PROGRESS REPORT 2015 –16 RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM PROGRESS REPORT 2015 –16 RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM The Rapid Social Response Program (RSR) is a multidonor program that was established in 2009 to help the world’s poorest countries, in partnership with the World Bank, build effective social protection systems. RSR is one of the key instruments for implementing the World Bank’s Social Protection and Labor Strategy for Resilience, Equity and Opportunity in countries eligible for International Development Association (IDA) support. RSR has been generously supported by the Russian Federation, Norway, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Sweden. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments............................................................................................... v RSR Project Task Team Leaders........................................................................ vii Abbreviations....................................................................................................... ix Reporting on Progress ........................................................................................ 1 The RSR Today: Where It Stands and Where It Is Headed................................ 2 Summary Accomplishments.............................................................................. 9 Thematic Coverage...........................................................................................11 Association with IDA and Other Financial Products of the World Bank Group... 13 SPL Coverage Catalyzed by the RSR................................................................16 Theme 1: Support to New and Improved Social Protection and Labor Systems............................................................................................................... 19 Afghanistan....................................................................................................... 21 Bangladesh....................................................................................................... 23 Benin................................................................................................................ 25 Cambodia......................................................................................................... 27 Republic of Congo............................................................................................ 29 Ghana............................................................................................................... 31 India.................................................................................................................. 33 Myanmar.......................................................................................................... 35 Nigeria.............................................................................................................. 37 Tanzania............................................................................................................ 39 Uganda..............................................................................................................41 Zimbabwe......................................................................................................... 43 THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM Theme 2: Increased Learning and Knowledge Sharing for Social Protection Service Delivery................................................................... 45 Africa Community of Practice.......................................................................... 47 South-South Learning...................................................................................... 49 Special Channels................................................................................................ 53 Disaster-Responsive Social Protection............................................................. 55 Nutrition-Sensitive Social Protection................................................................ 59 RSR Project Portfolio and Associated IDA Projects, 2010–15....................... 65 RSR Project Portfolio (as of December 31, 2015)............................................ 66 Associated IDA Projects................................................................................... 83 Financial Report.................................................................................................. 95 Status of Contributions and Total Cash Received............................................ 96 RSR Results Framework and Indicators........................................................ 101 References......................................................................................................... 105 iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS T his report was authored by the members of the Rapid Social Response Program (RSR) Management Team, Hideki Mori, Adea Kryeziu, and Inas Ellaham. The authors are extremely grateful for the contributions made by Ana Veronica Lopez, Thomas Bowen, and Aaron F. Buchsbaum. The authors would like to offer particular gratitude for the generous support of the RSR as well as comments and inputs from the five RSR donors, especially their representatives: Anna Valkova, Deputy Director, Department for International Financial Affairs, Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation; Tatiana Simakova, Department for International Financial Affairs, Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation; Tom E. Eriksen, Special Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway; Heather Kindness, Senior Policy Advisor, U.K. Department for International Devel- opment (DFID); Joanna Pickles, Assistant Director, Poverty and Social Transfers, Development Policy and Education Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia; Paba Griffin, Second Secretary (Development Cooperation), Australian High Commission; Ulrika Lång, Senior Policy Specialist/World Bank Coordinator, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida); and Malin Synneborn Lundberg, Swedish Embassy. The preparation of this report, as well as RSR operations, has significantly bene- fited from the guidance, advice, and support of many managers and colleagues of the World Bank, including Anush Bezhanyan (Practice Manager, Global Practice for Social Protection and Labor); Ruslan Yemtsov (Global Lead, Social Safety Nets Global Solutions Group); Kathy Lindert (Global Lead, Delivery Systems Global Solutions Group); Robert Palacios (Global Lead, Pensions and Social Insurance Global Solutions Group); Roberta Gatti (Chief Economist, Human Development Practice); Leslie Elder (Senior Nutrition Specialist, Coordinator of the Secure Nutrition Knowledge Platform); Ugo Gentillini (Senior Social Protection Specialist); Matthew Hobson (Senior Social Protection Specialist); John Elder (Operations Adviser); Maniza Naqvi (Senior Social Protection Specialist); Andrea Vermehren (Lead Social Protection Specialist); Tina George (Senior Public Sector Specialist); Jehan Arulpragasam (Practice Manager); Kelly Johnson (Senior Social Protection THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM Specialist); Raiden Dillard (Knowledge Management Officer); Francine A. Pag- sibigan (Program Assistant, Global Practice for Social Protection and Labor); Bowen Patrick Uhlenkamp (Senior Strategy and Operations Officer); Mohamad Al-Arief (Senior Communications Officer); Julia Komagaeva (Country Operations Officer, Moscow World Bank office); Larisa Dugol (Consultant, Moscow World Bank office); and past and present Senior Directors Arup Banerji and Michal Rutkowski as well as the past and present Directors Xiaoqing Yu and Steen Lau Jorgensen. We would also like to extend our gratitude for the support and part- nership of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery unit: Francis Ghesquiere (Manager), Luis Tineo (Deputy Manager), Margaret Arnold (Senior Social Development Specialist), and Tafadzwa Irvine Dube (Disaster Risk Manage- ment Specialist). Finally, we would like to acknowledge the more than 140 RSR task team leaders listed opposite, as well as their team members. It is due to their hard work, cre- ativity, commitment to excellence, and dedication to their clients that the RSR has been catalytic and successful throughout the years. vi RSR PROJECT TASK TEAM LEADERS Pablo Ariel Acosta, Senior Economist Afrah Alawi Al-Ahmadi, Senior Social Protection Specialist Harold H. Alderman, Lead Social Protection Specialist Anastassia Alexandrova, Senior Strategy and Operations Officer Colin Andrews, Senior Social Protection Specialist Philippe Auffret, Senior Social Protection Specialist Amparo Ballivian, Lead Economist Sajitha Bashir, Practice Manager, Education Lucy Katherine Bassett, Social Protection Specialist Anush Bezhanyan, Practice Manager Shrayana Bhattacharya, Social Protection Economist Gaston Mariano Blanco, Representative John D. Blomquist, Program Leader Caryn Bredenkamp, Senior Economist Lucilla Maria Bruni, Economist Fadila Caillaud, Senior Economist Carmen Carpio, Senior Operations Officer Robert S. Chase, Adviser Yoonyoung Cho, Senior Economist Aline Coudouel, Lead Economist Wendy Cunningham, Lead Specialist Bénédicte Leroy de la Brière, Lead Economist Carlo del Ninno, Lead Economist Vyjayanti Tharmaratnam Desai, Program Manager Halil Dundar, Practice Manager, Education Puja Vasudeva Dutta, Senior Economist John A. Elder, Operations Adviser Leslie K. Elder, Senior Nutrition Specialist Yasser Aabdel-Aleem Awny El-Gammal, Country Manager Hebatalla Elgazzar, Senior Economist Randa G. El-Rashidi, Social Protection Specialist Lire Ersado, Senior Economist Tazeen Fasih, Senior Economist Anna Fruttero, Senior Economist Marito H. Garcia, Lead Social Protection Specialist Ugo Gentilini, Senior Social Protection Specialist Antonino Giuffrida, Lead Evaluations Officer Elena E. Glinskaya, Program Leader THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM Margarita Puerto Gomez, Social Development Specialist Michelle J. Neuman, Senior Education Specialist Sarah Berger Gonzalez, Consultant Nga Nguyet Nguyen, Senior Economist Endashaw Tadesse Gossa, Senior Social Protection Philip B. O’Keefe, Lead Economist Specialist Foluso Okunmadewa, Lead Specialist Nelson Gutierrez, Senior Social Protection Specialist Pedro Olinto, Program Leader Melis Ufuk Guven, Senior Social Protection Economist Junko Onishi, Senior Social Protection Specialist Maddalena Honorati, Senior Economist Maria Beatriz Orlando, Lead Social Development Specialist Ziauddin Hyder, Senior Nutrition Specialist Azedine Ouerghi, Program Leader Keiko Inoue, Senior Education Specialist Mirey Ovadiya, Senior Social Protection Specialist Roberto F. Iunes, Senior Economist, Health Robert J. Palacios, Team Leader Oleksiy Ivaschenko, Senior Economist Harry Anthony Patrinos, Practice Manager, Education Nedim Jaganjac, Senior Health Specialist Snjezana Plevko, Senior Economist Theresa Jones, Consultant Lucian Bucur Pop, Senior Economist Ole Hagen Jorgensen, Economist Menahem M. Prywes, Senior Economist Pierre Joseph Kamano, Senior Education Specialist Jumana N. Qamruddin, Senior Health Specialist Alex Kamurase, Senior Social Protection Specialist Tamer Samah Rabie, Lead Health Specialist Ashi Kohli Kathuria, Senior Nutrition Specialist Nina Rosas Raffo, Social Protection Specialist Iqbal Kaur, Senior Social Protection Specialist Aneeka Rahman, Senior Social Protection Economist Qaiser M. Khan, Program Leader Jasmine Rajbhandary, Senior Social Protection Specialist Antonia T. Koleva, Operations Officer Andrew Sunil Rajkumar, Senior Economist, Health Pravesh Kumar, Social Protection Specialist Laura B. Rawlings, Lead Social Protection Specialist Gerard Martin La Forgia, Lead Health Specialist Setareh Razmara, Lead Social Protection Specialist Francesca Lamanna, Senior Economist Joel E. Reyes, Senior Institutional Development Specialist Miriam Matilde Montenegro Lazo, Senior Social Protection Iamele P. Rigolini, Lead Economist Specialist Dena Ringold, Practice Manager Eric Zapatero Larrio, Social Protection Specialist Friederike Uta Rother, Senior Social Protection Specialist viii Jessica Leigh Leino, Senior Economist Zurab Sajaia, Senior Computational Economist Phillippe George Pereira Guimaraes Leite, Senior Social Manuel Salazar, Lead Social Protection Specialist Protection Economist Cristina Isabel Panasco Santos, Program Leader Jose Antonio Cuesta Leiva, Senior Economist Indhira Vanessa Santos, Senior Economist Michael M. Lokshin, Manager Iffath Anwar Sharif, Program Leader Maria Ana Lugo, Senior Economist Meera Shekar, Lead Health Specialist Mattias K. A. Lundberg, Lead Specialist Joana C. G. Silva, Senior Economist Muhammad Iftikhar Malik, Senior Social Protection Specialist Oleksiy A. Sluchynskyy, Senior Economist Erkin Mamadaliev, Senior Operations Officer Verdon S. Staines, Senior Economist Ida Manjolo, Senior Social Protection Specialist Victoria Strokova, Economist Federica Marzo, Senior Economist Douglas Sumerfield, Senior Operations Officer Tayyeb Masud, Senior Health Specialist Changqing Sun, Senior Economist Yasuhiko Matsuda, Senior Public Sector Specialist Cornelia M. Tesliuc, Senior Social Protection Specialist Karla J. McEvoy, Social Protection Specialist Erwin H. R. Tiongson, Senior Economist Marie Chantal Messier, Senior Nutrition Specialist Fanta Toure, Social Protection Specialist Cem Mete, Lead Economist Maurizia Tovo, Lead Social Development Specialist Emma S. Mistiaen, Social Protection Specialist Nithin Umapathi, Senior Economist Louise Victoria Monchuk, Senior Economist Renos Vakis, Lead Economist Matteo Morgandi, Senior Economist John Van Dyck, Senior Social Protection Specialist Anne Mossige, Social Protection Specialist Andrea Vermehren, Lead Social Protection Specialist Wezi Marianne Msisha, Senior Operations Officer Thomas Walker, Economist Menno Mulder-Sibanda, Senior Nutrition Specialist Ingo Wiederhofer, Lead Social Development Specialist Patrick M. Mullen, Senior Health Specialist William David Wiseman, Program Leader Edmundo Murrugarra, Senior Social Protection Economist Quentin T. Wodon, Lead Economist Somil Nagpal, Senior Health Specialist Sonya Woo, Senior Operations Officer Suleiman Namara, Senior Social Protection Economist Abdo S. Yazbeck, Lead Economist, Health Maniza B. Naqvi, Senior Social Protection Specialist Giuseppe Zampaglione, Lead Social Protection Specialist ABBREVIATIONS GFDRR Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery GIZ German Agency for International Cooperation IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development IDA International Development Association MIS management information system RSR Rapid Social Response Program RSRC RSR Catalyst Trust Fund RSR-MDTF RSR Multi-Donor Trust Fund RSR-NS Nutrition-Sensitive Social Protection and Labor RSR Multi-Donor Trust Fund SPL social protection and labor Reporting on Progress T his 2015–16 Progress Report of the Rapid Social Response Program (RSR) summarizes the progress made by the program between January 2014 and December 2015, i.e., after the period reported on by the 2014 report. Unless otherwise specified, data and information in tables, figures, and text are as of December 2015 and cumulative since the beginning of RSR operations in December 2009. Key facts about RSR accomplishments are presented in table 1 and elaborated on in subsequent sections of this report. The RSR Today: Where It Stands and Where It Is Headed The RSR multidonor program was established in 2009 to help the world’s poorest countries, in partnership with the World Bank, to build effective social protection systems. The RSR is supported by the Russian Federation, Norway, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Sweden. Since its inception in 2009, the RSR—in addition to becoming a widely recog- nized brand name associated with SP systems building—has undergone several transformations, in line with development needs worldwide. Since Phase 1 (2009–12), launched to assist countries in addressing urgent social needs stem- ming from crises and helping them build the capacity and institutions to better respond to future crises, the RSR has morphed into Phase 2 (2012 onwards), which supports the agenda of social protection and labor (SPL) systems building. Cross-sectoral by nature, the RSR has also managed to move beyond the core SPL areas to include other priorities that are easily linked to SPL operations, including gender, nutrition, employment, and—more recently—disaster risk management. Today, the RSR is one of the key instruments for implementing the World Bank’s 2012–2022 Social Protection and Labor Strategy for Resilience, Equity and Opportunity, mainly in countries eligible for International Development Association (IDA) support.1 It does so by providing relatively small—compared to typical IDA/International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) operations—but catalytic funding, averaging $575,457 as of 2015, in support of social protection agendas worldwide. The RSR has demonstrated time and again that the grant amounts, albeit modest, can effectively support countries’ efforts in designing or strengthening their social protection systems. The catalytic nature of RSR support helps draw in other resources and partners. By 2015, 79 RSR projects were associated with IDA/IBRD operations, totaling $46 million. RSR funding has helped leverage $5.68 billion in IDA financing thus far. Five years after its operationalization, the contributions made by the RSR are increasingly more visible. Throughout nine selection rounds to date—resulting in 167 projects in 79 countries worldwide—the RSR has been able to support the growing social protection agenda as a whole, either through supporting pilot For more on IDA eligibility and the list of currently eligible countries, see http://ida.world- 1  bank.org/about/borrowing-countries. