HIGHLIGHTS
- Short-term, desk-based governance advice
- Focuses on ten aspects of the governance agenda
- Abt manages about a third in-house, and contracts panel experts
PROJECT
Governance in Development HelpDesk
The Challenge
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) needs to supplement internal capacity to meet the demands for technical assistance on governance from various departments and diplomatic posts. The Governance in Development HelpDesk (GHD) provides external expertise to respond to these needs.
The Approach
GHD provides DFAT policy and program areas with rapid-turnaround, high-quality governance advice.
Abt has established and maintains a panel of external technical advisers across a range of expertise. Focus areas include: applied governance and political-economy analysis; security, justice and human rights; accountable and inclusive politics; public sector governance and subnational governance; inclusive growth and economic development; public financial management and domestic revenue mobilisation; anti-corruption and integrity; fragility and conflict; climate and governance; gender and governance; governance portfolio analysis and/or evaluations; and knowledge sharing, learning, capability strengthening and communications.
The Results
Abt maintains a panel of approximately 90 experts, including globally recognised experts and regional specialists.
In GHD’s first phase (2022-2026), 130 requests for governance advice were completed, usually within 5 days. These requests for technical assistance varied from design reviews, portfolio analysis, facilitating knowledge sharing to strengthening capability.