International Development
We provide consulting services to governments, multilateral agencies, non-government organisations and businesses working in the Pacific region, bringing our signature rigor and demonstrated commitment to addressing poverty and injustice.
We bring our core technical competencies – monitoring and evaluation, research and analysis, capacity building and training, strategic planning, change strategy, stakeholder engagement and participatory methodologies - to a range of sectors where our staff have specialist expertise, including health, HIV/AIDS, gender inclusion and equity, institutional capacity development, advocacy and community planning.
With offices based in Wellington and Honiara, Solomon Islands, we are well placed to offer high quality technical expertise to the international development sector. We have worked across the Pacific region, including in Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Nauru, Bougainville and Papua New Guinea.
We offer a sophisticated cultural competency based on our senior consultants’ in-depth experience living and working in the Pacific. Two of our senior consultants are fluent in Bislama (Vanuatu) and Tok Pisin (Papua New Guinea).
Review of MFAT’s core funding support to the Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation
Client:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Project Background:
The Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation (PIAF) is a not-for-profit regional organisation advocating for people living with (HIV) and (AIDS) in the Pacific Region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade provided core funding support to PIAF.
Our Involvement:
MFAT commissioned an independent review of core funding support of PIAF. The review assessed PIAF’s work programme relevance, organisational capacity and health, effectiveness of work programme, and value for money. A mixed method approach was used to address the review’s objectives including:
- A desk review of programme data and relevant national and international documentation
- Key stakeholder interviews at a regional and national level (including a site visit to Fiji and interviews across the Pacific), and engagement with people living with HIV and AIDS
- To assess internal capacity, effectiveness and sustainability of a medium sized NGO operating regionally
- To assess the workforce development of NGO staff to deliver HIV education and advocacy
- To evaluate the value for money of funding support.
Key Outcomes:
The review provided a detailed assessment of internal capacity, effectiveness and sustainability of PIAF. It informed MFAT’s strategic decision making for PIAF, including future workforce development and funding arrangements. Findings from the review served to inform the new 2011– 2015 strategic plan. Further reading 
Review of the Government Agencies Fund (GAF)
Client:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (International Development Group)
Project Background:
The State Sector Development Partnerships Fund (formerly the Government Agencies Fund) offers New Zealand government agencies the opportunity to access funds to work in partnership with their in-country counterparts in their areas of expertise.
Our involvement:
We undertook a review of the Government Agencies Fund (GAF) to examine whether it remained in line with its mandated objectives, and whether the systems and processes to manage the Fund were effective, relevant and appropriate. This involved document review, analysis of GAF data, interviews with New Zealand government agencies and government agencies in Samoa, Vanuatu and Cook Islands.
Key Outcomes:
The findings of the review were used by the NZ Aid Programme to design the State Sector Development Partnerships Fund, which replaced the GAF in late 2009.
Progress Reporting on HIV/AIDS for UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS)
Client:
HIV/AIDS Technical Support Facility for South East Asia and the Pacific
Project Background:
In 2001, the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on HIV and AIDS made a Declaration of Commitment. As State parties to this Declaration, Pacific governments are required to periodically report their progress in prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
Our involvement:
We provided technical assistance to the Governments of Nauru, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu to prepare their UNGASS 2010 reports on their response to HIV/AIDs. This involved a review of quantitative data on the UNGASS indicators, consultations with in-country stakeholders, including people living with HIV/AIDS and a data validation meeting to confirm findings. Litmus drafted country progress reports.
Key Outcomes:
Following in-country consultations, Litmus delivered to UNAIDS (Geneva) each country’s narrative report and facilitated online submission of indicator data.
Partnerships to Improve Women’s Access to Markets
Client:
UNIFEM Pacific
Project Background:
UNIFEM Pacific’s Partnerships to Improve Markets programme aims to strengthen women’s economic security and rights, and to improve the social, economic, and physical conditions of women market vendors. Covering four Melanesian countries (Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu), the programme works with local governments and other bodies that manage markets, to increase their responsiveness to gender dimensions in marketplace planning, operations, and governance.
Our involvement:
In Vanuatu, we conducted participatory situational and stakeholder analyses and established partnerships to advance and mainstream the initiative. We used a pathways approach to uncover cross-cutting issues faced by women market vendors, designing the methodology to empower women to articulate their priorities and challenges in their own voice. We documented progress and evidence resulting from the collaboration between market authorities, vendors and governing agencies, and supported regional knowledge development and capacity building on the emerging lessons. On-going work on this project includes technical assistance to guide the development of governance and management structures to promote women’s increased participation in and access to markets.
Key Outcomes:
Our work is contributing to improving women’s economic security and rights, and strengthening women’s organisations and participation in public life.
Impact Evaluation of the Samoa In Country Training Programme 2003 - 2008
Client:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (International Development Group)
Project Background:
The Samoa In Country Training Programme (SICTP) is jointly funded by the Governments of New Zealand and Australia, with support in kind from the Government of Samoa. The SICTP supports short term training opportunities for employees and volunteers in the public, private and NGO sectors in Samoa. Training focuses on practical learning that participants can apply immediately upon their return to work. The evaluation focused on the five period prior to SICTP management being taken over by the National University of Samoa in July 2008.
Our involvement:
Following a documentation review and consultation with programme managers, we mapped a ‘logic model’ for the SICTP’s short, medium and long term intended impacts. We used the logic model to develop a comprehensive Evaluation Plan addressing each evaluation objective. Our approach utilised a mixed methodology, including stakeholder interviews in Samoa, a survey questionnaire and document analysis. The evaluation also conducted a cost effectiveness analysis of the SICTP investment 2003 – 2008.
Key Outcomes:
The evaluation provided robust evidence of the difference that the SICTP made in Samoa 2003 - 2008. Our report identified key lessons to improve the future impact of the SICTP on individuals, employers and sectors. The SICTP Project Coordinating Committee and development partners will use the evaluation findings to inform decisions about the future direction of the SICTP and how it can better meet Samoa’s Human Resource Development needs.
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