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 Table 1: Key Facts about the RSR ITEM 2013 2014 2015 Donors Russian Feder- Russian Feder- Russian Feder- ation, Norway, ation, Norway, ation, Norway, United King- United King- United King- dom, Australia, dom, Australia, dom, Australia, Sweden Sweden Sweden, GFDRR Cumulative programmable resources $90,531,791 $100,135,891 $101,219,506a Number of competitive selection rounds 6 8 9 Subprogram channels Classic Classic, NS Classic, NS, DR Number of proposals received 278 306 349 Number of projects approved 131 140 167 For Africa 59 65 83 Share of resources allocated to Africa 49.5% 50.2% 49.7% Number of countries that have directly benefited 63 67 79 In Africa 31 34 37 Average RSR project financing $571,747 $561,517 $575,457 Largest RSR project financing $3.2 million $3.2 million $3.2 million Number of RSR projects associated with IDA operations 66 72 79 Amount of RSR financing $43.4 million $45.9 million $46.0 million 3 Number of IDA operations associated with RSR 54 67 81 Amount of IDA financing $3.35 billion $4.15 billion $5.68 billion IDA/RSR association ratio: project-to-project average 77.1 90.2 124.2 IDA/RSR association ratio: program as a whole 37.0 41.4 52.6 SPL coverage of associated IDA operations 42.1 million 77.3 million 72.4 million Female 21.0 38.3 36.2 million Average RSR $ to catalyze incremental SPL coverage $2.15/person $1.30/person $1.47/person NOTE: DR = disaster responsive; GFDRR = Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery; IDA = International Development Associa- tion; NS = nutrition sensitive; SPL = social protection and labor. “Classic” refers to the Phase 1 funding modality. a. Cumulative programmable resources in 2015 do not take into account financing provided by the GFDRR, as that is an external financial channel. programs in countries without prior SPL experience; facilitating new dialogues and partnerships; or supporting knowledge exchanges between countries and globally. Most important, RSR support has helped establish and strengthen the core components of SPL systems through designing new payment modalities; creating new targeting mechanisms; strengthening management information systems (MISs); coordinating ministries, agencies, and subnational governments; and so on. THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM The role of the RSR in the SPL sphere continues to be recognized, as was recently done at the Ministerial Roundtable meeting during the World Bank–Inter- national Monetary Fund spring meetings. The Ministerial Roundtable annually convenes high-level representatives (typically ministers of economy and finance, development agency officials, and senior government representatives) for a dialogue on safety nets. As new frontiers emerge in the development arena, the role of social protec- tion is also expected to grow—and new social protection programs will need to respond not only to shocks originating within the economy, but also to outside shocks such as climate change, natural disasters, and displacements. While social protection programs are now technically present in every low- and middle-income country worldwide, coverage remains insufficient—particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, which house most of the world’s poor. At the same time, the severity and frequency of natural disasters is increasing, reversing years of development gains. Natural disasters and human-made crises have the potential to create a new layer of transient poor; these usually dispro- portionately affect the chronic poor, who are less able to respond to such shocks. Against this evolving backdrop, there is an increasing need worldwide to continue building on linkages between social protection, disaster risk management, and climate change adaptation measures. Going forward, the RSR too will need to adapt and take on a greater role in 4 SPL-related developments. While maintaining the core objective of increasing SPL coverage in the poorest and most vulnerable countries, the RSR portfolio will have to include activities that help social protection programs become more adaptive, scalable, and sufficiently flexible to respond to natural disasters and human-made crises. P H A S E 1: C ATA LY T I C , C R I S I S R E S P O N S E Originally, from its operationalization in 2009 until 2012, RSR’s main mandate was to help low-income countries cope with major crises such as the food, fuel, and financial crises of 2008–10. Support was earmarked solely for IDA-eligible countries to protect the postcrisis poor populations of the most severely affected countries. Although the amounts granted from the RSR were nominal in comparison to countries’ needs, this seed money provided critical support in the form of services and in-kind benefits to vulnerable and poor populations. Some of the pilot programs supported by the RSR led to full-fledged IDA operations as in Cameroon, Mozambique, and Rwanda. This initial phase also positioned the RSR high in the social protection agenda, which allowed it to then move into new and more forward-looking spheres. A total of 80 activities were supported during this phase, with $60.8 million of programmable resources. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 PHASE 2: SPL SYSTEMS ORIENTED Following its successful and effective Phase 1, the RSR evolved into its second phase, with a strong focus on social protec- tion systems building and strengthening. In the fall of 2012, the RSR donors approved a five-year extension of the program from June 2013 to June 2018.2 This new man- date—which marked the official inception of the new phase—was a response to the World Bank’s new 2012–2022 Social Protection and Labor Strategy for Resil- ience, Equity and Opportunity (World Bank 2012), which called for the RSR’s continu- ous involvement in supporting low-income countries as well as global knowledge sharing on SPL systems through support of South-South learning forums and commu- nities of practice. The donors agreed on several aspects of the RSR business model and a results framework, while the focus on low-in- come countries in establishing or strengthening their core social protection 5 systems remained unchanged. RSR support continued to be provided to activ- ities in IDA-eligible countries for new or improved SPL system components, platforms, and architecture for a specific country or countries (Theme 1) and to protect access to basic services in times of crisis for a specific country or countries (Theme 3). However, in contrast to the first phase, the inclusion of IBRD countries was made possible under a new theme, Theme 2, which encourages knowledge sharing across development levels so as to further boost social protection system agendas. In cumulative terms, Phase 2 expanded the RSR portfolio to include 62 countries and 131 total projects altogether (excluding regional activities). During Phase 2, an important subtheme emerged under Theme 2, with a par- ticular focus on providing nutrition benefits—particularly for young children and pregnant/lactating mothers. A nutrition-sensitive RSR trust fund was therefore established under the RSR umbrella (see discussion under “Special Channels” later in this report). Overall, the new programmable resources and new mandate allowed the RSR to boost SPL presence in the broader development agenda and increase the World Bank’s engagement in low-income countries, thereby focusing both the national and international SPL agendas away from stand-alone projects and toward sys- tems building. 2  In 2012, Australia and Sweden joined the existing group of RSR donors, comprised of the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and Norway. THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM Driven by development frontiers and the ability of social protection to be respon- sive to various needs, this new phase included both nutrition-sensitive SPL programs as well as, through a partnership with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), disaster-responsive ones (RSR-DR). The RSR and Nutrition-Sensitive Social Protection Nutrition-sensitive social protection is supported under the Nutrition-Sensitive Social Protection and Labor RSR Multi-Donor Trust Fund (RSR-NS). In 2014/15, four countries benefited from RSR-NS grants, with projects designed to improve the delivery of nutrition services. The activities addressed nutrition either as part of a cash transfer conditionality, interventions to improve MIS, policy dialogues, or capacity-building initiatives. RSR-NS grants are able to support both the RSR mandate of supporting low-income countries, as nutrition continues to be a major concern for low-income countries and emerging economies; and to aid IBRD-eligible countries as well, through requisite, platforms, where there are interlinkages between safety nets and nutrition. Such support makes sense, as nutrition remains at the core of safety nets, whether delivered as part of in-kind transfers or via training to beneficiaries of cash transfers (see discussion under “Special Channels” later in this report). Box 1: The RSR and the GFDRR The RSR and Disaster-Responsive Social Protection The GFDRR is a global program A new angle in RSR support since 2014 has been disaster-responsive social pro- 6 that helps developing countries tection. This new agenda allows for further involvement in IBRD-only countries, better understand and reduce through partnership with the GFDRR. their vulnerabilities to natural hazards and adapt to climate By definition and as previously mentioned, one of SPL’s significant roles is to change. Managed by the increase the resilience of poor and vulnerable households to a variety of shocks. World Bank, the GFDRR is While traditionally intended to help cushion the effect of economic shocks, SPL supported by 34 countries and programs and systems will have to become more adaptable to non-economic 9 international organizations (see shocks, including natural disasters, given the potential for social protection pro- https://www.gfdrr.org/donors). grams to be scaled up and protect those most vulnerable from destitution. For The RSR has been chosen by such SPL programs and systems to be disaster responsive, it is crucial to have the GFDRR for the purpose of the necessary components in place before disasters hit—and this is where RSR mainstreaming disaster risk support can play a catalytic role (see discussion under “Special Channels” later management in SPL; specifically, in this report). In light of the new cross-sectoral agendas, the RSR has partnered as a mechanism to reach out to SPL policy makers and with the GFDRR (see box 1) to help build disaster readiness in the SPL systems practitioners; to call for, evaluate, of client countries by channeling $1.2 million from the GFDRR for activities in and select viable proposals for Jamaica, the Pacific Islands (Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu), and the Philippines. Addi- grant financing; and to monitor tionally, through the RSR-Classic funding channel (i.e., funding provided in the and supervise grant-supported Phase 1 mode), two IDA-eligible countries—Dominica and Grenada—were also activities. GFDRR staff members able to receive support for their disaster-responsive social protection agendas. actively participate in all of these steps, and administer the funds that flow through the RSR-DR channel (see discussion under “Special Channels” later in this report). P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 WHAT’S NE X T? Over the past six years, the RSR has made a lasting imprint on SPL, as well as on broader development agendas, and transformed itself in response to the development trends and needs of countries worldwide. Nevertheless, much work remains to be done. • SPL coverage has increased, but is still not high enough, particularly in low-income countries. While funding from the RSR and its catalytic effect on IDA operations have helped reach over 72 million people worldwide, most poor people still do not have access to social protection—especially in low-in- come countries. As of 2015, only one in five people receives any SPL benefits in low-income countries. The gap is more acute in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia (World Bank 2015). • Client interest in adaptive social protection is increasing. Support from the RSR has helped build and strengthen crucial SPL programs and systems. Many of the activities have long-term goals which will need follow-up, and there are still many countries that could utilize the RSR to leverage IDA financ- ing. Many IBRD countries, too—through collaboration with the GFDRR— would benefit from building or strengthening their adaptive SPL systems. • The RSR experience and the momentum created through its operations and partnerships with the German Agency for International Cooper- ation (GIZ; for knowledge exchange), and the GFDRR (for disaster-re- 7 sponsive safety nets) could open the door to more forward-looking agendas. As echoed at the Ministerial Roundtable meeting during the World Bank–International Monetary Fund spring meetings in April 2016—and evi- dent from changing dynamics worldwide—there is indeed a need to continue building on linkages between safety nets, disaster risk management, and cli- mate change adaptation measures in both low- and middle-income countries by supporting programs as well as knowledge exchange. • With new frontiers in the development agenda, there are also new opportunities for SPL and RSR involvement. The urbanizing world, waves of migration within and across national borders, and fragile and conflict situa- tions are among the challenges that could be turned into opportunities for involvement of the RSR. The new RSR paradigm can