Who's Richer, Who's Poorer?

This media toolkit explains what Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) are and why they are important. It is designed as a briefing document for journalists with advice on how to present PRSPs to the public in a way that "can stimulate public debate on whether and how PRSPs can tackle poverty." It is intended to help journalists "bridge the gap" between the dry and highly technical press releases surrounding PRSPs and the public's access to this information.

The document provides an overview of how and why PRSPs were introduced by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1999. While PRSPs were, according to this paper, designed to increase local participation in the poverty reduction process, there is some controversy as to whether this has succeeded. The toolkit provides a series of questions journalists may wish to explore in addressing the usefulness of the PRSPs.

The document also provides tools for exploring the definition of poverty and the economic strategies prioritised by PRSPs. It introduces "donor co-ordination" as one goal of the PRSPs. While PRSPs aim to gain efficiency by co-ordinating and prioritising the work of donor countries and organisations, there remain, according to this document, questions about both the co-ordination policies and compliance of donors.

The toolkit provides an overview of the PRSP process, and points out reporting opportunities for journalists. It includes a list of resources containing further information on PRSPs.

This toolkit is volume no. 1 in the series Raising Debate: Transparency and Ownership in Poverty Reduction Strategies.