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This article introduces the 51st edition of PLA Notes, on civil society and poverty reduction. The PLA notes edition aims to capture the experiences of southern civil society organisations (CSOs) that are engaging in monitoring, evaluating and implementing poverty reduction strategy (PRS) processes. This introductory article describes how the authors involved in this edition of PLA notes came together for a writeshop in Nairobi, Kenya, July 2004. The key issues identified include the diverse nature of civil society; the conditional nature of poverty reduction strategies; the quality and degree of participation of CSOs; and the existing power dynamics that challenge the effective monitoring of poverty reduction funds and consequently the implementation of policy reduction policies. The article concludes by looking at issues of capacity building, shifting accountability relationships, and strengthening facilitatory partnerships between CSOs. In the final section, the authors look at how we can build on these reflections and move forward.

The article situates experiences of implementing poverty reduction strategies within the Kenyan socio-political context. It looks at different factors affecting these experiences and draws links with the challenges and opportunities involved. The author also looks at how the PRSP process and subsequent ERSP (Economic Recovery Strategic Paper) are inter-linked with political changes within the country. The article concludes with recommendations for institutionalising participation in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of national poverty reduction strategies. Specifically, the author focuses on issues of political dynamics, governance and accountability in Kenya and suggests that strengthening these systems would work best if also done in conjunction with building citizen monitoring structures by a strategic combination of civil society action and foreign donor support.

This article focuses on the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP), which is a national development strategy of the Ugandan government that has recently undergone its second revision. The revision process involves government, donors, civil society, the private sector and poor-people. This article offers a description of the mechanisms of the PEAP and poverty trends in Uganda, and introduces two themed articles about monitoring, evaluation and implementation of the PEAP process (by the same authors). The first looks at these issues from a civil society perspective (Isooba); the second form a government perspective (Ssewakiryanga).

The article looks at the lessons learnt in the processes of implementing the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP) and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) in Uganda, by looking at examples from the Participatory Poverty Assessment Process (UPPAP). The article argues that the PPAs are iterative processes that feed into all stages of the PRSP process. The author concludes with some areas for critical reflection, including the role of PPAs in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the PEAP/PRSP processes. While the author also suggests that the PPA process has been instrumental in introducing new ways of working between civil society, government and other actors, he argues that the success of this partnership depends on each of the actors understanding the role and purpose of that partnership.

The article looks at the relationship between civil society organisations (CSOs) and the government in Zambia, which has been developing since the government invited civil society to participate in the formulation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). Prior to this, NGOs and other CSOs had been operating as a separate group, largely excluded from decision-making processes. In 2000, civil society in Zambia galvanised itself into a networkùCivil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR). The article concludes that despite the limitations facing the government-civil society interactions, Zambia represents one of the best-practice cases in sub-Saharan Africa.

The article explores the processes involved with the interim poverty reduction strategy paper (i-PRSP) in place in Somaliaùa substitute for a PRSP in a place that is æstatelessÆ. The author argues that the practices of some international agencies form a major barrier to Somali Civil Society Organisations participating in poverty reduction strategy processes. The article begins with background information about Somalia, the civil war, and the resulting anarchy and chaos that has become the status quo. The author then looks critically at the two most recent poverty reduction strategies in Somalia specifically from the perspective of the Somali Aid Coordination Body (SACB). The article suggests that in contrast to the founding principles, the process have become exclusive and that significant challenges face the participation of civil society organisations in Somalia:ôWhen you are a Somali and have long witnessed the international aid community bringing medicines to cure chillblains, and electrically-heated blankets, along with slimming soups and diet drinks to your starving communityùit is not hard to see the lack of international partnersÆ will to provide spaces for peopleÆs participation in an æinternationally ownedÆ PRS in Somalia.ö

The short article describes some indicators for practitioners to use when talking about participatory monitoring and evaluation of poverty reduction strategies. These indicators were developed to assess the performance of the government in Ghana in the use of Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) funds. In this case, the initiative worked through district HIPC monitoring committees made up civil society and community representatives. The broad categories of the indicators developed include good governance, accountability and equity.