be one of charting new development agendas, and new pathways for experimenting and learning. THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM LESSONS LEARNED The RSR systems-building agenda has helped develop concrete results, and facilitated tangible country outputs and outcomes. To date, the RSR supports 167 activities in 79 countries worldwide, reaching over 72 million people. RSR catalytic funding has enabled new activities in countries without SPL support before; and for those countries with existing support, it has enabled continued engagement. Nevertheless, there is still much to be learned from ongoing operations. One of the areas where improvement is needed is extension of closing dates for projects. To date, 116 activities have requested an extension of closing dates, with an average of 251 days per project. The RSR remains influential and continues to serve its catalytic purpose in building and strengthening SPL systems in low-income countries. An increasing number of countries are realizing that the value added of RSR-sup- ported SPL systems can be much greater than had been anticipated in their initial expressions of interest. Several countries in the South Asia region that received RSR support for their SPL activities were able to apply their RSR-supported SPL systems well beyond the intended scope. For instance, Bangladesh piloted a new government-to-person payment mechanism for its public works program; this RSR-supported activity, Improving the Payment and Monitoring System for the Employment Generation Program for the Poorest, complemented a $150 mil- lion IDA initiative. Although this was not originally intended, the payment mecha- nism was then applied to the design of a new conditional cash transfer program, 8 the Income Support Program for the Poorest (see discussion under Theme 1). Similarly, in Nepal, the RSR-funded social protection pilot program established an MIS and a new payment mechanism which will be utilized by a broader set of social welfare programs, making the value added of the established systems much greater than anticipated. These spillover effects underscore the need for continued RSR support going forward. Due to RSR support, new dialogues emerged with countries without prior SPL experience. The RSR is overwhelmingly credited with building trust with government counterparts, allowing for international best practices to be shared and implemented, and for SPL programs and systems to eventually be built. Knowledge sharing has been widely popular and well accepted by govern- ment counterparts, increasing the visibility of the RSR in low- and middle- income countries. The most recent South-South Learning Forum held—in partnership with the GIZ— in November 2015 in Beijing, as well as several work- shops on coherent pension policy and improved pension delivery in Africa and the establishment of regional communities of practice on cash transfer programs, have made policy makers and practitioners increasingly receptive to building or strengthening SPL systems. Continuous efforts in such knowledge-sharing activities will allow for more IDA and IBRD country exchanges and innovation in SPL programming. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 Summary Accomplishments The RSR continues to be a highly popular and influential program. While staying true to its core purpose of supporting SPL systems building, the RSR has branched out to include nutrition-sensitive social protection, disaster-responsive social protection, and to support the ongoing urban social safety net agenda through knowledge exchange and learning events. Since becoming operational in December 2009, the RSR has received a total of 349 expressions of interest and approved a total of 167 activities worldwide, amounting to $88.7 million. During Round 9, a total of $5.6 million was allocated to 14 activities, including nutrition-sensitive and disaster-responsive social protec- tion. The overall approval rate for expressions of interest submitted is 47.9 per- cent, with 35.2 percent of the funds requested actually being granted (table 2). The program is reaching an increasing number of countries every round, with the majority still low-income countries, mainly in the Africa region. Excluding global and regional projects that encompass more than one coun- try, the RSR has supported technical assistance—as well as small-scale pilot projects—in a total of 79 countries. Table 3 lists the countries that have received RSR support thus far. During calendar year 2015, several new countries were added to the pool of RSR support, including Armenia, Botswana, Ecuador, Fiji, Jamaica, Mexico, the Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Tonga, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu. Later, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Sudan, and Vietnam were added to the 9 list of supported countries. RSR support has reached most IDA countries. In line with the overarching objective of increasing SPL coverage and supporting IDA-eligible countries in improving or building their SPL systems, the RSR continues to be successful in targeting and assisting IDA countries worldwide. As previously mentioned, the number of countries in the RSR portfolio gives a clear picture of how the RSR has been expanding and how it has kept true to its fundamental objectives. Moreover, IDA eligibility is in fact the necessary criterion for receiving direct assistance from the RSR’s original financial instruments—the RSR Catalyst Trust Fund and the RSR Multi-Donor Trust Fund. Middle-income countries that are IBRD eligible can be included under RSR-financed projects whose objectives are Table 2: Expressions of Interest Submissions and Approvals, Cumulative as of End of Calendar Year 2013 2014 2015 Number submitted 278 306 349 Total amount requested ($) 220,621,800 233,645,300 251,723,960 Number approved 131 140 167 Total amount approved ($) 74,898,847 78,612,347 88,682,307 Approval ratio, number of submissions (%) 47.1 45.8 47.9 Approval ratio, amount requested (%) 33.9 33.6 35.2 THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM Table 3: Countries That Have Received Direct Assistance from the RSR REGION COUNTRY Africa: Angola (1), Benin (1), Burkina Faso (1), Botswana (9), Burundi (6), Cameroon (1), Comoros (7), 37 countries Congo, Dem. Rep. (1), Congo, Rep. (6), Côte d’Ivoire (4), Ethiopia (1), Gambia, The (1), Ghana (1), Guinea (1), Guinea-Bissau (7), Kenya (1), Lesotho (1), Liberia (1), Madagascar (3), Malawi (1), Mali (1), Mauritania (5), Mozambique (2), Niger (3), Nigeria (3), Rwanda (1), São Tomé and Príncipe (6), Senegal (1), Sierra Leone (1), Somalia (9), South Sudan (9), Sudan (7), Tanzania (1), Togo (1), Uganda (1), Zambia (1), Zimbabwe (1) East Asia and Cambodia (5), Fiji (9), Mongolia (1), Myanmar (5), Papua New Guinea (1), Philippines (9), the Pacific: Timor-Leste (1), Tonga (9), Vanuatu (9), Vietnam (7) 10 countries Europe and Albania (1), Armenia (8), Kyrgyz Republic (1), Tajikistan (1), Uzbekistan (8) Central Asia: 5 countries Latin America Antigua and Barbuda (4), Bolivia (3), Dominica (3), Ecuador (9), El Salvador (3), Grenada (3), and the Guyana (3), Haiti (1), Honduras (1), Jamaica (9), Mexico (8), Montserrat (4), Nicaragua (2), Peru Caribbean: (1), St. Kitts and Nevis (4), St. Lucia (3), St. Vincent and the Grenadines (3) 17 countries Middle East and Djibouti (1), Yemen, Rep. (2) North Africa: 2 countries South Asia: Afghanistan (4), Bangladesh (1), Bhutan (5), India (1), Maldives (1), Nepal (1), Pakistan (3), 8 countries Sri Lanka (1) NOTE: The numbers in parentheses indicate the first selection round in which RSR assistance was approved for the country. Countries in 10 blue are IBRD-only countries, approved through RSR-NS (nutrition-sensitive) or RSR-DR (disaster-responsive) channels. Albania graduated from IDA after receiving RSR assistance. Peru was included in a toolkit/knowledge-sharing project for which IBRD countries are eligible under the RSR-Classic channel. primarily South-South learning, communities of practice, and the building and testing of toolkits for analytical or operational purposes. As shown in table 3, RSR funding to date has been extended to 49 IDA-eligible countries.3 As of December 2015, only 13 IDA-eligible countries had not received direct assistance from the RSR: Cabo Figure 1: RSR Resource Allocations by Region, Verde, the Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Kiri- Cumulative as of December 2015 bati, Kosovo, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Global 8% Moldova, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu. South Asia By regional breakdown, Africa continues to be the 14% Middle East & Africa dominant recipient of RSR support. Given the design North Africa 49% parameters of the RSR Catalyst Trust Fund and the RSR 3% Latin Am. & Carib. Multi-Donor Trust Fund, a large share of RSR resources 14% have been directed at Africa—which is where the largest number of IDA-eligible countries are located. As shown Europe in figures 1 and 2, the total resources allocated to the & Central Asia 6% East Asia & Pacific 6% 3  The list of IDA-eligible countries is shrinking; as of April 2016, 30 more countries had graduated from the IDA group. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 Africa region by the end of 2015 was roughly 50 percent Figure 2: RSR Project Count by Region, Cumulative as of of all RSR funding; and the number of projects in Africa is December 2015 by far the largest—77 projects, or 46 percent of the total. Million $ 80 This allocation trend has been almost constant since the program’s inception. 60 40 20 Thematic Coverage 0 Africa East Asia Europe Latin Am. Middle South Global Since the Round 5 selection in June 2013, the RSR has & Pacific & Central & Carib. East & Asia used the thematic typology noted in box 2. Expressions Asia N. Africa of interest approved in earlier selection rounds have been retroactively re-coded to reflect this typology. Theme 1: New or improved SPL system components, platforms, and archi- tecture for a specific country or countries continues to command the dominant share of projects, accounting for 74 percent of both Figure 3: Resource Allocations by Theme, the total number of projects as well as of total resources allocated Cumulative as of December 2015 between 2010 and 2015. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the number of projects supported per theme, as well as resource allocation WLD shares as of December 2015. The breakdown and share of sub- Theme 3 themes within Theme 1 is as follows. 9% • Subtheme 1.a.1, Diagnostic, stock-taking and mapping Theme 2 or data collection practices (including the application of 17% 11 ISPA Tools 4) represents the largest share in the RSR portfolio, Theme 1 accounting for 89, or 45 percent, of the total themes associ- 74% ated with approved expressions of interest; this is a 36 percent increase over from the last reporting.5 • The second highest share is represented by Subtheme 1.b.2, Improving processes for determination of eligibility, with 53 projects, or 27 percent of total. • Subtheme 1.c.2, Integration of individual programs into coordinated, national systems through harmonization and use of common components, platforms or architecture, is represented by 49 projects; Subtheme 1.a.2, Identification or development of effective options, and Subtheme 1.b.1, Figure 4: Number of Projects by Theme, Building systems for robust identification of beneficiaries Cumulative as of December 2015 and development of registries, are addressed in 47 projects 160 each. 144 140 120 100 80 60 Inter Agency Social Protection Assessments (ISPA) tools were formerly 4  40 32 known as SPARCS tools. 20 18 Data are as of December 2015. Theme percentages are calculated as a 5  0 Theme 1 Theme 2 Theme 3 share of the total of all expressions of interest themes (not as a share of the number of projects, given that several projects could have more than one theme). THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM Box 2: RSR’s Thematic Typology Theme 1: New or improved SPL system components, platforms and architecture for a specific country or countries a. Systems diagnostics, analysis and stock taking 1. Diagnostic studies, stock taking notes and mapping of SPL programs, beneficiaries, or data collection practices 2. Identification or development of effective options by comparing the existing programs, their performance, cost-efficiency with programs in similar circumstances in other countries b. Specific elements of system components, platforms and architecture, including: 1. Building systems for robust identification of beneficiaries and development of registries 2. Improving processes for determination of eligibility 3. Developing effective appeals and grievances procedures 4. Streamlining payment systems to minimize the risk for error fraud and corruption and increase efficiency 5. Setting up appropriate evaluation arrangements 6. Establishing practices for communication and outreach 7. Building information systems for better service management 8. Improving administrative processes and clarifying rules c. Interministerial program harmonization of policies, programs and administrative arrangements 12 1. Coordination of legal and policy level frameworks 2. Integration of individual programs into coordinated, national systems through harmonization and use of common components, platforms, or architecture (from the list b.1–8 above) Theme 2: Increased cross-national learning and knowledge-sharing for SPL service delivery • South-South and peer-to-peer learning • Communities of practice • Analytical and operational toolkit Theme 3: Protection of access to basic services in times of crisis for a specific country or countries • Provision of nutrition benefits—particularly for young children and pregnant/lactating mothers • Provision of other forms of social assistance benefits—cash transfers (conditional and unconditional), in-kind transfers, public works, waivers for school fees and health costs, protection of particularly vulnerable groups (e.g. protection from gender-based violence) and required administrative support P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 As of December 2015, the cumulative count of projects and resources allocated for Theme 2: Increased cross-national learning and knowledge-sharing for SPL service delivery, were 32 and $8.1 million, respectively. Since the last prog- ress report, the share of Theme 2 in terms of resources allocated has risen from 8.2 percent to 9.2 percent in the portfolio, while the number of Theme 2 projects increased marginally. The number of projects and the share of resources dedicated to Theme 3: Pro- tection of access to basic services in times of crisis for a specific country or countries did not increase since the last reporting period, remaining at 18 and $14.6 million, respectively. Theme 3 activities are recipient-executed emergency projects that actually distribute cash/in-kind benefits to poor and vulnerable popu- lations to mitigate the severe impact of major crises. For this reason, expressions of interest that include Theme 3 activities are not approved unless the application of World Bank Operational Policy 8.00, Rapid Response to Crises and Emergen- cies, has been declared for the intended beneficiary country (see further discus- sion of this point in the financial section). Because Themes 1 and 2 grew both in terms of project count and resource allocation, the relative size of Theme 3 as a share of all RSR support decreased from 11.5 percent to 9.3 percent, and 19.5 percent to 16.5 percent, respectively. Association with IDA and Other Financial Products of the World Bank Group 13 By the end of calendar year 2015, the RSR had received $101.2 million program- mable resources from its five donors—the Russian