51948 I n tern atIo n al D evelo p men t asso cIatIon Social IDa at WorK Development puttIng people FIrst september 2009 sustaInaBle Development netWorK contents Social Development: Putting People First 2 Strengthening Governance and Promoting Poverty Reduction in Indonesia 10 Benin: Boosting Community Driven Development 12 Sri Lanka: Restoring Livelihoods in Conflict Zones 14 Armenia: Social Investment Fund Lifts Poorest 16 d | IDA at WORK: Social Development Internat Ional IDa at WorK Development Social a ssoc Iat Ion Development puttIng people FIrst Sustainable development requires balancing the needs of present and future generations and has become a rapidly growing global concern. Three critical factors ­ economic, ecological, and social/ political - take a central place in discussions of growth and poverty reduction. Social sustainability is a critical aspect of achieving long-term development that significantly improves the lives of the world's poorest people. The World Bank's experience in working with the poorest people has shown that poverty means more than simply low incomes - it is also about vulnerability, exclusion, isolation, and powerlessness. As such, overcoming poverty is not just a matter of getting economic policies right - it is also about promoting social development, which empowers people by creating more inclusive, cohesive, and accountable institutions and societies. Social development adopts an approach that focuses on the need to "put people first" in development processes. This booklet describes the substantial contributions of the International Development Association (IDA) towards advancing socially sustainable development by (i) supporting better social and political risk analysis and design of delivery mechanisms to ensure that its activities benefit poor and vulnerable social groups, (ii) building links between citizens and their government representatives, and promoting more responsive and responsible government structures, (iii) harnessing the energy and capacity of communities for poverty reduction through the Community Driven Development approach, and (iv) designing inclusive activities that increase societies' resilience to violent conflict. Cyprian Fisiy Director Social Development Department The World Bank IDA at WORK: Social Development | 1 IDa at WorK Social Development: Putting People First ADVANCING SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE conflict/fragile states, proactively adapting to climate DEVELOPMENT change, promoting good governance and account- Sustainable development requires balancing the ability, and reaching out to the poorest countries. needs of present and future generations and has Addressing these complex issues requires extensive become a rapidly growing global concern. Three collaboration with strategic partners around the critical factors ­ economic, ecological, and social/ world, particularly with the people in developing political - take a central place in discussions of countries who live with these challenges every day. growth and poverty reduction. Social sustainability is In recent years, IDA has made substantial contri- a critical aspect of achieving long-term development butions towards advancing socially sustainable that significantly improves the lives of the world's development by (i) supporting better social and poorest people. political risk analysis and design of delivery mecha- Social development adopts an approach that nisms to ensure that its activities benefit poor and focuses on the need to "put people first" in develop- vulnerable social groups, (ii) building links between ment processes. Poor people's own voices tell us citizens and their government representatives, and that poverty means more than simply low incomes - promoting more responsive and responsible govern- it is also about vulnerability, exclusion and isolation, ment structures, (iii) harnessing the energy and unaccountable institutions, and powerlessness. As capacity of communities for poverty reduction such, overcoming poverty is not just a matter of through the Community Driven Development getting economic policies right - it is also about approach, and (iv) designing inclusive activities that promoting social development, which empowers increase societies' resilience to violent conflict. people by creating more inclusive, cohesive, and According to an internal World Bank evaluation, accountable institutions1 and societies. projects that addressed at least one social develop- An approach that considers and integrates these ment theme (such as community driven develop- realities is critical to addressing some of IDA's most ment, conflict, culture, gender, indigenous people, challenging issues, such as reconstructing post- NGOs/civil society, participation, resettlement and At a glance IDA's focus on social development leads to improved operational quality through: · Bettersocialandpoliticalriskanalysis · Enhanceddeliverymechanismstoensureactivitiesbenefitthepoorandvulnerable · BuildinglinksbetweencitizensandGovernmentrepresentatives · Promotingmoreresponsiveandresponsiblegovernmentstructures · HarnessingtheenergyandcapacityofcommunitiesforpovertyreductionthroughtheCommunity Driven Development approach · Designinginclusiveactivitiesthatincreasesocieties'resiliencetoviolentconflict. 1 In this context, institutions refer more broadly to the set of formal and informal rules, norms and values that operate within societies. 