View Research by Author - Ritu Nayyar-Stone

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Citation URL: http://www.urban.org/RituNayyarStone

In response to the challenges posed by the Millennium Development Goals, the key stakeholders in international development set out a new agenda to improve the effectiveness of aid. This agenda, embodied in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, articulates a series of commitments reflected by the following tenets: ownership, alignment, harmonization, managing for results, and mutual accountability. The goal of this study was to identify lessons learned from the application of the Paris Declaration tenets in the infrastructure sector and, specifically, to determine whether the unique characteristics of this sector result in unique challenges and opportunities for implementing the tenets. This report, submitted to the Steering Committee by The Urban Institute, presents detailed findings on the Study on Aid Effectiveness in the Infrastructure Sector.

The conceptual and legal framework for the development of an effective system of local governance in Pakistan was created in July 2001, and a review of the Local Government Ordinance of 2001 reveals that the rules and procedures to govern the process have been set in place. Yet, four and a half years into devolution, political decentralization has not been followed by adequate administrative and fiscal decentralization to ensure quality service delivery to the public. This report assesses the progress and challenges of effective and efficient service delivery in the health, education, and water sectors, local fiscal roles and responsibilities, and local government accountability and citizen participation under devolution. Conclusions presented in the report focus on "governance" issues impeding successful devolution. Many of the recommendations are aimed at donor organizations and several are already being addressed by ongoing USAID projects.

To measure lasting effects of nonprofit programs, clients must be tracked after they leave services. Information on status at some point later--perhaps three, six, nine, or 12 months--is needed to measure outcomes, to assess program results, and to identify needed improvements. Drawing from lessons learned by community-based nonprofits, the guide offers practical advice on how to collect these data efficiently, successfully, and at reasonable cost. Primarily geared to meet the needs of nonprofit managers and professional social service staff, it offers step-by-step procedures, model materials (including planning tools and feedback forms), and suggestions for keeping costs low.

This study reviews worldwide experience in local public real estate asset management. A primary objective was to demonstrate the relationship between strategic real property asset management and financial and other municipal planning. Two topics—financial implications of municipal real property asset management and public housing asset management—are considered in detail. The report concludes with a set of recommendations for central and local governments and implications for the World Bank.

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