Norad’s Thematic Portfolios

Published 5/26/2024

Updated 5/26/2024

Norad is currently developing a portfolio management approach to ensure a high quality, knowledge-based development cooperation, and to operationalize priorities from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This will contribute to Norad's systematic and continuous efforts to identify and implement measures to optimize development effects.

Norad is incorporating cross-cutting considerations such as human rights, equality, anti-corruption, climate and environment, and systematically integrating innovation and digitalization, within the various portfolios.

The purpose of Norad's portfolio management is to strengthen the systematic use of evidence, use portfolio theory of change to communicate and engage on our rationales and logic, and bring together grant management and international partnerships for better results.

This will ensure that different parts of the administration and partners work towards common goals, create synergies, identify gaps and overlaps, and contribute to more efficient financing of the SDGs.

Norad welcomes dialogue with external parties to discuss and contribute to the knowledge base, with the aim of developing theories of change during the autumn of 2023. Please note that both thematic definitions and the number of portfolios may be adjusted through this dialogue process.

Climate Change Adaptation

The consequences of climate change undermine partner countries’ capacity to deliver on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and cause backsliding against SDG targets. The continued destruction of ecosystems is worsening the consequences of climate change and threatens humanity and nature’s ability to adapt.

Norad’s portfolio will contribute to achieving sustainable development goal 13.1: “Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries”, as well as article 7 of the Paris Agreement. The portfolio is aligned with Norwegian government’s strategy on climate, hunger and vulnerability and will focus on:

Alert systems and climate services
Investment mechanisms for prevention and addressing loss and damage
Nature-based solutions
Climate-adapted food production.

Norad will use the portfolio to increase our understanding of what are the most effective interventions from a climate adaptation viewpoint, and as the basis for dialogue with other donors, analysis of gaps and comparative advantages in order to make decisions on new adaptation finance and to ensure that the supported projects contribute as effectively as possible to adaptation. Norad will also use the portfolio to build alliances with key stakeholders and trust with partner countries, leading to better decisions being taken by partner countries when addressing the consequences of climate change.

Oceans

Norad’s Ocean portfolio is addressing SDG 14 by contributing to clean and healthy oceans, sustainable value creation and a more equitable, just ocean economy. The efforts are based on three existing programs: Fish for Development, Oceans for Development and the development program to combat marine litter and microplastics. These are all designed to contribute to SDG 14. The portfolio will work towards – and seek to identify the best interventions to deliver on – three outcome areas:

Strengthened rights and living conditions in coastal areas.
Healthy and clean oceans contributing to sustainable development.
Sustainable value creation for an inclusive ocean economy.

Improved administration capacity and strengthened institutions are critical for realizing the goal of the portfolio. Norad is seeking to strengthen our work within:

Nature-based solutions for climate adaptation: Including, preservation of blue forests to bind carbon, as well as prevent the loss of marine life, coastal erosion, and vulnerability to extreme weather.
Aquatic food, fish health and biosecurity, which are crucial for food security and access to fish protein in the future.
Private capital and new technology for the marine industries and waste management, to finance SDG 14 and thereby contribute to value creation and jobs.
Rights and living conditions in coastal communities and for those who make a living from the marine industries, which are essential to ensure a fairer blue economy.

We will work to strengthen global, regional, and national partnerships for more effective financing and delivery, and focus on the power of innovation, digitization and policy reform to drive systemic change.

SRHR

Promoting and protecting sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is essential for achieving gender equality, and a precondition for sustainable development and social justice.

The goal of the portfolio is to achieve universal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights. This entails working towards three outcome areas:

Women, girls, adolescents, and young people claim rights to bodily autonomy and drive changes in social and gender norms, together with their families and communities.
Health and education systems provide knowledge about and access to comprehensive SRH services.
Laws and policies ensuring SRHR promoted and adopted by authorities.

We welcome dialogue with interested parties to discuss and contribute to the knowledge base of our theory of change, which will be finalized by the end of September 2023.Norad’s approach is intersectional, rights based and aligned to the Guttmacher-Lancet Commission (GLC) definition on SRHR. With a rights-based approach Norad will focus on the following thematic areas: Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), Safe Abortion and Family Planning/ Contraceptives.

We will work to strengthen global, regional, and national partnerships for more effective financing and delivery, and focus on the power of innovation, digitization, and policy reform to drive systemic change.

Governance and Public Finance

The goal of the portfolio is to strengthen public finance and financial integrity. It will strengthen four aspects of governance in select countries, and related processes and actors at the global level.

