swiss cooperation strategy for mongolia 2007-2012 - Deza - admin.ch

SWISS COOPERATION STRATEGY FOR MONGOLIA 2007-2012
B. Strategic Principles and Transversal Themes (TT)
The program will contribute to MDG #1:
Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; MDG #3:
Gender; MDG #7: Sustainable natural resource
management; and local MoDG #9: Strengthen
Human Rights and Foster Democratic Governance.
SDC will foster harmonization at the sector and
project level through close coordination with other
donors in order to use development assistance more
effectively and efficiently. SDC will also support the
harmonization agenda of the Government.
Governance will be a transversal theme (TT)
throughout the program to address key issues for
Mongolia’s development, such as mining rights,
effective public services, and land and water
rights. A few specific programs will be developed
as for example the introcuction and nationa-wide
replication of One-Stop-Shops. Likewise, SDC will
mainstream gender (TT) into its programs, and
support specific gender initiatives on key issues
such as human trafficking, equitable access to
land, participation in the management of natural
resources and the distribution of additional income
and labor within the value chains. SDC will link
its grass-roots experience with evidence based
policy dialog and work towards improved social
accountability 6 . It will promote pro-poor growth,
and support actions to strengthen the civil society
contributing to capacity development for effective
natural resource management by the users.
SDC will follow the Rights based approach
comprising the principles of equality and equity,
accountability, empowerment and participation.
SDC will primarily aim at empowering the poor to
express their concerns freely, and advocate their
causes in sector development strategies, program
design and implementation.
Capacity development at the individual and
the institutional levels of national partners is crucial.
Within its programs SDC promotes young people,
works with a long-term perspective, and possesses
clear exit strategies. It favors national implementation
of people-centered and result-oriented programs
with international backstopping support. This is in
line with the strategies pursued by other key donors
to create national ownership. Backstoppers provide
technical inputs and the NPOs need to have the
capacity for effective program monitoring and
financial controlling.
6 Social accountability (SAc) entails efforts to foster accountability, transparency
and responsiveness of public institutions through civic engagement. These
efforts focus largely on improving public governance, notably in the
formulation a monitoring of public policies and budgets, and delivery of
public services. Social accountability can also empower citizens, especially
poor citizens, and help to promote inclusive and accountable institutions. In
turn, this can enhance the political legitimacy and stability of a government,
and strengthen social cohesion.
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