NZAID

Leadership and governance

Snapshot

Eliminating poverty is extremely difficult, if not impossible, in situations where there is not effective, accountable leadership and governance.

Leadership and governance covers a very broad range of activities, and is an essentiaI part of NZAID's poverty elimination efforts. It includes, amongst other things, accountable democratic institutions, sound economic governance, effective management and delivery of services by public sector agencies, and the relationships between the state and other interest groups, including civil society and the poor themselves.

Effective governance is essential if poor people are to participate in broader economic development opportunities, and to have access to essential services such as health and education. Ultimately, development assistance is largely ineffective unless key components of good governance are in place.

Reflecting the importance and scope of governance, NZAID is currently spending approximately 30 percent of its Pacific budget on strengthening leadership and governance.

NZAID priorities

Development assistance has greater impact and is more effective in the presence of good governance, including good leadership.

NZAID's programmes aim to strengthen governance at regional, national and local levels, including the relationships between state actors and wider society.

Support for strengthening leadership and governance in the Pacific covers a variety of programmes which aim to:

  • improve economic and financial decision-making and management
  • increase public sector effectiveness in the identification and delivery of key services to meet societal needs
  • strengthen participatory governance, through the full inclusion of civil society (including the private sector)
  • strengthen law and justice, including access to justice and community safety
  • provide media training and the promotion of information for the public good
  • support human rights institutions and activities, including those managed by NGOs
  • strengthen democratic systems and systems which promote accountability and transparency
  • support leadership development as a basis for providing vision and direction to the strengthening of governance.

Particular priority is given to initiatives that contribute to building peace and preventing conflict, promote gender equality and women's empowerment and protect human rights.

Further funding goes to other governance-related programmes. For example, activities which help build trade capacity in developing countries, which can also impact positively on governance.

In addition, bilateral country programmes continue to incorporate programmes to strengthen governance, sometimes as identifiable projects and programmes (for example, support to the justice sector), and sometimes as component parts of wider programmes (for example, support for strengthened financial management as part of a sector-wide programme).

NZAID also provides small grants for similar activities beyond the Pacific.

NZAID on the ground

Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Secretariat

NZAID provides core funding for the Secretariat of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police - the key regional body for the policing profession in the Pacific and comprises of the Police Commissioners from 21 Pacific Islands.

The Secretariat's role is to support its members through the provision and coordination of training and capacity building programmes, policy advice and development, advocacy and networking functions.

The Secretariat is hosted by New Zealand Police and through the support of NZAID was substantially restructured in 2004/05 to improve its ability to effectively meet members' needs. The Wellington based office now consists of six full time staff, including two project officers seconded from Pacific agencies, and plans for two six-month attachments per year by staff from Pacific agencies for special projects.

Key projects for the Secretariat have included the development of a Code of Conduct and Professional Integrity Standards for all police agencies, development of the Women's Advisory Network and development of an HIV/AIDS awareness programme for Police, in partnership with UNAIDS.

Page Last Reviewed: 17 July, 2006

Document URL: http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/what-we-do/leadership-and-governance.html