2 | IDA at WORK: Social Development Today, we live in a world of sharp contrasts. There has been great progress in human and economic development. But there are deep-seat- ed imbalances threatening social and political sustainability. With more than a billion people living on less social funds, etc.) were rated three to four percent than a dollar a day, the gap between rich and poor higher on outcome, sustainability, and institutional is wide. Millions are affected by crime and other development impact than the overall average of forms of violence. Still others are held back by Bank projects over a 30-year period. discrimination and failed institutions. Moreover, projects that addressed four or more social development themes had a 90 percent Social Development is a Bank-wide network of success rate - compared to a 68 percent success over 150 social scientists and economists uniting rate for those that did not address these themes - people and institutions to promote sustainable and were significantly more likely to be sustainable growth and a better quality of life for the world's and promote institutional development successfully. poor. Similarly,theIndependentEvaluationGroup's outcome ratings of IDA-funded investments during the 1997-2006 fiscal years show better results when empower people" as the overarching goal of social either participation or conflict-reduction were primary development, the strategy identified accountability, themes. During the periods 1997-2006 and 2001- social inclusion, and cohesion as three guiding 2006, average ratings for IDA-funded investments principles for social development: were 72 percent and 76 percent satisfactory · Accountability creates institutions that are respectively. The 2008 IDA exit evaluations reveal transparent and respond to the public interest in that the overall ratings have increased to 82 percent an effective, efficient and fair way satisfactory. · Inclusion allows equal access to opportunities, Corresponding exit ratings for projects for which enabling everyone to contribute to socio-econom- participation was a "first theme" were 85 percent and ic progress as well as share in its rewards 83 percent satisfactory respectively for 1997-2006 · Cohesion enables people to work together to and 2001-2006 periods and for conflict, 86 percent address common needs, and is a feature of and 80 percent, while data from the 2008 exit societies where differences are resolved in a civil, evaluations are not yet available. As the social non-confrontational way, promoting peace and development agenda continues to evolve, IDA is security well-positioned to ensure that development interven- In order to ensure these principles are present tions become more sustainable and effective by throughout the Bank's work, this social development putting people first. business model advocates a shift from an earlier project-by-project method of engagement with IDA'S SOCIAL STRATEGY IN CONTEXT governments to a focus on broader programs and Empowering People by Transforming Institutions, the dialogue around development policy. By integrating the World Bank's strategy for social development social development aspects into country assistance approved in 2005, introduced a new business model strategies, policy analyses, and operations, the new designed to better integrate social development into model's objective is to improve the poverty focus and the Bank's overall approach to poverty reduction. By social sustainability of IDA projects across sectors. establishing the "transformation of institutions to During this period, the Social Development family IDA at WORK: Social Development | 3 IDa at WorK: social Development within the World Bank has worked within this urbanization and the associated social changes this framework, while also adapting to a changing brings. institutional and global environment. The salient A comprehensive review of the World Bank's challenges at the institutional front include: greater 2005 Social Development Strategy is to be complet- recognition of social sustainability (along with ed by June 2010 to ensure that social development economic and environmental sustainability) as key to at the World Bank has a strategic framework that ensuring sustainable development; the need for provides clear direction for our work, that is in line better assessing and understanding socio-political with the bank's corporate goals, that reflects and risks; the importance of multi-stakeholder processes responds to the changing and dynamic global and `demand-side' approaches, including represen- environment, and that strengthens opportunities for tation of the poorest people in the governance engagement with development partners for achieving agenda; and the realization of conflict, crime and results. violence as a critical dimension of developmental efforts. Among the key global challenges are the SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN ANALYSIS crisis events over the 2008/2009 period (food and AND IDA OPERATIONS fuel price shocks and the global economic slow- IDA's focus on social development aspects improve down), the need to tackle both the causes and operational quality in terms of both process and effects of climate change, an increasing focus on the substance, thereby contributing to better and more fragility of the governments and institutions in the sustainable results overall. most vulnerable developing countries, and rapid Using social analysis to understand the world in Box 1: Community-Driven Development in Burkina's Poor Rural Areas In Burkina Faso, 80 percent of the population lives in rural areas, and 51 percent of the rural population live below the poverty line. Food crop producers account for 75 percent of the rural poor. The government has undertaken a long-term decentralization effort that groups rural villages into self-governing communes, a level of representative local government. The communes have the capacity to