing and managing risk. Decentralisation Targeting of usually happens higher poverty unevenly, due brings with it the to stronger and risks of weaker engaging with jurisdictions. flawed and weak systems. Decentralisation Consider most may not lead to effective greater local balance accountability between for services. supporting supply and
Aid managers need to consider what decentralisation means for effective aid in their particular country context. Table 1 summarises challenges identified during the evaluation, and potential aid management implications. Table 1 Summary of challenges and implications for improving services in decentralised systems Challenge presented by decentralisation Implications for the Australian aid program Responsibilities may be distributed across different national and subnational government and authorities. Program managers need to decide how to align with priorities at each level. This may require difficult and may challenge relationships. Roles and responsibilities across tiers of government often unclear. Up-to-date information needed to inform decisions, and for assessing and managing risk. Decentralisation usually happens unevenly, due to stronger and weaker jurisdictions. Targeting of higher poverty brings with it the risks of engaging with flawed and weak systems. Decentralisation may not lead to greater local accountability for services. Consider most effective balance between supporting supply and
working-decentralised-service-systems-short-report.docx