Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Institute runs a number of collaborative research initiatives with Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Australia-Africa Community Engagement Scheme (AACES): Mid-Term Review

Team Members: Chris Roche
Funding: DFAT

In 2014 Chris Roche was part of an independent team which undertook a mid-term program level review of the Australia-Africa Community Engagement Scheme, an innovative partnership between DFAT, ten Australian NGOs and their African partners. The program aims to develop, demonstrate and disseminate ways to work with marginalised communities in Africa, other civil society organisations, and public and private sector service providers to bring about sustainable change in the lives of people in targeted communities.

The review aimed to draw out the main themes from an NGO level review, and to assess the operation of the overall design.  See here for a report on the review process and findings.

Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development

Team Members: Chris Roche
Collaborators: Linda Kelly (Praxis Consulting)
Funding: DFAT

The Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development program is a ten-year (2012-2022) $320 million initiative that aims to help improve the political, economic and social opportunities of Pacific women.

In 2013, the Institute provided research and support for the program's design phase, with a focus on women's collective action and monitoring and evaluation processes.The Institute continues to collaborate with this program through our engagement with the Developmental Leadership Program (see above).

DFAT-ACFID Partnership: Mid-Term Review

Team Members: Yeshe Smith
Funding: DFAT

In August 2015 Yeshe Smith began an independent review of the DFAT-ACFID partnership, which will focus on recommendations for the design of the next phase of the relationship, due to begin in mid-2016. The review will be complete in October 2015.