plan and manage their own development programs, and mobilize resources through increased local revenues and transfers of funds from higher levels of government. An IDA community-based rural development project helped to kick-start this effort by helping the government create new municipalities and by providing direct funding for community-driven invest- ments in physical and social infrastructure. The project has reached more than 3,000 villages, located in 26 of the country's 45 provinces. As a result of the project, 302 rural communes have been established and municipal elections were held for local officials for the first time in 2006. Moreover, half of Burkina's villages have established village committees and built local capacity for planning, implementation and monitoring; nearly 5 million person/days of training have been provided to build this local capacity. Finally, US$39 million have been disbursed for 12,000 micro-projects in the areas of education, natural resource management and small scale infrastructure development, among others. 4 | IDA at WORK: Social Development Box 2: Country Social Analysis in Practice ­ Ethnicity and Development in Vietnam The concern over ethnic minority development indicators in Vietnam led to a Country Social Analysis(CSA)studyinFY07thatfocusedon"EthnicityandDevelopmentinVietnam".ThisCSA analyzed the situation facing ethnic minorities in Vietnam, particularly in such sectors as access to services, issues related to livelihood opportunities, and impacts of targeted policies and programs, to understand the continued economic and social marginality of minorities. The study also included a significant gender component to identify the different experiences of men and women within these minority populations Through an examination of these issues, the CSA study provided information for the Bank and its partners to support increased social inclusion--with concomitant increased economic progress--for ethnic minorities in Vietnam. The study identifies six interlocking factors that contribute to the per- petuation of ethnic minority poverty: i) less access to education; ii) less mobility; iii) less access to formal credit; iv) less productive land holdings; v) poorer returns from markets and trading, and vi) stereotyping and misconceptions about minorities' abilities and capacities. which IDA's investments operate is a critical part of impacts during the preparation and implementation any attempt to reduce poverty. In recent years, IDA's of projects. efforts to translate social knowledge into analytical tools have ensured that social inputs are present 3. Enhancing governance through social account- early in the formation of the Bank's Country Assis- ability initiatives by building the capacity of citizens tance Strategies, investment operations and to demand good governance. Citizens need to know development policy lending. The early introduction of what resources are available, be able to influence social and political analysis in the Bank's programs their allocation, and obtain the information they need helps identify key stakeholders (including their to hold accountable for results their governments at interests and priorities) and can be used to structure different levels. meaningful consultations with these critical development groups. 4. Ensuring that IDA supported programs have With an overarching focus on inclusion, robust social safeguards. While ensuring access empowerment, governance, and managing social and promoting social inclusion help enhance the and political risks, IDA promotes social development impact of operations in general, special attention is objectives in six key operational areas: needed in the case of indigenous peoples and involuntarily displaced persons. The application of 1. Improving people's access and promoting the Bank's social safeguard policies ensures that social inclusion by identifying the needs of these groups, who are among those most affected vulnerable and excluded groups, targeting programs by projects, are not only protected but also signifi- to meet their priorities, and engaging them in design cantly benefit from the project and the development and implementation to enhance impact. process. 2. Mitigating adverse impacts and managing 5. Reducing risks in post-conflict and potential- political and social risks through sharper conflict settings through analysis of socio-political assessment of the social and political risks that can contexts, the way that operations impact conflict impede investment and identification of adverse dynamics, and opportunities for operations to promote more cohesive and peaceful societies. IDA at WORK: Social Development | 5 IDa at WorK: social Development Box 3: Empowering the poor in Bangladesh Public sector governance and service delivery arrangements in Bangladesh are among the most central- ized in the world. Less than two percent of total public spending flows towards the delivery of local services, with the bulk of resources provided with numerous stringent conditions. The 4,488 Union Parishads (UPs) ­ the lowest tier of government for rural areas in Bangladesh ­ have a highly limited degree of authority over a far smaller level of resources ­ less than 18 US cents per capita annually. Yet UPs are a century-old tier of local government, with an average population size of 35,000, and a history of several decades of regular elections. As a result, an independent tier of government linking the central government and public service delivery systems to Bangladeshi communities has yet to emerge. For such a large country of 150 million people with substantial poverty (45% of the total population), this is an important "missing