Results-based management and reporting on development cooperation
In development cooperation, Finland focuses on producing results. The economic adjustment measures will put the emphasis on a strategic use of resources. Effectiveness will require identifying key risks and mitigating their impacts.
The Government Programme, the Government Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy, and the Report on International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation define the objectives of Finland's international development policy and the related partnerships and programmes. The strengths of Finland's development policy are the status and rights of women and girls, education and training, and climate action.
What results has development cooperation achieved?
Finland's development policy supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and aims at verifiable impact on development. Development cooperation is monitored and evaluated to produce data on how well the objectives were achieved and which factors contributed to the achievement. Finland regularly monitors the projects and programmes it funds, and gives them guidance and direction. The monitoring includes reviewing how the programme succeeded in achieving the expected results, what challenges were met, and in what direction the activities should be taken in future. Based on the results, more general observations are also made to support learning and promotion of development policy in broader contexts.
The results of development policy and development cooperation can be divided into immediate outputs, medium-term outcomes and long-term impacts. For example, in cooperation in the field of education, the immediate output can be a revised textbook or a teacher who has received training. Examples of medium-term outcomes include new teaching methods, while improvements in learning outcomes would constitute a long-term impact.
Some of the results and impacts of development cooperation are clearly visible, while others may be more difficult to perceive. The work to change people's attitudes, for example, produces results slowly.
Programme implementation should be adjusted to the changing situations and contexts. At the same time, in certain situations development policy instruments alone lack efficiency. For example, conflicts or crises require crisis management, mediation and other additional measures. Changes in society take time. Achieving results requires long-term commitment and a capacity to adjust. Successful development policy builds on constant renewal and monitoring of knowhow gained through positive results.
Theories of change support guidance, monitoring and evaluation
By providing more detailed information on the key outcomes and outputs of Finland's development policy, the theories of change supplement the general objectives set by the Finnish Government. The theories of change help to form a picture of thematic entities to which individual actions or projects belong. They also make visible the mechanisms through which development policy affects sustainable development globally.
Result indicators and reporting on results
The overall results of Finland's development policy are monitored using common aggregate indicators. The use of indicators enables comprehensive reporting on results, which combines data from programmes and various forms of cooperation from different parts of the world. This leads to a more accurate picture of the results which Finland’s development policy has achieved globally. The indicators provide information which Finland can use to provide systematic direction for implementing development cooperation.