81496 enGender Impact: The World Bank’s Gender Impact Evaluation Database The Impact and Targeting of Social Infrastructure Investments: Lessons from the Nicaraguan Social Fund Author(s) Menno Pradhan and Laura Rawlings Contact lrawlings@worldbank.org Country Nicaragua Organizing Theme Economic Opportunities and Access to Assets Status Completed Intervention Category Infrastructure Sector Infrastructure The benefit incidence and impact of projects financed by the Nicaraguan Emergency Social Investment Fund are investigated using a sample of beneficiaries, a national household survey, and two distinct comparison groups. The first group is constructed on the basis of geographic proximity between similar facilities and their corresponding communities; the second is drawn from the national Living Standards Measurement Study survey sample using propensity score matching techniques. The analysis finds that the social fund investments in latrines, schools, and health posts are targeted to poor communities and Abstract households, whereas those in sewerage are targeted to the better-off. Investment in water systems are poverty-neutral. Education investments have a positive, significant impact on school outcomes regardless of the comparison group, the analysis finds that use of health investments are less clear. Using one comparison group, the analysis finds that use of health clinics increased as a result of the investments; using both it finds higher use of clinics for children under age six with diarrhea. With neither comparison group does it find improvements in health outcomes. Social fund investments in water and sanitation improve access to services but have no effect on health outcomes. Gender Connection Gender Informed Analysis Gender Outcomes Gender disaggregated school enrollment, child health, sanitation IE Design Propensity Score Matching The Nicaraguan Emergency Social Investment Fund (FISE) is the primary financier of health and education infrastructure in Nicaragua, with an operational budget of over 1% of Intervention GDP. It's main function is to financier schools, health centers, water systems, and sanitation facilities at the request of local communities. Intervention Period The fund was created in 1990 Sample population The main analysis comes from the LSMS survey which has a sample of 4040 households. The study compares individuals who received programs to similar individuals who did not Comparison conditions receive the program. Last updated: 14 August 2013 1 enGender Impact: The World Bank’s Gender Impact Evaluation Database Unit of analysis Household level Evaluation Period 1991-1998 The investments in education has a positive impact on enrollment and the education gap, although the size and significance of the effect depends on the comparison group used. As a result of the FISE investments, children enroll a half a year earlier on average. Enrollment ratios improved more for girls than for boys and the share of children in the correct grade Results increased more among the poor than the better off. The results for health are less clear, and the significance of the impact depends on how the comparison group is defined. The social fund in water and sanitation improved the physical infrastructure and share of households with access to services. The impact on health indicators are generally insignificant. Primary study limitations The interventions were determined by a non-random selection process. Funding Source Government of Nicaragua, Norway and the World Bank Pradhan, M., & Rawlings, L. B. (2002). The impact and targeting of social infrastructure Reference(s) investments: Lessons from the Nicaraguan Social Fund. The World Bank Economic Review, 16(2), 275-295. Link to Studies http://wber.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/2/275.short Microdata Last updated: 14 August 2013 2