tier" of governance ­ one that, if created, could enable the participation in and oversight of local governments and communities in the delivery process. The multi-donor Bangladesh Local Governance Support Project, in which IDA is providing US$112.5 million of a total US$208.0 million of support, strengthens local governance by enhancing UPs' capacity and promoting transparency measures that make UPs more accountable to the people. For example, the results of the yearly UP audits are published publicly and those UPs that receive a clean audit receive block grants. Communities are then mobilized to assist UPs to prepare a participatory budget and implement or rehabilitate community infrastructure. Moreover, communities have established social accountability mechanisms, such as performance review meetings, enabling them to hold UPs accountable for delivering results. During fiscal year 2007, 1,060 UPs received over US$18 million, and nearly 10,000 village community groups were mobilized, preparing budgets with members of their local governments and implementing over 10,000 community schemes. With increased funds, enhanced skills and management capacity, UPs and communities have been able to build and rehabilitate community infrastructure destroyed by natural disasters. In the 2009 fiscal year, 2,257 UPs received a clean audit and are slated to receive nearly US$50 million in block grants. 6. Empowering communities to guide develop- improve efficiency as increased citizen participation ment bolsters oversight and accountability. Lending to As developing countries decentralize, local gover- support community-driven development in fiscal year nance has become a dynamic new area for promot- 1996 totaled approximately US$325 million. IDA ing development through civic engagement and lending in this area has averaged annually almost 50 good governance. By building links between citizens operations with US$1.3 billion per year from 2000- and the State, IDA projects across all regions are 06, accounting for 17 percent of IDA's entire lending promoting more responsive and responsible govern- volume. In FY08, community-driven development ment structures. At the local level, community-driven lending was about US$2.1 billion for both IDA and development empowers communities to plan and IBRD countries, which is roughly 10 percent of total implement their own initiatives. This approach can Bank lending. 6 | IDA at WORK: Social Development Figure 2: IDA Commitments by Social Development Sub-Themes (FY05­09) TRENDS AND PROJECT OUTCOME Other social RATINGS Social analysis/ development (9%) monitoring New IDA lending commitments for social develop- (1%) ment themes have averaged some US$750 million Indigenous peoples annually over the past five years (Figure 1). (2%) Between fiscal years 2005 and 2009, the compo- sition of IDA's social development portfolio has continued to focus heavily on participation and civic Gender engagement (which includes community driven (17%) Participation/civic development), accounting for half of the new engagement (9%) commitments (Figure 2). Conflict prevention and gender were the next largest areas of new lending. Conflict "Other" social development, which includes also prevention (20%) local governance and accountability, has seen fast commitment growth in the last two years. One of IDA's main contributions in recent years is bringing attention to the important role that social analysis plays in promoting socially sustainable barriers to sustainable poverty reduction. At the local development.Highqualitysocialanalysisisessential level, it is necessary to ensure that poor people to fulfilling the Bank's mandate for effective poverty benefit as much as possible from Bank projects and reduction. At the global level, it underpins the Bank's policies. Further, social development approaches understanding of processes of social and political focus on providing an understanding of the social change that cross borders, including migration, and political risks that can obstruct the progress of conflict, and the social impacts of climate change. At development programs and that impede investment. the national level, this analysis is necessary to They also focus on identifying adverse impacts understand the context in countries where the Bank during the preparation and implementation of is active in order to identify the key socio-political projects. Figure 1: IDA Commitments with Social Development Themes (FY05­09) 1,000 900 800 700 US$ million 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 Fiscal year IDA at WORK: Social Development | 7 IDa at WorK: social Development Box 4: Promoting Climate Resiliency and Livelihoods in Ethiopia Ethiopia'spastoralistsnotonlyliveinanecologicallyhostileenvironment,buttheyhavealsobeenoneof the socio-politically and economically marginalized segments of the rural poor. The aim of the Pastoral CommunityDevelopmentProject,whichbecameoperationalin2003,wastohelptheEthiopiangovern- ment promote livelihoods and help people living in rural areas cope with the often harsh climate. To date the program has financed the construction of social infrastructure in many previously marginal- ized and disadvantaged pastoral areas in the four project regions through 1,273 small projects. These subprojects mainly help provide water and irrigation, education, medical and veterinary care, community roads, local development support, and work or higher-income opportunities. These opportunities (such as shops, seed money for trade activities, small livestock, livestock fattening, etc.) support a range of community-based groups and show promise toward promoting livelihood diversifi- cation and employment. Additionally, these