Federation, Norway, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Sweden (table 4). Of that amount, about $46 mil- lion was associated with large-scale national programs/projects supported by World Bank operations—that is, IBRD loans, IDA credits/grants, or trust funds other than the RSR. The Bank operations together provided client national governments with $5.68 billion in IDA credit/grants ($1.5 billion increase from last reporting), $50 million in IBRD loans; $455 million in trust fund resources ($253 million increase from last reporting). The cumulative total financing from Bank operations reached $6.18 billion. The client governments mobilized $6.8 billion in total. In terms of association ratios, every dollar of programmable RSR resources is associated with $56.10 of IDA financing. If we only include the RSR financing of those projects that are directly associated with Bank operations, the figure increases to $123.40. If the total financing through the World Bank Group—as well as national financing—is taken into account in the numerator, the ratio rises to $283.75 per dollar of RSR financing. During the calendar years 2014 and 2015, the Bank approved 17 SPL operations for total IDA financing of $996 million. Associated national government counter- part financing is estimated to be $622 million (table 5). THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM Table 4: RSR’s Association with IDA and Other Resources INDICATOR 2013 2014 2015 RESOURCES ($) Total programmable RSR resources 90,531,791 100,135,891 101,219,506 Associated with WBG operations 43,460,009 45,983,509 46,036,580 Total amount of WBG operations financing 3,599,000,000 4,398,180,000 6,186,000,000 IDA credits and grants 3,352,500,000 4,146,680,000  5,681,000,000 IBRD loans 50,000,000 50,000,000 50,000,000.00 Non-RSR trust funds 196,500,000 201,500,000 455,000,000 Amount of government financing 5,088,230,000 5,710,100,000 6,877,000,000 WBG + government financing 8,687,230,000 10,108,280,000 13,063,000,000 ASSOCIATION RATIOS WBG/RSR per total programmable RSR resource 39.8 43.9 61.1 WBG/RSR per RSR financing directly associated 82.8 95.6 134.4 IDA/RSR per total programmable RSR resource 37 41.4 56.1 IDA/RSR per RSR financing directly associated 77.1 90.2 123.4 National budget/RSR per total programmable RSR resource 56.2 57 67.9 14 National budget/RSR per RSR financing directly associated 117.1 124.2 149.4 Total associated resources/RSR per total programmable 96 100.9 129.06 RSR resource Total associated resources/RSR per RSR financing directly 199.9 219.8 283.75 associated NOTE: WBG = World Bank Group. Note that the IDA figures were dominated by a single country (Bangladesh). IDA is the sole financier for most projects, with the following notable exceptions: IDA provides 18 percent ($500 million) of the total cost of Bangladesh’s Safety Net Systems for the Poorest Project (P132634; July 2013); the rest ($2.2 billion) comes from the government. IDA provides 75 percent ($300 million) of support to Nigeria’s Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (P126964; March 2013); the remaining $100 million is provided by the government. And for Tanzania Productive Social Safety Net (P124045; March 2012), is funded by IDA ($220 million), the government ($4 million), U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) ($16 million) and Spain ($0.9 million). P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 Table 5: World Bank Financing Approved in Calendar Years 2014 and 2015, January–December 2015 GOVERNMENT IDA AMOUNT AMOUNT REGION COUNTRY PROJECT NAME APPROVED (MILLION $) (MILLION $) Africa Côte d’Ivoire Productive Social Safety Net 5/29/2015 50.0 Africa Uganda Third Northern Uganda Social 5/27/2015 130.0 Action Fund Africa Lesotho Second Growth and Competi- 4/20/2015 16.0 tiveness DPC Africa Comoros Social Safety Net Project 3/19/2015 6.0 South Asia Bangladesh Income Support Program for the 12/16/2014 300.0 3.4 Poorest South Asia Sri Lanka Skills Development Project 6/20/2014 101.5 560.0 Africa Ghana Additional Financing for Ghana 5/27/2014 50.0 Social Opportunities Project Africa Senegal Senegal Safety Net Operation 4/29/2014 30.0 Africa Burkina Faso Burkina Faso Social safety Net 4/23/2014 50.0 5.0 Project Africa Congo, Dem. Human Development Systems 4/23/2014 15.0 Rep. Strengthening Africa Sierra Leone Sierra Leone Safety Nets Project 3/25/2014 7.0 1.0 15 Africa Gambia, The Maternal and Child Nutrition 3/21/2014 8.7 and Health Results Project Africa Rwanda Rwanda Third Support to the 3/13/2014 70.0 Social Protection System Africa Benin Benin: BJ-Youth Employment 3/11/2014 35.0 35.0 Africa Madagascar Emergency, Food Security and 2/27/2014 65.0 Social Protection Project Africa Congo, Rep. LISUNGI Safety Nets Project 1/29/2014 2.0 15.0 East Asia & Vietnam Social Assistance System 1/22/2014 60.0 2.5 Pacific Strengthening Project THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM SPL Coverage Catalyzed by the RSR The RSR results chain is simple and straightforward. First, the RSR provides a small amount of funding to facilitate SPL system building and strengthening of activities in IDA-eligible countries. Then, many of those efforts mobilize and facil- itate the preparation of a full-fledged IDA-funded project. Finally, the IDA project provides the needed SPL coverage (figure 5). Figure 5: The RSR Results Chain RSR funds a small Full-fledged IDA In-country projects amount for system operations/ funded by IDA expand building/strengthening funding mobilized SPL coverage As of December 2015, approximately 72.4 million individuals were estimated to be under the SPL coverage of IDA-funded operations catalyzed by the RSR. Of those, half (36.2 million) are estimated to be women (table 6). These numbers have been obtained from available data from the project appraisal documents (PADs), implementation status and results reports (ISRs) and Table 6: SPL Coverage Catalyzed by the RSR in IDA- implementation completion reports (ICRs) of the IDA operations 16 Supported Projects (millions of individuals) associated with the RSR. 2013 2014 2015 Given that the total programmable resources during calendar year Both genders 42.1 77.3 72.4 2015 was roughly $106.5 million, it is probable to postulate that Female only 21.0 38.3 36.2 $1.47 in additional RSR resources leads to the expansion of SPL coverage for one additional person. This marginal cost of SPL coverage by the RSR has become more economical com- pared with the previous estimate—$2.15 as of December 2013. Note, however, that in 2015, the total number of social protection beneficiaries supported by IDA projects is lower than the number used in 2013, as it indicates the actual number of beneficiaries as opposed to estimated anticipated beneficiaries. ASPIRE COVERAGE ASPIRE (Atlas of Social Protection Indicators of Resilience and Equity) is an ongoing program that aims to improve SPL data quality, comparability, and avail- ability to better inform SPL policies and programs. Its portal (http://datatopics. worldbank.org/aspire/) generates harmonized indicators to assess performance of social assistance, social insurance, and labor market programs based on nationally representative household survey data. Most indicators are estimated by program type, for the entire population and by quintiles, of both pre- and post-transfer welfare distribution. ASPIRE coverage has increased significantly. At the end of the reporting period (December 2015), its database contained data for 115 countries (including 216 surveys), compared to 57 in 2013. O n the following pages, we highlight 16 RSR activities implemented in recent years. Most of these are under Themes 1 and 2 (see theme descriptions below); we also discuss some special channel activities. Some grants approved in recent selection rounds support activities that build on previously financed RSR activities and achievements. This is the case for several of the projects profiled in this section. Theme 1: Support to New and Improved Social Protection and Labor Systems Coordinated SPL systems bolster people and help economies grow. RSR helps to build critical parts of such systems through policy dialogue and technical assistance, and by providing the analytical work that helps the systems run efficiently and cost-effectively. RSR projects mobilize larger resources from IDA as well as other sources to complete the system- building work and help governments operate the systems to expand social protection coverage. Theme 2: Increased Learning and Knowledge Sharing for Social Protection Service Delivery RSR raises awareness on how to increase coverage of social protection in low-income countries through South-South learning initiatives and the development of communities of practice. RSR also helps to create new diagnostic techniques that can benefit individual countries or have a global impact on social safety net systems and poor people’s access to basic services. Theme 3: Protecting Access to Basic Services to the Most Vulnerable in Times of Crisis As crises hit and threaten livelihoods and human capital, RSR’s emergency window for limited-scale delivery of SPL benefits and services can be opened to prevent irreversible harm to the most vulnerable populations. RSR projects help to provide nutrition benefits, particularly to young children and their mothers, waivers for school fees and health services, and the required administrative support for efficient service delivery. THEME 1: Support to New and Improved Social Protection and Labor Systems AFGHANISTAN: Best Options for Improved Coverage of the Poor and Vulnerable BANGLADESH: Piloting Safety Net Programs to Reach the Poor and Vulnerable BENIN: Creating a National Targeting and Registry Platform CAMBODIA: From a Pilot to an Integrated Social Protection System REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Using Safety Nets to Promote Non-Oil-Dependent Growth GHANA: Targeting Safety Nets and Health Insurance Beneficiaries INDIA: Reaching out to the Informal Sector in Urban India MYANMAR: Working toward Evidence-Based Policy Making NIGERIA: Building Blocks for an Effective Social Protection System TANZANIA: Operationalizing the Tanzania Productive Social Safety Net UGANDA: Toward a Sustainable Social Protection System ZIMBABWE: Reviving the Safety Net System P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 AFGHANISTAN SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS BEST OPTIONS FOR IMPROVED COVERAGE OF THE POOR AND VULNERABLE As Afghanistan experiences growing fragility and vulnerability, the RSR is helping generate evidence-based guidance to support the development of social protection policies that strengthen the safety net and increase the social protection coverage of the poor. By providing an assessment of the feasibility of employment generation programs, as well as options for an affordable mix of safety net programs, policy recommendations will ensure that the current situation of fragmentation and reliance on off- budget programming is improved. 21 CHALLENGE More than one-third of the Afghan population is chronically poor, and almost an equal amount is food insecure with a high propensity to external shocks. Job prospects are plagued by vulnerable employment options, and the panorama in Population: both urban and rural settings is expected to worsen. The government has set 32.5 million (2015) poverty reduction and employment generation as top priorities within its planning and budgetary frameworks. Still, the social protection system remains frag- GNI per capita, Atlas method mented and does not offer adequate protection against poverty and vulnerability. (current $): $630 (2015) The transition from primarily humanitarian relief–based interventions to social protection systems is still in its infancy: the country’s safety net is composed of a RSR funding: number of time-bound and relatively small schemes, most of which are financed $370,000 and implemented by development partners and nongovernmental organizations. Combined, these programs only reach up to 25 percent of the chronically poor population. Development partners are revising their priorities and reducing the scope of their programs in light of security constraints, creating another coverage gap in the already fragmented social safety net arena. APPROACH Determining the best mix of interventions to support the chronically poor and vulnerable populations in the Afghan context is challenging. Labor-intensive public works, as a scalable safety net option, are adequate given the postconflict context. Public works programs have the potential to mitigate seasonal shocks and strengthen social cohesion. However, there have been concerns regarding organizational capacity at the local level, governance issues, and timing conflicts given the livelihoods calendar in certain regions of Afghanistan. Responding to the limited information available to inform policy decisions, the RSR supported publication of a policy note. The policy note draws on two assessment reports—one that delves into the potential and feasibility of scal- able employment generation programs, and a second that proposes options for an effective mix of safety net programs. The note identifies policy priorities to strengthen the safety net and increase the social protection coverage of the poor. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS • Stocktaking on existing evidence on safety nets has been completed, with a special focus on labor-intensive public works and targeted cash transfers. The analysis found that the impacts of public works on consumption, recovery from shocks, and coping mechanisms are mixed. Evidence on the impacts of cash transfers is scant, but positive impacts on household spending patterns has been observed. The findings suggest that focusing on building a targeting system rather than on seeking short-term solutions is more effective and not costly. 22 • The RSR grant supported the completion of a policy note informed by two assessments. Policy recommendations suggest prioritizing the use of scarce resources and achieving efficient targeting to improve the coverage and resil- ience of the poorest and most vulnerable, and to introduce a predictable cash transfer that coexists with humanitarian assistance. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 BANGLADESH SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS PILOTING SAFETY NET PROGRAMS TO REACH THE POOR AND VULNERABLE RSR funds are playing a catalytic role in finding alternative and effective ways to reach the poor in both urban and rural areas. Continuous support provided by the RSR through three grants has led to a $300 million follow-up IDA operation to support improvements in access to health, nutrition, and cognitive development services for poor households. RSR funding has helped showcase international best practices in building social protection instruments, and in assessing the limitations and possibilities of different social protection programs given the local context. 