The expected outcomes and indicative partner strategies are:

Increased revenue from taxes and tariffs: Supporting multilateral and bilateral engagement in capacity development and implementation of government in policy and administration as well as support to civil society, journalists, and research organizations to facilitate public debate at national and international levels.
Improved public finance management: Multilateral organizations directly funded programs and contribution to board processes to improve support to fiscal policy and public financial management and to promote more comprehensive approaches around core government functions.
High quality statistical data used for policy development and planning: Bilateral and multilateral support to production and use of statistics and registry data. Particular focus on data related to domestic resource mobilization, national budgets, and policies for reducing poverty and inequality.
Systems and capacity to prevent and tackle corruption and illicit financial flows (IFF): Multilateral organizations, civil society and research that strengthen the interaction between global and national regulatory- and accountability processes.
Global standards and norms for financial integrity fit developing countries’ needs and capacities: Multilateral organizations, international accountability actors (civil society and inter-governmental), global platforms and mechanisms aimed at strengthening capacity of national systems. Emphasis on facilitating participation by developing countries in relevant processes.

We welcome dialogue with interested parties to discuss and contribute to the knowledge base of our theory of change, which will be finalized by the end of September 2023.

Within each outcome area the interaction between state and citizen is at the core as is promotion of accountability, transparency, effectiveness, and inclusion in core government functions. A whole of government approach that reduces fragmentation of reforms and promotes collaboration within government has demonstrated stronger results and will be promoted in this portfolio.

Clean Energy

The goal of the portfolio is to increase access to affordable clean energy and strengthened public energy management to ensure economic and social development. The production and consumption of energy must result in as low greenhouse gas emissions as possible. For developing countries, it is important to secure enough energy to cover basic needs.

Three outcome areas:

Increased production of renewable energy
Increased access to energy, including off-grid solutions and clean cooking stoves.
Strengthened public management and institutions.

Selected measures in the form of capital, knowledge and political dialogue are expected to contribute to improved target achievement. Relevant efforts will include:

Multilateral support to renewable energy production, access to energy, and analysis.
De-risking to mobilize private investments.
Bilateral institutional cooperation programmes.

We welcome dialogue with interested parties to discuss and contribute to the knowledge base of our theory of change, which will be finalized by the end of September 2023.

Social Safety Nets

The goal of the portfolio is to achieve well-functioning national social protection systems. Social safety nets have a positive effect on poverty, hunger, school attendance and use of health services. It is a well-suited tool to help families affected by natural disasters or food insecurity.

To achieve well-functioning national systems Norad will support:

Transfers (in cash or in kind)
Systems, capacity, and competences

Norad will focus efforts within four change pathways:

Advocacy
Build and share knowledge
Financing social protection schemes
Support and strengthen coordination to maximize synergies

Through a concerted effort, Norad wants to be a driving force for the authorities in developing countries to strengthen their SSNs, whereby different schemes are aligned in an effective system guided by a holistic social protection strategy.

We welcome dialogue with interested parties to discuss and contribute to the knowledge base of our theory of change, which will be finalized by the end of September 2023.

Forests

The goal of the portfolio is to contribute to the reduction and reversal of tropical forest loss to enable a stable climate, preserved biodiversity and sustainable development, as part of Norway’s International Forest and Climate Initiative (NICFI).

NICFI has seven strategic areas:

Land Use Policies
Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Carbon Markets and International Support Structures
Transparency
Deforestation-free Commodity Markets
Deforestation-free Financial Markets
International Forest Crime

NICFI is hosted by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment. The Norwegian support goes to a complex portfolio consisting of both bilateral agreements with large forest countries, multilateral organizations and civil society. Norad manages significant parts of the NICFI funds under the climate and forest initiative on behalf of the Ministry of Climate and Environment.

More detailed information about NICFI can be found at www.nicfi.no

Education systems – System strengthening to ensure education for all.

Education is a fundamental human right and a prerequisite for achieving the SDGs. This is why Norad takes a systematic approach in its efforts to support the strengthening of education systems to ensure education for all.

Education systems that ensure high-quality education for the entire population

Today, nine out of ten children start school, but only 30% of ten-year-olds in low and middle-income countries are able to read and understand a simple text (The State of Global Learning Poverty: 2022 Update). The learning crisis is multifaceted, encompassing both access and quality issues. The education portfolio therefore focus on equipping education systems to reach the children who do not yet attend school while also improving quality so that the children who do attend school learn.

Norad’s education portfolio focuses on developing resilient education systems and strengthening countries’ capacity to deliver high-quality education to the entire population. It is also important to look at global structures in order to optimise how these can support system strengthening at national and subnational level.