initiatives are expected to increase and stabilize incomes, thereby enhancing resilience to risks and disasters or drought, while strengthening social capital (the value inherent in bonds of trust, exchange of knowledge, and peer enforcement of norms ), and household and community empowerment. Significantly, the project has also contributed to enhanced gender equity as women make up the majority of beneficiaries from the initiatives to promote work or higher-income-earning activities. Another of IDA's goals is to ensure that projects to continue to advance the social agenda, for deliver sustainable outcomes for poor people in example, on the social dimensions of climate change contexts where IDA projects have the potential to and on indigenous people's issues. cause disruption to their lives and livelihoods. Second, IDA can help shape country-level Performance ratings for the Bank's safeguards work, dialogue on important issues ranging from the social particularly during project preparation, are very high. dimensions of infrastructure, to the importance of A 2009 quality assessment of the lending portfolio by considering social risks and political economy the Bank's Quality Assurance Group noted that considerations in development lending programs, across all three types of social safeguards - indig- and establishing frameworks to mitigate and adapt to enous people, cultural property, and involuntary the social dimensions of climate change. Since IDA resettlement - cultural property had satisfactory or supports operations across many regions, sectors, highly satisfactory ratings for 86 percent of projects and contexts, it has been able to share valuable that triggered safeguards, followed by indigenous peoples at 83 percent, and involuntary resettlement at 82 percent. IDA's Comparative Advantages IDA is well-positioned to promote socially-sustainable development in a variety of ways. First, IDA can use its convening power and wide range of partnerships 8 | IDA at WORK: Social Development practical knowledge that allows clients to nurture and As IDA emphasizes increased investments in expand appropriate social development practices. infrastructure especially in the transport, water supply Third, IDA can use its human and financial and sanitation, and energy sectors (with largest IDA resources to help ensure that social issues are share), there is now a growing need to ensure that integrated in operations, across countries and social dimensions are factored in. These need to be regions and broadened and expanded where these considered not only in terms of compliance with investments have sustained impact. social safeguards but also in terms of contributing to investments that are more likely to be socially-sus- NEXT STEPS FOR IDA ON SOCIAL tainable and whose benefits can be shared more DEVELOPMENT widely, especially among disadvantaged and The multiple crises facing the world, starting with the excluded groups. food and fuel price spikes of 2008 and continuing Another challenge is that urban growth and the with the impacts of the global economic crisis, pose lack of jobs continue to exacerbate social challenges. a major challenge for social development specialists The combination of rapid migration and low earnings, not only in understanding and providing feedback on coupled with inadequate development planning and the impacts of these crises on countries and com- undefined property rights, with relatively low public munities but they also pose a challenge in under- investment in targeted services and infrastructure, standing how these events affect the poorest and have contributed to burgeoning slum areas in major vulnerable groups. Social development specialists cities. This, in turn, has eroded social capital--i.e., are assisting Bank teams in designing responses and the value inherent in bonds of trust, exchange of will also help by tracking the efficiency, effectiveness knowledge, and peer enforcement of norms--and and impacts of Bank-supported responses to these thereby reduced social cohesion. crises. Finally, there is a major challenge in monitoring, Additionally, climate change is likely the greatest measuring, and assessing the impact of corporate challenge facing the global community in the 21st social responsibility activities with respect to how century. Its immediate and far-reaching effects will be companies carry out their business and on the felt in every nation and community on the planet with broader social objectives these strategies aim to what are expected to be unprecedented social, achieve. Corporate social responsibility and corpo- economic, environmental, and political repercus- rate citizenship initiatives usually reflect several sions. The global community is only just beginning to concerns: (i) an increased attention to "enlightened understand the potential implications for international self-interest" on the part of the corporate sector, (ii) a relations as well as for national and regional security. progressive understanding of the potential contribu- Climate change may unravel and set back many of tion by business to achieving broader social goals, or the development gains made in recent decades. For (iii) a response to active scrutiny, especially by civil the poorest and most vulnerable ­ those who lack society, on the social and environmental impact of the capacity to adapt ­ climate change threatens business practices. their very existence. In order to focus international attention on the need for concerted action on climate change there is a need for a balanced perspective that places as much emphasis on human and social systems as on the environment and natural systems. IDA at WORK: Social Development | 9 IDa at WorK: social Development Strengthening Governance and Promoting Poverty Reduction in Indonesia Challenge Highlights: While recovering from the economic, political and · In22,010ofthepoorestvillagesinIndonesia, environmental shocks of the past, and dealing with a project processes have ensured high participation series of natural disasters including the 2004 tsu- of the poor, who made up 60-70% of total nami, earthquakes, and wide-spread floods; Indone- participants. sia has embarked on a longer-term program to · Economicinfrastructurecreatedincludes12,944 strengthen governance and reduce poverty. kms of roads built or upgraded, 3,298 bridges built or reconstructed, 2,068 irrigation systems Approach built, 4,400 clean water supply units and 1,760 The Government has undertaken a massive decen- sanitation units built. tralization program and is to transfer some 60% of · Thesocialinfrastructurecreatedincludesthe the development budget to district governments. The construction and renovation of 2,650 schools, IDA-supported Second Kecamatan Development 2,067 "packages" of school equipment and Project aims to support participatory planning and materials, 88,750 individual educational scholar- development management and enable the construc- ships, and the construction and renovation of tion of social and economic infrastructure in poor 2,051 village health units and posts. villages. The project has also worked to strengthen · Workonvillageinfrastructureprojectsprovided local formal and informal institutions by making them almost 1.7 m villagers with 20.2 million person more inclusive, accountable, and effective at meeting days of labor. villagers' self-identified development needs. IDA · 90%oftheinfrastructurebuiltundertheproject funding covered 22,010 of the poorest villages in meets quality standards. Indonesia across 246 districts in 30 provinces. · VillageinfrastructurebuiltthroughKDPmethods costs 56% less on average than equivalent works Results built through government and ministry contracts. KDP2 funded some 81,464 infrastructure, · EIRRsforKDPinfrastructurerangedfrom39%to economic and social activities across 246 68% (on average 53%). In most cases, these very districts in 30 provinces. Over 90% of the large benefits resulted from either entirely new infrastructure built under the project meets economic activities that were made possible by quality standards and the cost of construction KDP infrastructure or latent production capacity was 56% less on average than equivalent works that was finally able to be channeled to local built through government and ministry con- markets. tracts. EIRRs for KDP infrastructure ranged · Therearealmost808,000loanbeneficiariesand from 39% to 68% (on average 53%). entrepreneurs participating in KDP credit & business activities. · KDP2provedtobeaveryrobustinstrumentfor supporting post-tsunami efforts in all sub-districts of Aceh and Nias reaching more than 6,000 villages. Other areas where KDP responded 10 | IDA at WORK: Social Development rapidly to unexpected disasters and conflicts include Jogjakarta and Central Java (earthquake), Papua (earthquake), Maluku (conflict), and Bali (bombing). IDA Contribution · IDAcontributedUS$111.30millionandIBRD 208.90. A total of US$ 258 million went to communities for the creation of social and economic infrastructure. · Basedontheproject,thecommunity-based development approaches have been adopted by the national and district governments through the NationalProgramforCommunityEmpowerment. · GovernmentinterestinKDP'sM&Esystemshave (in part) led to a much broader use of mixed KDP2 funded some 81,464 infrastructure, methods evaluations to make policy decision. economic and social activities across 246 Partners districts in 30 provinces. Over 90% of the The government, local communities, and a large number of donors including Japan, AusAid, Danida, infrastructure built under the project New Zealand, CIDA, DFID, and the Netherlands meets quality standards and the cost of partnered with the project. construction was 56% less on average Next Steps KDP2 was succeeded by KDP 3 (a) and KDP 3(b), than equivalent works built through which together contributed an additional $240 million government and ministry contracts. of WB assistance. In 2007, the GOI announced that aNationalCommunityEmpowermentProgram (PNPM-Mandiri), built on the KDP program, will be scaled up to cover 50,000 rural villages by 2009. Financed with an annual allocation of at least US$ 1.2 billion for the next three years, GOI plans to extend the program until 2015. A new project to support PNPM Mandiri ­Rural KDP) was approved by the Board in May, 2008. IDA at WORK: Social Development | 11 IDa at WorK: social Development Benin: Boosting Community Driven Development Challenge Highlights: Poverty in Benin, like in a number of other African · AsofJune2009:(i)62percentofthe74com- countries, is more widespread and severe in rural munes ­ local governments -- have executed their areas than in cities. The main determinants of poverty communal sub-projects, for a total amount of are access to basic socio-economic infrastructures US$3.5 million; (ii) 1,025 out of the 1,515 targeted (education, health, and water), unemployment, and poor communities have executed their community also access to financial resources to undertake sub-projects (construction or rehabilitation of income generating activities. In Benin, differences schools, health centers, markets facilities, latrines, among regions are observed as poverty increases wells, etc.), for a total amount of US$30 million. fromsouthtonorth.EducationinBeninischaracter- · ByDecember2009,all1,515targetedpoor ized by high adult illiteracy (68 percent), low school communities will have received basic training in attendance and high repetition and dropout rates. project management and 74 communes and the Healthservices,hamperedbyashortageofqualified 12 prefectures will have completed training on health staff in poor and remote areas, are inad- integrating the CDD approach in their programs. equate. Rural households still rely on natural water · Accesstobasicinfrastructurebythepoorest sources for water and many lack latrines. communities has improved. The program has supported for example the construction of 1,446 Approach classrooms, 49 heath centers and 39 water and The Beninese government acknowledges that sanitation systems which have made facilities sustainable poverty reduction requires economic more available and closer to communities. A growth that offers increased access to economic beneficiary assessment which is on its way will opportunities for the poor. IDA is helping the govern- provide more information on program impact. It is ment improve access of the poorest communities to expected that program results will contribute basic social and economic services through a towards achieving the Millennium Development Community-Driven Development (CDD) project that Goals related to education, health, water and relies on an integrated learning-by-doing approach sanitation, and gender equity. by line ministries, local governments and communi- · Accessofthepooresttofinancialinstitutionsand ties. credit for income-generating activities has in- creased. A partnership was established with 6 Results micro-finance institutions, and 63 percent of the Thousands of poor communities have improved targeted communities received technical advice for their access to basic services and learned to starting income-generating activities. Over 2,600 plan and execute projects that will benefit local community groups received funding from the development. partner micro-finance institutions and have started their economic activities. · Capacityoftheministries,communes,and grassroots community organizations to implement 12 | IDA at WORK: Social Development CDD operations was strengthened. Capacity to use participatory planning methodologies at all levels, as well as procurement and fiduciary management, have improved. · Theprojecthelpedlineministries(suchas education, health, water and sanitation, agricul- ture, livestock and fisheries) delegate responsibili- ties to local governments which in turn, delegated some of these responsibilities to beneficiary communities. Communities were able to gain new skills and hold government accountable. · Theprojecthashadastrongimpactonthe decentralization process, building capacity, Thousands of poor communities have improving communication and trust, with mutually improved their access to basic services beneficial results with respect to local develop- ment. and learned to plan and execute projects IDA Contribution that will benefit local development. · IDAcommittedUS$50milliontotheBenin National Community Driven Development Project, in the form of a US$37 million credit and a US$12.3 million grant. The government of Benin and local communities are co-financing the US$65.8 million project. Partners FrenchDevelopmentCooperation,theEuropean Commission, the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the Dutch are supporting the government's decentralization program, working with communes and communities. IDA collaborates, in particular, with the Dutch and UN agencies on developing capacity. IDA expects to work closely with a group of donors working on decentralization issues in the preparation of the follow-on program in order to align implementation methodologies. Next Steps Given the country's performance so far, achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) remains a serious challenge. The follow-on program is expect- ed to contribute to the government's efforts to provide increased resources to local governments to improve access to basic services such as health, IDA at WORK: Social Development | 13 education, water and safety nets. IDa at WorK: social Development Sri Lanka: Restoring Livelihoods in Conflict Zones Challenge Highlights: Sri Lanka's 30-year war between the Government · Voice and choice restored. The project is andtheLiberationTigersofTamilEelamdevastated re-building self-esteem and renewed confidence nearly two-thirds of the population of its Northern among victims of conflict and displaced people by andEasternprovinces.Mostaspectsoflifesuf- giving them voice (though their village institutions) fered--people were displaced, institutions disinte- and choice (through the planning and implementa- grated, and essential irrigation schemes were tion of their own Village Development Plans and damaged. People could no longer access markets as their livelihoods activities) they once had and the transport of goods virtually came to a halt. Once-industrious communities that · Newly productive land. More than 35,000 had produced lush harvests of rice, vegetables, hectares of irrigated land has been brought back fruits, and other crash crops lost their comfortable to cultivation to-date through the rehabilitation of lifestyles and became impoverished. seven major irrigation schemes that had been damaged by the conflict, benefiting more than Approach 55,000 farm households. Moreover, new sustain- The IDA-financed Second Northeast Irrigated able agricultural practices and a system of rice Agriculture Project launched in 2004 with the intensification has doubled yields and lowered objective of helping conflict-affected communities in input requirements in demonstration plots. theNorthernandEasternprovincesandadjoining areas to