23 CHALLENGE Population: 156.6 million (2013) Despite a steady decline in poverty rates—from 48.9 percent in 2000 to 40.0 percent in 2005 and 31.5 percent in 2010—almost a quarter of Bangla- GNI per capita, Atlas method desh’s population remains in extreme poverty. Households are vulnerable to (current $): climate change and food price risks, as well as to health shocks. Given the sheer $1,010 (2013) size of the vulnerable population just above the poverty line, any small shock can push more people into poverty and extreme poverty. Bangladesh ranks sixth RSR funding: globally in prevalence of undernutrition; it is also among the countries with the $2.8 million (three grants, cumulative highest prevalence of stunting. total) Bangladesh has a long history in implementing safety nets, and many of its Associated IDA project: cash-for-work and conditional cash transfer programs have improved household Income Support Program for the incomes, intake of nutritious food, and the social status of women. Over the past Poorest Project ($300 million, World five years, the budget allocation to social protection has averaged $3.6 billion, or Bank Project ID P146520) 2 percent of gross domestic product. Despite these successes and political will, coverage of existing programs is low, with only 25 percent of households benefit- ing from a safety net program in 2010. The sector is characterized by fragmenta- tion and overlap, with over 140 programs spread across over 20 ministries. Local governments implement most safety nets on behalf of various line min- istries, but suffer from weak administrative capacity. To improve the delivery of safety net programs and minimize fragmentation across programs, the administrative and implementation capacities of local governments need to be strengthened, given their direct involvement in program implementation from beneficiary identification to payments and grievance redress. APPROACH The government of Bangladesh has shown great commitment to putting effi- cient, well-targeted safety nets in place, and a willingness to revamp existing structures to improve performance. The government also recognizes that effec- tive implementation of safety nets can help address formidable human develop- ment challenges. Associated IDA Project: Income Support Through technical assistance and financing, the RSR grants helped in the Program for the design and supervision of the implementation of a pilot conditional cash transfer Poorest program. The program tested alternative mechanisms of delivering cash to the poor and vulnerable through peri-urban and rural local governments to improve Encouraged by the results children’s education and nutrition. of the RSR-funded pilot and to further strengthen safety The pilot was introduced in an urban municipality not previously covered by the net delivery at the local country’s safety net programs. Its implementation initiated a new wave of policy level, the government of dialogue and innovation. RSR funds contributed to the development of a target- Bangladesh requested IDA ing and management information system, and provided support in delivering support to scale up the pilot payments through the Bangladesh postal office cash card—demonstrating an in other parts of the country. innovative way in which government can modernize existing safety nets. 24 This resulted in a $300 mil- RSR financing also helped fund a process evaluation, which reviewed the entire lion follow-up project, the pilot cycle to assess administrative issues and constraints. This was an important Income Support Program mechanism to inform design updates and revisions to better meet the needs of for the Poorest, which beneficiaries and improve program administration and management. will be implemented in 42 upazilas across the coun- try and is expected to bene- ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS fit 600,000 of Bangladesh’s poorest mothers. The pro- • Through the pilot program, around 14,000 households in the bottom quintile gram has been expanded received cash payments. Cash top-ups were delivered to over 15,774 children, to cover pregnant women conditioned on attendance in primary schools and, for children aged 0–36 and children up to the age months, regular growth monitoring. of five years, and will focus • The program evaluation found the following: on improving nutrition and cognitive development —— Total household food consumption increased 11 percent. Food expen- outcomes. The program is ditures on proteins increased for all households, and more so for those expected to commence in receiving the nutrition package (Tk 175 versus Tk 120 per month). the field in late 2016. —— The percentage of mothers who understood the importance of exclusively breastfeeding children until six months of age increased by 6.5 percent. —— A positive impact was found regarding underweight children aged 0–1 year from baseline. The incidence of wasting was reduced by 12.5 percentage points. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 BENIN SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS CREATING A NATIONAL TARGETING AND REGISTRY PLATFORM RSR support was instrumental in establishing common targeting and registry platforms, which serve as the foundation of Benin’s emerging national social protection system. The platforms are already being used by two IDA operations and a Belgian social protection project, with other social protection programs exploring their use as well. The RSR has helped put Benin on a positive trajectory toward creating a sound system—and, in the process, harmonized interministerial coordination and raised the overall profile of safety nets in the country. Population: 25 10.3 million (2013) CHALLENGE GNI per capita, Atlas method Social protection in Benin has historically been underfunded, fragmented, and (current $): limited in scope. In the five years prior to the food, fuel, and financial crises, $790 (2013) government spending on social protection and social safety nets was only 0.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP); this is significantly lower than the RSR funding: Sub-Saharan Africa average of 2.3 percent of GDP. Without proper programs or $275,000 systems in place, Benin faces the risk of not responding to shocks or crises in an appropriate and timely manner—thereby exposing the poor and vulnerable to Partners: even more hardship. Belgian Technical Cooperation, UNICEF APPROACH Associated IDA projects: Decentralized Community Driven Following the recent food, fuel, and financial crises, the government of Benin Services ($76 million, World Bank redirected its attention toward more social protection programs, recognizing Project ID P117764) the difficulty in mounting an effective response to crises without a coherent or Health System Performance Project efficient system in place. ($43.8 million, World Bank Project ID P113202) In Africa, Benin already serves as an example of a successful transition from a social fund to a more comprehensive local development program. This transition began in 2004, as the country’s National Community Driven Development Sup- port Program (Projet national de développement conduit par les communautés— PNDCC), with World Bank assistance, successfully involved over 1,500 commu- nities in small-scale, village-level activities in partnership with local governments. The mainstreaming of the community-driven development approach in Benin Associated IDA continues to have strong government buy-in and is supported by the ongoing Project: Decentralized IDA-financed Decentralized Community Driven Services Project (Projet de ser- Community-Driven vices décentralisés conduits par les communautés—PSDCC) in another 1,000 Services communities. • Seven hundred com- Today, the two most prominent programs at the core of the country’s social munity infrastructure protection agenda are a safety net pilot program, backed by the PSDCC, which projects have been combines a cash transfer with a labor-intensive public works program; and the approved. results-based national health care program, which aims to subsidize health care • Grassroots manage- for the poorest. In order to reduce fragmentation, promote economies of scale, ment training has been and exploit synergies between programs, the government—with support from provided to 3,445 the World Bank—aims to join its two social protection programs and harmonize community leaders and their targeting and registry systems. 148,613 people on how to target the poorest and implement community ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS public works projects in selected communities. • The RSR supported the design and roll-out of a multisectoral targeting system that builds on the community-driven approach used in the PNDCC and the • Monthly cash transfers PSDCC. Data has thus far been collected on more than 16,000 potential ben- have been provided eficiaries of the PSDCC safety net program, 4,000 potential beneficiaries of a to 12,925 beneficiary regional Belgian Technical Cooperation program, and another 60,000 potential households. beneficiaries of the national health program. 26 • Additional financing • Partner efforts in the social protection sphere were harmonized, and collabora- of $30 million was tion facilitated between the Ministry of Family and Social Affairs, the Ministry approved in 2014. of Health, the Ministry of Decentralization, UNICEF, bilateral donors, and the National Social Protection Coordination Committee. This coordinative process ensured that the systems would be used across multiple sectors, programs, and donors, and mitigated against fragmentation going forward. • Operational and training materials for the targeting and registry system were developed for community-based staff, and rules and procedures clarified. This Associated IDA Project: Health System included strengthening local and national capacity through several training Performance Project workshops, learning events, and forums to help safety net project and com- mittee members gain a better understanding of international best practices. This project aims to contrib- • Smart phones were introduced as the data collection tool for the targeting ute to increasing the cover- process, enabling data to be fed into a single database (or registry) of bene- age of quality maternal and ficiaries. The registry is now housed under the Ministry of Family and Social neonatal services in eight Affairs, and is utilized by three programs. RSR support was crucial in manag- health districts—roughly a ing what information would be collected and where the database would be quarter of the population. housed, as well as in providing the necessary technical know-how. • Institutional capacity has been built and knowledge sharing promoted by sup- porting key officials’ participation in regional forums and training events. • The design and roll-out of a grievance redress mechanism has been launched. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 CAMBODIA SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS FROM A PILOT TO AN INTEGRATED SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEM Given the country’s limited capacity for a systemic approach, the RSR is helping establish foundational elements of a social protection system in Cambodia. These will not only complement existing efforts but also be responsive to decisions of expanding programs currently being piloted. Support of these elements ensures the comprehensive and sustainable development of a social protection system in the long run. CHALLENGE 27 Cambodia has enjoyed stable economic growth and impressive reductions in poverty headcounts in recent years. This, however, has not translated into equi- table improvement in living conditions for all Cambodians. Households that have Population: moved out of poverty remain vulnerable to health and other shocks; assistance 15.6 million (2015) for these households is not currently available. Existing government programs are limited to scholarships and modest payments for the elderly, orphans, and GNI per capita, Atlas method veterans. Donor-funded programs include some fee-waiver programs for health (current $): services, scholarships for secondary school children, and food transfers. Cover- $1,070 (2015) age of social protection programs only includes a small portion—less than 2 per- cent—of the poorest quintile of the population. Thus, prioritizing a response to RSR funding: the needs of vulnerable and poor households has been a priority for Cambodia’s $250,000 National Social Protection Strategy adopted in 2011. Partner: The Social Protection Coordination Unit has made progress in operationalizing Australian Agency for International the National Social Protection Strategy. It prepared a financial assessment and a Development (AusAID) monitoring strategy; and, in coordination with development partners, it is piloting two social safety net programs—a maternal health and child nutrition cash transfer and a public works program. An innovative beneficiary interface, a Single Window Service, is being tested alongside the pilots. But the limited capacity for program implementation and coordination has correspondingly limited the possi- bility of building a comprehensive social protection system. APPROACH Focusing only on the success of a pilot program is not enough to ensure long- term sustainability and scalability. In line with the government’s strategy, the RSR is providing support for those elements of social protection systems that allow increasing coverage to potentially reach all vulnerable populations. A variety of elements need to be set up, and tested or strengthened during pilot implementation. RSR funds are supporting technical assistance to accompany the 28 cash transfer pilot funded by AusAID. These elements include guidance on innova- tive implementation approaches, information management systems, and updates to registration systems. Lessons for a wider selection of programs (not limited to cash transfers) and initial data on delivery performance will be available through an RSR-funded monitoring and evaluation system. This information will be used to inform policy discussion to improve donor coordination. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS • The Cambodia Cash Transfer Pilot for Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition, funded by AusAID, provided a total of seven rounds of payment, covering a period of 14 months. • Through RSR funding, consistent inputs and feedback at the request of the implementing agency to address all steps of the cash transfer pilot were provided, including MIS design, grievance redress mechanisms, institutional delivery mechanisms, and monitoring and evaluation. Extensive inputs were made into the training content for project participants, with the collaboration of other teams. It comprised modules on maternal and child health, nutrition, and water and sanitation. • A midterm review was completed in September 2015, which provided a thorough review of the project, including improvements in communications, institutional arrangements, the MIS, monitoring and evaluation processes, payment systems, and targeting. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 REPUBLIC OF CONGO SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS USING SAFETY NETS TO PROMOTE NON-OIL-DEPENDENT GROWTH A grant from the RSR is helping build the foundation for an effective safety net system in the Republic of Congo, thereby improving access for the poor and for vulnerable households. Financing from the RSR will also help evaluate the effectiveness of the existing cash transfer program. CHALLENGE As a resource-rich economy attempting to reach a higher-middle-income status, the Republic of Congo faces the challenge of stimulating a more non-oil-based 29 growth, while oil revenues can be used to tackle the country’s high poverty rate, Population: high unemployment, and large inequalities. The latest estimates cite 46.5 per- 4.5 million (2013) cent of the population as living in poverty, despite stable economic growth in the past five years. GNI per capita, Atlas method (current $): The existing social safety net programs, as in many West and Central African $660 (2014) countries, remain inadequate and insufficiently developed to respond to the needs of the vulnerable. In 2012, only 0.2 percent of gross domestic product was RSR funding: allocated for safety net programs. Further, proper instruments are not in place to $350,000 determine appropriate program eligibilities and benefit amounts. Partner: French Development Agency (AFD) APPROACH The government of the Republic of Congo has developed a new social protection Associated IDA project: LISUNGI Safety Nets Project strategy, demonstrating its commitment to moving away from ineffective and ($17.0 million; World Bank Project fragmented programs and toward a harmonized system, and to bringing social ID P145263) safety nets to the forefront of poverty reduction. Funds from the RSR will help the government establish a common platform for enrollment in the safety net system by creating a Social Registry Information System. This comprehensive system will contain a database in which to store all applicant information in a secure manner, and will include an MIS that will sup- port the monitoring, reporting, and coordination of selected programs. Developed in parallel with the cash transfer pilot program, the system will make it possible for other programs to quickly identify potential program beneficiaries. Once fully Associated IDA Project: functional, the social registry will be able to link individuals to other interventions, LISUNGI Safety Nets thereby limiting duplication and inefficiencies. RSR financing will also help set up Project an MIS for enhanced efficiency of the cash transfer program. This project targets approx- Additionally, the RSR is supporting several capacity-building initiatives for the imately 5,000 extremely Ministry of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Action and Solidarity to help it in the poor and vulnerable design and implementation of the safety net projects. Most importantly, through households countrywide, capacity building and operationalization of processes, the RSR helped jumpstart and 1,000 elderly people the IDA-operated LISUNGI Safety Nets Project in July 2015. A first wave of with cash transfers. It is 3,060 households received cash transfers as a result of this project, indirectly expected to benefit 20,000 covering 5,677 children under age 14, and 2,822 individuals aged 60 or older. household members, including young children and pregnant and lactating ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS mothers. • RSR funding supported creation of the Social Registry Inclusion System, It aims to establish the which serves as the gateway to social safety net interventions and other sec- key building blocks of a toral programs in the country, by consolidating and harmonizing information sustainable national safety on all potential beneficiaries. To date, 9,633 families have been enrolled in the net program and enhance system. Coverage of the system is currently being expanded, in collaboration local capacity to coordinate, with the Health Sector Project. implement, and monitor the • The Program Management Information System (PM-IS) for the cash transfer system. The project sup- 30 pilot is working both online and offline. Modules under the PM-IS—including ports the development and beneficiary selection, payments, and compliance of cash transfer conditions— implementation of a cash have been completed. The payments module has also been integrated with transfer program, which the Banque Postale du Congo, which is the project payment agency. The will ultimately facilitate PM-IS allows generation of reports on program performance; its modularity access to and use of social means it can be expanded to other programs that would be delivered using services, such as education LISUNGI. and health care. • Extensive technical guidance has been provided on formulating an evaluation For more information, see of the cash transfer pilot program, along with a strategy for rolling out the http://www.lisungi-sfs.org/ impact evaluation. As a result, an impact evaluation strategy and baseline data and https://youtu.be/qH5c- collection were concluded; the National Statistical Office is currently finalizing spxyEWs. the baseline report. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 GHANA SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS TARGETING SAFETY NETS AND HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFICIARIES The RSR is helping Ghana improve its social protection system. An earlier grant helped introduce and test the proxy means targeting mechanism— the first ever used on the continent—and lay the foundation for a social protection system. The current grant takes this support further, offering technical assistance and capacity building to roll out the National Targeting System, which will support the country’s main safety net program—the — Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) cash transfer program­ as well as the National Health Insurance Scheme. 31 CHALLENGE Population: 27.4 million (2015) As in many African nations, fiscal pressures are compelling Ghana to reduce its fuel and electricity subsidies. In 2013, the equivalent of almost $1 billion was GNI per capita, Atlas method spent on untargeted subsidies, or around 2.4 percent of gross domestic product. (current $): To cushion the effect of the price hikes that will occur with reduced subsidies, $1,480 (2015) social protection programs will take on a bigger role. RSR funding: The 2012 National Social Protection Strategy set a goal of consolidating the wide $450,000 range of national programs and projects into a coherent framework to effectively tackle extreme poverty and vulnerability as well as promote employment and Partners: productivity. This strategic direction aims at putting in place a system of accessi- U.K. Department for International ble, quality social services. Development (DFID), UNICEF At present, however, many of Ghana’s social protection programs have no Associated IDA project: systematic registries of beneficiaries, making monitoring as well as identification Additional Financing for Ghana Social of potential beneficiaries difficult. Moreover, most of the targeting mechanisms Opportunities Project ($50 million, World Bank Project ID P146923) used are not clearly defined, and many beneficiaries are not integrated across programs. To reach more households through the LEAP cash transfer and other programs, a fully functional common targeting system is needed. And to improve the identifi- cation of beneficiaries, this system will need to be linked to a national biometric identification system. APPROACH Technical assistance provided through the RSR grant is helping the Ghanaian government meet its commitment to gradually remove energy subsidies and create a solid, flexible, and well-targeted social protection system. Development of common administrative mechanisms is therefore critical. To this end, RSR funding is supporting the roll-out of the National Targeting System, named the Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR), which is built on the proxy means methodology established under the previous RSR grant. The GNHR will be linked to national ID cards and will provide a platform for a harmonized, flexible, and responsive social protection structure. RSR funds are supporting adjustments to the existing MIS and the creation of an appeal and grievance mechanism to improve targeting accuracy and enhance Associated IDA Project: transparency and accountability. Capacity will also be built within the Ministry Additional Financing of Gender, Children and Social Protection for monitoring and coordination. RSR for Ghana Social funds enabled government officials to visit the World Bank headquarters in Opportunities Project Washington, D.C., in order to learn from international experiences on how to strengthen social protection policies and implementation. The project formulated a social protection policy that Finally, RSR funds helped prepare the roll-out of the new IDA operation, Addi- 32 scales up the existing Labor tional Financing for the Ghana Social Opportunities Project¸ with a focus on Intensive Public Works strengthening social protection systems and scaling up the existing safety net (LIPW) and LEAP programs, programs to cover more beneficiaries. rolls out the Ghana National Household Registry for social protection programs, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS and builds capacity for LIPW and LEAP implemen- • The GNHR project operations manual was completed, which details the pro- tation in existing and new cesses and procedures for household registry operations and administrative districts. policies (a database containing socioeconomic information on households). It includes innovative features such as an accompanying public information campaign, a biometric mechanism, and an update to the proxy means test household assessment mechanism; and implements computer-assisted inter- viewing. Mobile targeting centers will be used for information collection. • A strategic alliance was developed with the National Identification Authority to integrate the GNHR to the civil registry to allow a biometric mechanism to ensure effective identification. • Institutional capacity building was conducted to develop the organizational structure of the unit in charge of implementing the GNHR; this included hiring and training staff, the official launch of the GNHR, and sensitization of high- level officials. • An operational manual was designed along with training guidelines for case management and information updates to ensure that claims and complaints from citizens are heard, recorded, and resolved. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 INDIA SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS REACHING OUT TO THE INFORMAL SECTOR IN URBAN INDIA As the rural population moves to large urban areas, the design and delivery of social protection needs to be adapted to meet the needs of RSR funding is being migrant households and workers in Indian cities. ­ used to assess the implementation of urban programs, specifically how beneficiaries are identified and targeted, and to pilot mechanisms to enhance social protection coverage of informal urban workers. CHALLENGE 33 India has 53 cities each with a population of over 1 million, as well as some of the largest cities in the world. Around 429 million people—or nearly 33 percent of the total population—lived in urban India in 2015. Over the next 20 years, cities are expected to create 70 percent of all new jobs, and the urban population is expected to increase to 590 million by 2035. Population: 1.3 billion (2015) Urban social protection has remained fairly neglected in India. Most national social programs are designed for a static and rural population, with limited policy GNI per capita, Atlas method and program attention devoted to adapting appropriate design and delivery (current $): mechanisms for identification, enrollment, and benefit transfers to more densely $1,590 (2015) clustered, dynamic, and mobile populations in urban centers. RSR funding: The urban poor are not a homogeneous group and are characterized by a greater $250,000 degree of unpredictability of income and livelihood. Some informal urban jobs may be cyclical in nature and thus not tie workers to a particular place, which makes targeting of and outreach to this population extremely difficult. APPROACH The Pension Fund Regulatory Authority of India and the Ministry of Labor and Employment are attempting to strengthen social protection systems and delivery mechanisms for informal workers and other mobile populations in urban areas. In coordination with state governments, they administer a number of pension pro- grams, whose performance has been constrained by ill-defined implementation procedures, coverage lags, and unintentional limits to program entry, as well as many challenges impeding service delivery. The ministry is particularly interested in strengthening existing operational tools and broadening coverage of its Worker Welfare Funds and the National Pension Scheme. At present, Worker Welfare Funds are used to target and provide social protection to workers in the informal economy, but the extent of their performance—and the impact on the welfare of informal workers—is unknown. These funds are financed through a general tax on industries in which informal workers operate. The boards of these funds then register beneficiaries and bring them under cover for pensions and health insurance, and scholarships for children. The RSR is helping assess social protection delivery to informal workers across the urban spectrum. This assessment will provide benchmarks on performance and tools currently in use by the Worker Welfare Funds, and determine the specific needs and vulnerabilities of the urban population these are intended to assist. The assessment will inform the design of future urban policies, as well as program reforms. To ensure that proposed administrative reforms are sustain- able, replicable, and scalable, proposed identification, registration, and application processes, as well as payment delivery systems, are being piloted. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS • A systematic analysis has been completed, which identifies bottlenecks faced 34 by potential beneficiaries as they try to access available social protection plat- forms. Findings show high transaction costs for an informal worker, as there is a cumbersome application process and paperwork requirements. Such imped- iments may be excluding the most vulnerable and poorest populations. • The analytic work suggests that the performance of the Worker Welfare boards has been poor. Currently, a large share of the funds remain unused; in 2013, 87 percent of funds were not utilized. • An assessment of the specific needs and vulnerabilities of populations in Delhi, urban Himachal Pradesh, and urban Odisha is under way. Data collec- tion will be completed later this year. • The implementation arrangements used by the pension schemes have been reviewed, and various areas identified for increased coordination and coopera- tion between the Pension Fund Regulatory Authority and other pension sector stakeholders. • Initial reports on benchmarking business processes have been completed. The findings highlight recommendations to improve enrollment procedures; these are being field tested in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Odisha. The series of pilots is meant to identify a replicable strategy for voluntary coverage among specific categories of unorganized workers. • Pilots and concurrent evaluations are ongoing and are expected to provide the necessary confidence in the proposed strategy to improve coverage. Reports and results will be available in early 2017. