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8
Aid Eff ec� veness and Gender
Responsive Budge� ng:
Nepal’s Expericence
96
Changing paradigms of aid eff ec� veness in Nepal
-Mina Acharya
THE Paris Declara� on (2005) laid down fi ve principles to increase aid
eff ec� veness, namely na� onal ownership; alignment of assistance to na� onal
priori� es; harmoniza� on and coordina� on of donor support; managing for
development with results and transparency; and mutual accountability.
The principle of ownership requires engagement of ci� zens in na� onal
planning and priority se� ng processes in the country as well as ownership
of the objec� ves and plans and programs by the respec� ve country
governments. Women are o� en not included in such processes and their
priori� es fully not refl ected in the development policies and na� onal plans.
In Nepal, the grass roots women have had li� le voice and infl uence in such
processes (MOWCSW\UNDP\MGEP, 2004). Only during the prepara� on of
the Tenth Plan/PRSP (2002-2007) some consulta� on with women's groups
from na� onal to the regional level took place. However, they have had
li� le infl uence on the budge� ng process. Since the introduc� on of GRB in
2007/08 things are changing somewhat. Women's groups and advocates are
being consulted with at least at the na� onal level. Impact of their voice on
infl uencing policies is s� ll few and far between.
Alignment requires that donor priori� es are set in consulta� on with the
country concerned and that they are in line with the na� onal priori� es.
There are several mechanisms of achieving such alignment, including
Direct Budget Support, which is the support to sectors and programs that