Assessing the impact of cooperation and assistance
Effective support through international cooperation and assistance underpins universalisation efforts and effective implementation of the Treaty’s provisions. However, little is understood about their impact, with discussion often limited to the number of VTF projects submitted, accepted or completed rather than the change the initiatives have generated in national practices. Without clearer evidence of what assistance and capacity building is achieving, it is difficult to assess how support is advancing the objectives of the Treaty. If assistance efforts are not prioritised and aligned with national contexts and needs, and a clear understanding of their intended impact, it risks fragmentation, duplication and limited contribution to both the strategic objectives of the strategy and the broader goals of the Treaty.
Aligning assistance with strategic priorities and national needs
The VTF is a valuable mechanism, but one that could be better aligned with strategic priorities, with clearly defined aims aligned with goals, a stronger focus on needs-driven support and a move beyond activity-based measures towards indicators that capture geographical distribution, response to identified needs, and tangible improvements to national practices and capacity. Strengthening matches between donors and recipients, including through better use of existing tools and mechanisms, could also ensuring that assistance is targeted where it is sustainable, replicable and can have the greatest impact.
Context-sensitive and peer-driven capacity building
A “no one-size-fits-all” approach should be central to cooperation and assistance efforts and should be sensitive to national and regional contexts. Cooperation and assistance extends beyond formal funding mechanisms – information sharing, peer-to-peer exchange, particularly at the regional level, are equally important in supporting learning, confidence and capacity. Improving coordination and feedback loops on assistance activity is valuable in this regard to ensure that lessons learned are embedded into future support, and efforts are tracked and measured to demonstrate their impact. With this approach, the strategy could aid in strengthening the coherence, effectiveness and sustainability of cooperation and assistance work, without creating additional structures or burdens for States Parties and implementing partners.