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 MYANMAR SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS WORKING TOWARD EVIDENCE-BASED POLICY MAKING As Myanmar emerges from decades of isolation, the RSR is helping generate evidence-based guidance and decision making in the social protection sphere, as well as weave new relationships with development partners. An RSR-supported policy dialogue has led both to a new social protection strategy and to needed improvements in implementing capacity to carry out reform. CHALLENGE 35 Myanmar is in a vortex of economic, political, and social transformation. It is moving from a military regime to democratic rule, from armed conflict to peace, from an isolated economy to an open market system. This mix of reforms is Population: paving the way for poverty-alleviating policies—but with decades of limited 51.5 million (2014) exposure to the international arena, the government has insufficient capacity to implement such reforms. GNI per capita, Atlas method (current $): Additionally, detailed information is lacking on the nature and scope of the coun- $1,126 (2014) try’s social protection needs. Limited evidence indicates that a large proportion of the population is poor and food insecure, that poverty is widespread, and that the RSR funding: majority of the poor—about 76 percent—live in rural areas. More than 25 percent $450,000 of the population is estimated to live under the national poverty line, and Myanmar was ranked 150 out of 187 countries in the 2013 Human Development Index. Partners: International Labour Organization (ILO), Though social protection is not a new concept in Myanmar, the sector is com- World Food Programme (WFP), and several nongovernmental organizations prised of very small, underdeveloped programs. While studies indicate that Myanmar households are vulnerable to both economic and natural disaster risks, proper programs for coping with these risks are lacking. Nearly all poor households are excluded from social protection coverage, and rely on commu- nity-based coping mechanisms and fragmented donor assistance. Spending on social protection also remains very low, at 0.57 percent of gross domestic prod- uct (GDP); and social assistance expenditures only account for 0.02 percent of GDP—well below the 1–2 percent average in much of East and South Asia, and even in poorer Sub-Saharan African countries. Meanwhile, civil service pensions and social security, which mainly benefit the more privileged segments of the population, account for 0.55 percent of GDP. Developing the necessary building blocks of a social protection system in Myanmar requires gradual strengthening of institutional capacity while ensuring fiscal sustainability. APPROACH The government of Myanmar has laid out an ambitious reform agenda and called for an inclusive and comprehensive social protection system. The recently approved Rural Development Strategic Framework and the Social Protection Stra- tegic Plan have helped put social protection and social assistance on the poverty agenda. RSR support is aimed at smoothing the transition from sporadic and fragmented donor programs to a more government-led approach and system. Building on the new reform momentum, RSR funds will help the government generate more and better information and an evidence base to drive policies and develop appropriate mechanisms of reaching the poor and vulnerable. Through a social protection assessment, RSR technical assistance and analytical work have established a comprehensive understanding of the nature of social protection. The assessment identified existing social protection schemes, gaps in programs and coverage, and the actors involved; it also helped in formulating a strategic direction for the sector as a whole. Further, the assessment found that the best way to target beneficiaries was in phases, as capacity for implementation could then be developed simultaneously. The assessment identified communi- 36 ty-driven development platforms as a viable vehicle for social protection delivery. RSR funding supported the participation of several government officials in learn- ing events and workshops. Exposure to international best practices will help build capacity as well as foster greater interaction and more engagement with devel- opment partners on the ground. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS • RSR support created new and essential knowledge through a comprehen- sive social protection assessment documented in a series of technical notes. These, together with several technical workshops, have helped shape the government’s new social protection strategic plan, and have informed reform of the social security and pension systems as well as implementation of the Rural Development Strategic Framework. • Knowledge sharing has been facilitated between the World Bank and the ILO, an initiative that also led to increased agency coordination and less duplication of effort. • Partnership and cooperation among the ILO, the WFP, and other nongovern- mental organizations on the ground have been strengthened. The resulting technical discussions and joint collaboration helped inform the national dialogue. • These efforts have helped prepare for the IDA Emergency Safety Nets Project. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 NIGERIA SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN EFFECTIVE SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEM The RSR is helping Nigeria establish the building blocks for an effective social protection platform. Specifically, the grant supports development of a National Registry of Poor and Vulnerable Households, guidance tools, and a framework for a monitoring and evaluation system—all crucial components of systems building. CHALLENGE Nigeria has enjoyed significant growth over the last 20 years. Yet strong growth 37 has not translated into reductions in poverty levels, and a large portion of the Population: population still lives in extreme poverty. Nigeria is one of the biggest oil export- 182 million (2015) ing countries in Africa. Despite diversification in its economy, it remains vulner- able to fluctuations in the price of oil. The grim economic outlook and plummet- GNI per capita, Atlas method ing oil prices have motivated the government to continue investment in social (current $): protection to help mitigate the effects of the economic slowdown on poor and $2,820 (2015) vulnerable households. RSR funding: During 2004–05, the federal government of Nigeria prepared a Social Protection $350,000 Policy Note that proposed the introduction of several demand-side interven- tions. Most of these interventions were unsuccessful in producing significant Partners: decreases in poverty levels, mainly because of systemic weaknesses: poor tar- U.K. Department for International geting; and lack of coordination, an effective monitoring and evaluation system, Development (DFID), UNICEF and government ownership. As it stands, there are safety net programs spread around different ministries, departments, and agencies. Social protection in Nige- Associated IDA project: ria is currently very fragmented and unable to face the challenge. Youth Employment and Social Support Operation ($300 million, World Bank Project ID P126964) APPROACH Recognizing program fragmentation and lack of harmony in the social protection systems at both federal and state levels, the Nigerian federal government has set out to harmonize social safety net interventions and develop an effective and coordinated system. The RSR grant will contribute to the overall effort to increase the coverage and improve the effectiveness of the various social safety net interventions. Through provision of technical assistance, the grant currently supports the development of (1) the National Registry of Poor and Vulnerable Households; (2) guidance tools 38 for administrative tasks such as eligibility criteria, communications, and pay- Associated IDA Project: ments; and (3) a framework and tools for a monitoring and evaluation system. Youth Employment and Social Support Because Nigeria is one of the largest economies in Africa, implementation of Operation planned support can serve as a springboard for increased cross-learning and valida- tion of developed tools. RSR funds will also support a South-South learning event. The Youth Employment and Social Support Operation is increasing access of youth ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS from poor and vulnerable backgrounds to employment • A manual on community-based targeting was created with the support of the opportunities and social RSR and the IDA’s Youth Employment and Social Support Operation. It has services, and strengthening been published and adopted, and has informed two rounds of the data collec- the safety net system in tion needed for registry development. support of the RSR grant. To date, eight participating • The RSR supported the development of a single social registry of poor and states have completed the vulnerable households in Nigeria, registering 10 states and consolidated at the second round of data collec- federal level. tion for the single registry, • The RSR grant has funded capacity-building efforts for transformation of the and three of the states are registry. already conducting a third • The RSR supported study visits by selected government officials at the state round. There are about and federal levels to programs in Tanzania, Pakistan, and Beijing. In-country 75,000 households and cross-learning in partnership with DFID, UNICEF, and the presidency was also 260,000 individuals in the organized for sharing learning from the study visits and international as well as single registry. local experience on social protection programs. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 TANZANIA SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS OPERATIONALIZING THE TANZANIA PRODUCTIVE SOCIAL SAFETY NET The RSR has played a fundamental role in achieving operationalization and massive expansion of Tanzania’s safety net system, the Tanzania Productive Social Safety Net (PSSN). It now reaches around 6 million people. Lessons learned during this process and the good performance since have made the PSSN exemplary in cross-country learning. CHALLENGE Despite solid economic growth over the last decade, about a third of Tanzania’s 39 population remains poor and highly vulnerable. Poverty incidence remains very high, with about 47 percent of the population living on less than $1.90 per day, and around 30 percent of population living under the national poverty line. Food Population: insecurity is high and exacerbated by shocks, which reduce households’ con- 53.5 million (2015) sumption, deplete their assets, and diminish their investments in human capital. GNI per capita, Atlas method In 2014, the government of Tanzania decided to scale up the PSSN to support (current $): the entire population living in vulnerable to extreme poverty with the objective $910 (2015) of reducing extreme poverty by half. The timeline for such a massive expansion was set to only two years. The scale-up plan identified that the program would RSR funding: need to be able to capture, manage, monitor, and maintain high-quality informa- $410,000 tion about all the population living below the food poverty line. The program’s administrative system would also have to be primed to gather and process the Associated IDA project: increased information on beneficiary compliance of conditionalities or effective Tanzania Productive Social Safety Net ($220 million, World Bank Project participation in public works, along with a payments delivery system with the ID P124045) reach and infrastructure to guarantee bimonthly cash benefits on time and in a transparent manner. The expected risks inherent with rapid expansion also meant that the government of Tanzania would have to revamp its information and griev- ance systems. APPROACH The RSR contributed to developing, testing, and implementing the operational tools necessary to sustain the expansion of the PSSN to reach 1.2 million households. A comprehensive assessment was carried out after an initial round of household identification to inform the rest of the scale-up. This was followed by laying out a strategy for the use of information, communications, and technol- ogy (ICT) in the Tanzanian context. The grant also allowed for enhancement of key operational tools, including the MIS, the single registry of beneficiaries, and a formal payment system. Such enhancements ensured that, among other considerations, the MIS collects timely information on beneficiary compliance. One of the biggest challenges the government faced in the PSSN expansion was collecting information for targeting and the registry. Technical assistance played a pivotal role in the design of a new targeting mechanism that uses a proxy means test. Lastly, a plan for a payment Associated IDA Project: Tanzania Productive system that uses electronic payments in the form of mobile money, smart cards, Social Safety Net or electronic funds transfer, was supported to guarantee that beneficiaries receive the intended payments. The Tanzania Productive Safety Net implemented by the TASAF is designed ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS to protect the poorest and most exposed to shocks • The initial assessment of the first 100,000 households identified limited ICT against destitution through capacity, including connectivity, at the local authority level. An alternative complementary safety strategy for centralized data collection was thus adopted, which proved effec- net interventions. By June tive. The RSR supported technical assistance for development and implemen- 2016, it completed suc- tation of an ICT action plan that included improvements to the existing MIS 40 cessfully the roll-out to 1.1 and quality of data collection. million households (close to • Support was granted to the government in revising and implementing a 6 million people). A rigorous well-performing targeting mechanism that relies on updated systematic tools, evaluation of the program as well in developing a strategy to manage and update the beneficiary data has been completed. It entered into the registry. shows that the project is • The benefit structure was revised to align it with the profile of beneficiaries— reaching the people most for example, by addressing the particular needs of older children who face in need, confirming the higher opportunity costs in attending school. project is targeting the right beneficiaries. With support • A grievance redress mechanism was established to ensure any grievances are of donor partners, an elec- properly categorized and channeled for resolution. tronic payment mechanism • An enhanced payment system was rolled out. The system is capable of is being piloted. delivering electronic payments to the community level with systematic spot checks, which provides evidence of minimal risks with no significant funds leakage or fraud. • Due in part to RSR support, the PSSN successfully rolled out nationwide using high-quality, rigorous operational processes, while keeping pace with the tight time horizon. Because of the successful operationalization of these tools and systems and the transparency that they brought, PSSN was able to mobilize additional resources from donor partners and the World Bank P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 UGANDA SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS TOWARD A SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEM The RSR is helping Uganda strengthen implementation of social protection programs, while setting a path toward developing a sustainable social protection system. The funds supported the review of the Uganda Social Protection Policy, which lays out an implementation framework to ensure increased efficiency and coordination among different agencies. CHALLENGE 41 Uganda has enjoyed two decades of strong economic growth and fiscal pru- dence, against which poverty rates have decreased significantly. However, stagnant inequality and the aftermath of conflict have kept large sectors of Population: society vulnerable and in poverty. Social protection in Uganda has, until recently, 39 million (2015) been dominated by donor-funded programs that largely consist of food aid. Thus, there are gaps in coverage, duplication of efforts, and limited coordination among GNI per capita, Atlas method implementing agencies. (current $): $670 (2014) The Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD) took the initia- tive to assess these issues by drafting a social protection policy. However, the RSR funding: evidence base to guide its implementation was thin. No previous comprehensive $258,800 analysis had been carried out in the country on the design, implementation, or impact of potential or existing social protection programs. Partners: U.K. Department for International Uganda’s National Development Plan 2010–2015 emphasizes the need for social Development (DFID), UNICEF protection for those unable to work or who lack basic resources. Nevertheless, without identifying best practices or lessons for the sector, implementing the policy runs the risk of expanding fragmented programs instead of catalyzing a cohesive social protection system. APPROACH Experience from a range of countries in Africa has demonstrated the vital role a comprehensive social protection review can play in setting the foundation for an effective social protection system. Such an assess- ment can lay out a strategic approach to implementing social protection policy by informing decisions on the mix of programs, their implementation modalities, as well as target groups. With help from the RSR, the Uganda Social Protec- tion Policy draft provides, for the first time, a clear framework for the sector. It was developed to ensure the effective coordination and implementation of interventions in the two pillars of social protection in Uganda: social security, and social care and support services. An evidence-based roadmap for building the country’s social protection system would inform implementation of this policy. 