restore their livelihoods, enhance agricultural · Savings and credit groups expanded. Over production, increase incomes, and build capacity for 10,000 small community groups formed have sustainable social and economic integration. The started saving schemes, developed their business project was restructured in 2007 and named The plans, and are accessing credit to upgrade their Reawakening Project to adopt a community-driven vocational and life skills for jobs and to set up development approach. Communities were then micro-enterprises. given the responsibility to plan, design, and imple- ment small-scale infrastructure and livelihood · Women leadership. Women are playing a activities. leading role in village-level institutions, ensuring that the poor are targeted and that marginalized Results groups are included, and Over 500 villages--and 1.25 million house- holds--in the conflict-affected areas have been · Community agriculture strengthened. Farmers organized into community-based institutions have joined forces into Producer Organizations to and are benefiting from new community and coordinate their efforts to increase bargaining productive infrastructure (rehabilitated irriga- power, marketing activities, and incomes. tion schemes, linkage roads and bridges, water wells, marketing centers, drainage schemes, multipurpose buildings, and so on). 14 | IDA at WORK: Social Development IDA Contribution · ThetotalprojectcostoftheSecondNortheast Irrigated Agriculture Project is US$81.1 million, of which IDA contributed US$64.7 million. The Government provided US$13.7 million, and local beneficiary communities provided US$2.7 million. Next Steps Currently, the focus is on consolidating gains to ensure institutional and economic sustainability. This will be achieved by further strengthening village-level institutions as well as helping producers' group Over 500 villages--and 1.25 million increase their access to market and financial services. Additional financing is being considered to households--in the conflict-affected cover more villages and to rehabilitate major irrigation areas have been organized into commu- schemes in the Northern Province. nity-based institutions and are benefiting from new community and productive infrastructure. IDA at WORK: Social Development | 15 IDa at WorK: social Development Armenia: Social Investment Fund Lifts Poorest Challenge 80 percent in 2002 to 96 percent in 2006. In the 1990s, Armenia's local government structure · Communitycentersrehabilitated.Theproject was weak and unable to fund small-scale projects in rehabilitated 70 community centers; 15 centers remote or high-risk areas. The 1988 earthquake and received 4,500 armchairs for assembly halls. transition from Communism left behind broken · Trainingprovided.Comprehensivemunicipal networks and damaged or decrepit infrastructure training helped both the Government and the -- hitting Armenia's poorest populations especially public gain a better understanding of the funda- hard. mentals of participation, project management, and accountability. Training was provided to more than Approach 1,800 mayors, 900 village council members, 250 The IDA-financed Armenian Social Investment Fund school council members, 200 school accountants, (ASIF) was created in 1996 to assist the Government and 70 school principals. in its effort to improve living standards of lower- · Beneficiarysatisfactionreported.Beneficiariesof income Armenians and strengthen local institutions. It project reported a high degree of satisfaction with worked directly with local communities to select the quality of completed projected, and with priority micro-projects, then channeled grant money service from ASIF staff. directly to local governments and community organizations to rehabilitate basic infrastructure. IDA Contribution · ASIFhasprovidedprolongedsupport,startingin Results 1996 and slated to continue through 2011. In all, The Armenian Social Investment Fund's 730 IDA has contributed US$65 million thus far: ASIF I micro-infrastructure projects contributed to a (1996-2000) in the amount of US$12 million, ASIF drop in the country's poverty rate and helped II (2000-2006) in the amount of US$20 million, and bolster Armenia's decentralization plans. ASIF III (2006-2011) in the amount of US$33 million. Highlights: · Diverseprojectsimprovedcommunities.More Parnters than 730 community infrastructure projects -- IDA's convening power was particularly helpful in such as heating schools, building community building partnerships between the Government of centers, providing potable water, and improving Armenia and the donor community, as well as irrigation -- achieved Government objectives to facilitating community participation. improve services for poor communities. · Schoolsequipped.Ofthe380schoolsrehabili- Next Steps tated or newly constructed, 145 were in the The second additional financing for ASIF III in the earthquake zone. Around 1,400 schools received amount of US$7 million is forthcoming. Basic financial more than 75,000 pieces of school furniture. management training will be completed at the · Waterserviceimproved.Watersupplyservices municipal level. It also aims to continue building the were rehabilitated or constructed in more than capacity of local government. Micro projects will 150 villages. This helped increase access to target infrastructure gaps in rural and remote com- improved water source by rural population from munities. 16 | | IDA atat WORK: Social Development 16 IDA WORK: Social Development IDA at WORK: Social Development | 17 Printed on recycled paper 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433 USA www.worldbank.org/ida www.worldbank.org/sustainabledevelopment