Poverty reduction strategies

Poverty Reduction Strategies

Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRS's) are national development plans produced by developing country governments, to help guide their efforts towards poverty reduction.

PRS's should have six important features. They should:

• be developed by the country, its government, and its people, not by outsiders
• focus on results, not how much money is spent
• take account of all the things that keep people poor
• tackle the most pressing issues first
• bring together the government, donors, civil society, business and the public, in a joint effort
• focus on long-term goals

World Vision UK has recently released an important piece of research on PRS's, following extensive research in Bolivia and Zambia. It argues amongst other things, for a greater involvement of civil society in the planning and implementation of PRS's.

We have been using this research in our work with the UK government's Department for International Development, the European Commission, the World Bank and with our offices in developing countries, to help make these important strategies as effective as possible.