System strengthening

Education systems must provide a sufficient number of qualified teachers who are present in the classroom and spend as much time as possible on teaching. The system must also ensure that relevant and level-appropriate content is taught and that appropriate teaching approaches are used. The education system must also ensure that children are present in the classroom and that they have the capacity to learn.

By focusing on system strengthening rather than service delivery, we will ensure lasting results and local ownership. We work, for example, with teacher training institutions to ensure that there are enough and adequately qualified teachers. We also work to strengthen quality-assurance mechanisms to ensure that the quality of education is adequate, funding mechanisms to ensure sufficient resources at the right time and information systems to ensure the use of data.

Partners

Norad works in a number of countries through partners such as the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), UNESCO, UNICEF, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and civil society partners. Through our partners, we support development of effective education policies and implementation of such. We contribute to developing institutions and expertise required to run education systems, we work on financial systems and information systems and we support mechanisms to keep all stakeholders accountable for learning and support low performers.

System strengthening can look very different in different contexts. Norad works in areas experiencing crisis and conflict, areas that are particularly vulnerable to climate change and in more stable contexts. Local and national ownership and locally developed solutions are crucial to achieving lasting results. Effective education systems foster equality and inclusion. They provide all children and young people with the opportunity to learn and develop.

For further information, please contact the Section for Education and Research.

Health Systems Strengthening

The goal of the portfolio is strengthening equitable, climate-resilient and sustainable health systems in low and middle-income countries. Norad will direct its efforts to achieve three interrelated sub-objectives:

Improved country ownership, stewardship and finance for health and health equity
Stronger country capacity to prioritize, plan and deliver across UHC/PHC, public health and health security
Better aligned efforts and finance by global health institutions behind country-led health priorities and plans

Norad will work through six interlinked intervention areas:

Governance and finance
Primary healthcare
Public health and health security
Contribute to the reorientation of global health initiatives
Advocacy and strategic engagement
Research and innovation for health system strengthening

The need for a proactive and evidence-informed reorientation of Norway’s global health efforts in support of country-led, climate-resilient and more equitable health systems strengthening accompanied by reforms of global health initiatives, are Norwegian Government’s priorities. Stronger national health systems will also strengthen global health security, including pandemic preparedness and response.

Digital Public Goods

Norad is developing a portfolio on digital public goods targeting a paradigm shift through the successful scaling of digital public goods globally that will benefit individuals, institutions and society and help ensure that no one is left behind in low- and middle-income countries. Digital public goods are open-source software, open data, open AI models, open standards and open content that adhere to privacy and other applicable laws and best practices, do no harm by design, and help attain the SDGs. Norad supports the Digital Public Goods Alliance.

The work with digital public goods will also be included in several of Norad's other portfolios, and we will accommodate dialogue with interested actors towards the development of a more complete theory of change for digital public goods.

Gjennom utvikling og implementering av digitale fellesgoder, oppnår lav- og mellominntektsland digital selvråderett og nasjonalt eierskap til sin digitale transformasjon.

Decent Work

Norad is currently developing a portfolio on decent work with a primary focus on SDG 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.Norad is currently developing a portfolio on decent work with a primary focus on achieving full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.

Norad is currently envisioning three outcome areas:

Job creation
Workers’ rights
Social dialogue

These outcome areas will also be included in several of Norad's other portfolios, and we will welcome dialogue with interested parties to discuss and contribute to the knowledge base of our theory of change.

Food Security

Norad is currently developing a portfolio on Food Security based on the Norwegian Government’s strategy on food security: Combining forces against hunger – a policy to improve food self-sufficiency.Norad is currently developing a portfolio on Food Security delivering on the Norwegian Government’s strategy on food security: Combining forces against hunger – a policy to improve food self-sufficiency. This strategy is an important part of the Government’s effort to achieve its development policy objective of promoting social change by fighting inequality and fostering economic development and welfare in developing countries.

Norad is currently envisioning four interdependent pathways:

Increased local, climate-resilient food production through improved productivity, including reduced production loss, for small-scale food producers.
Increased local value creation and income for food producers through well-functioning local value chains and markets that strengthen the position of small-scale food producers in the value chain and accommodate small and medium-sized enterprises.
Reduced malnutrition and undernutrition through improved access to healthy, varied, and safe food.
Reduced scale of hunger crises through preventive action and rapid, integrated response efforts

These pathways will also be included in several of Norad's other portfolios, and we will welcome dialogue with interested parties to discuss and contribute to the knowledge base of our theory of change.

Published 5/26/2024

Updated 5/26/2024