42 The Uganda Social Protection Sector review, overseen by a committee chaired by the MGLSD and stakeholders, aims to provide a broad perspective on the sector as well as in-depth analysis of specific areas. The review identifies policy and programmatic gaps, as well as areas to improve coordination, consolidation, and expansion as a basis for building a social protection system. Additionally, it includes considerations for labor programs and the role of social security and their potential interactions and linkages to existing programs. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS • The sector review played a critical role in bringing together various sector stakeholders and developing a good working relationship. It also set forth explicit recommendations on enhancements needed for achieving a cohesive social protection system. • The RSR-funded review allowed the government of Uganda to play a leading role in the process. The government published the Uganda Social Protection Sector Review, which informed the National Social Protection Policy launched in March 2016. • Drawing on the sector review, the National Social Protection Policy will be operationalized through the Program Plan of Interventions. It articulates prior- ity programs over the next five years and was submitted for approval along- side the National Social Protection Policy. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 ZIMBABWE SUPPORT TO NEW AND IMPROVED SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR SYSTEMS REVIVING THE SAFETY NET SYSTEM The RSR grant aimed to help revive Zimbabwe’s social protection system, while bringing efficiency and international best practices to the sector. RSR funds also support a policy dialogue between the World Bank and Zimbabwe in the area of social protection, and better prepare both sides for a stronger reengagement going forward. CHALLENGE As a postconflict country looking to reengage with the international commu- nity, Zimbabwe has embarked on a series of reforms to revive its economy and tackle poverty. The challenges it faces today are the legacy of the long-stand- 43 ing economic and political turmoil that crippled the Zimbabwean economy for much of the past two decades. During that time, gross domestic product (GDP) declined by more than 90 percent, hyperinflation soared, and critical services— Population: including health care and social services—deteriorated. Almost a quarter of the 14.2 million (2013) population (22 percent) suffered extreme poverty. Despite a strong economic rebound between 2009 to 2012 as the country and its institutions stabilized, the GNI per capita, Atlas method Zimbabwean economy recently experienced a drastic slowdown. Political insta- (current $): $860 (2014) bility, weather shocks, and trade deterioration resulted in a drop in growth rates, from an average of 8.7 percent during the 2009–12 period to 3.2 percent in 2014. RSR funding: The social protection system remains heavily fragmented, with low implementa- $250,000 tion capacity. Data on social protection spending, coverage, and beneficiaries are scant. The latest available data indicate that 0.4 percent of GDP is allocated to Partner: safety net spending. UNICEF Years of isolation from the international community have led to limited aid avail- ability, a lack of exposure to international best practices, and a damaging build-up of arrears with multilateral organizations. Nevertheless, with its vast natural resources and existing public infrastructure, the country has the potential to sus- tain growth and reduce poverty; realizing this potential will require a revival of its institutions, critical improvements in service delivery, and meaningful economic reforms. APPROACH The government of Zimbabwe has shown a strong commitment to developing a national social protection strategy—and, through that, to improve and redesign its social protection system. To date, it has completed several policy frameworks to guide the design and implementation of such a system. But building a robust and sustainable one out of existing programs requires a harmonized and reliable targeting mechanism to identify the poorest and those most in need. Technical assistance offered through RSR funding is supporting the government in the revival of its social protection system. Notably, it is buoying government efforts 44 to develop a social protection strategy and create a harmonized targeting system and beneficiary registry for the country’s main social safety net programs. These initiatives will lead to a more effective safety net system by eliminating duplication and ensuring a higher optimization of benefits to the poorest. The RSR will also help introduce international best practices to the social protec- tion arena in Zimbabwe, and help the government make the best decisions for programs and systems going forward. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS • RSR funds helped prepare a National Social Protection Policy Framework, which will serve as the backbone for the upcoming social protection strategy and help bring coherence to the sector. The framework note will provide guidance to targeting and program harmonization, as well as to overall systems building. • Financing from the RSR helped the Ministry of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare review the existing targeting mechanism in place for the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) and align it with the Harmonized Cash Transfer Program in order to improve effectiveness. An operations manual for BEAM has been finalized. • The RSR is supporting the government in improving and integrating its MISs and beneficiary database, so as to harmonize programs under one umbrella system. THEME 2: Increased Learning and Knowledge Sharing for Social Protection Service Delivery AFRICA COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE: Fostering Knowledge Exchange on Cash Transfers in Francophone Africa RSR AND SOUTH-SOUTH LEARNING P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 AFRICA COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE INCREASED LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION SERVICE DELIVERY FOSTERING KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE ON CASH TRANSFERS IN FRANCOPHONE AFRICA The RSR is supporting increased knowledge exchange among francophone countries in Africa through a community of practice (CoP), in order to generate more information on the implementation or scale-up of cash transfer programs. Practitioners from countries that have recently set up cash transfer programs can learn crucial lessons from established programs in countries that share a similar context. CHALLENGE 47 The Africa CoP on Cash and Conditional Cash Transfers is an exchange platform to debate issues related to program design and implementation. It was launched in December 2011 to share in-depth technical information as well as knowledge drawn from lessons and experiences during the preparation and implementation RSR funding: of cash transfer programs. $340,000 The CoP has successfully provided cross-country horizontal cooperation. It has Countries: been deemed a valuable tool among country members, who were able to adapt Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo and apply knowledge gained through the CoP in their own countries. It has also Verde, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, stimulated internal dialogue within countries on intersectoral aspects such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, linkages of cash transfers to human development and productive income gener- Djibouti, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, ation. Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo Although fruitful exchanges have already contributed to promoting discussions on key policy and operational challenges in creating social protection systems, in order to unlock the full potential of the learning space, the forum’s scope needed to be widened to specifically include experiences in francophone contexts. APPROACH Following requests from several countries in West and Central Africa for an exchange platform in French, a francophone group was launched with support from the RSR by mid-2013. Since then, more countries have expressed an interest in joining the group; the addition of Burundi and Comoros brings the cur- 48 rent total to 18 member countries. The RSR grant provides continuing support to the francophone Sub-Saharan Africa CoP on cash transfer and conditional cash transfer programs. During this second phase, the grant will allow access to a wider range of tools and literature in French to fill a wide information gap identified during the first year of the CoP. It will also allow for increased face-to-face events, as well as bilateral interactions for in-depth technical and operation-specific discussions. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RE SULTS • The CoP has been accommodating new countries, and membership has increased from 11 countries to 18. • Six videoconferences, two bilateral meetings, and seven face-to-face meet- ings have been held—the most recent in May 2016 in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. • The platform is continuously populated to facilitate country knowledge sharing of experiences. • A few videos have been developed explaining how the CoP works and the benefits of joining, gathering experiences from a face-to-face meeting in Niger. A forthcoming video, developed during the latest meeting in the Repub- lic of Congo, shows examples of rich discussions on intersectoral aspects. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 SOUTH-SOUTH LEARNING INCREASED LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION SERVICE DELIVERY THE RSR AND SOUTH-SOUTH LEARNING In November 2015, the RSR supported the 6th South-South Learning Forum, Emerging Social Protection Systems in an Urbanizing World, in Beijing. The forum was a landmark event, convening more than 250 policy makers from 75 countries to discuss, share, and learn from emerging knowledge and practical innovations in the as-yet underexplored area of social protection in urban areas. CHALLENGE Today, worldwide, roughly 54 percent of the population lives in urban areas. Urbanization is a growing phenomenon, and developing at a growing rate, which 49 brings forth both opportunities and challenges for development—in particular, protection of the poorest. While it is true that global poverty is declining, with the new urbanization trend, poverty challenges may be increasing in urbanized areas. Having more than 180,000 people move to urban areas globally requires shifts in thinking and policy making. Such demographic swings test social protection systems—even more so in disaster-prone areas. While cities can provide more opportunities for human development, such influxes can strain existing systems (higher demand for jobs, housing, and services). Against this backdrop, social protection systems—and social safety nets in particular—can play a crucial, stra- tegic role in identifying and supporting the urban poor. These provide a much- needed platform to reach those most in need, as well as linking them to jobs and services. The new urban agenda will also serve as an important pillar in activities related to fragility and disaster risk management. APPROACH The South-South Learning Forum was co-hosted by the World Bank Group and the government of China, specifically the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the Beijing municipal government. Crucial support was provided by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the GIZ. Why China? • China represents the world’s largest developing country with 1.3 billion people. Much of the world’s population growth will occur here—as will most of the world’s poverty. • Unlike other experiences in SPL worldwide, China scaled up from urban to rural. • Despite its enormous size, China has managed to develop a comprehensive social protection system for urban dwellers, including a minimum living wage guarantee; support for the extreme poor; postdisaster assistance; and medical, education, housing, and employment support. Seventy million people are covered by a range of such SPL instruments, countrywide. • China has made great progress in delivering safety nets to the poorest in urban areas in a rapidly transforming context. As such, it was the perfect location for learning how to design and implement such SPL systems, with a particular focus on the Dibao Safety Net Program. This forum provided a much-needed platform to share cross-country experiences and expand the dialogue on how to effectively deliver SPL services in a rapidly urbanizing context. Special emphasis was placed on operationalizing safety net programs and adapting them to these evolving issues. The mix of countries attending the event represented an array across the development spectrum— with diverse urbanization contexts and different state capacities—allowing for practical, real-world exchanges. 50 The format of the event allowed for a range of learning opportunities. It included plenary presentations centered on implementation and operational issues. These included urban institutional and financing arrangements, ways to connect social safety nets to urban labor mar- kets, basic social services, as well as urban development agendas. Interactive sessions provided participants with the opportu- nity to learn in a more informal manner, and helped foster strong networks and communities of practice beyond the event. The forum included a one-day field trip to several locations within the Beijing municipality, which were served under China’s urban Dibao program and other social assistance programs. 51 Thoughts on the Forum from Participating Ministers • “This forum is very timely, with a topic that will affect everyone going forward, even though our poverty is con- centrated in rural areas. The Benazir Income Support Program in Pakistan built a well-known ID system, and we hope this experience can be transferred to the countries we collaborated with during this event, and that their urbanized experiences can help us in our efforts, too.” —Marvi Memon, Minister of State and Chairper- son of the Benazir Income Support Program, Pakistan • “China’s experience is very interesting, as they scaled up in the opposite manner from most of us—from urban to rural. There is much to be learned, as our country continues to tailor programs to the urban agenda with a strong focus on resilience.” —Mekuria Haile Teklemariam, Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Ethiopia • “This forum highlighted the dire challenges of urbanization, and we all have better ideas on how to prepare going forward. Lesotho has benefited from many other country experiences in shaping our social protection agenda, and now we’re also able to give advice thanks to this forum.” —Molahlahi Letlotlo, Minister of Social Development, Lesotho • “Ideas, strategic decisions, what worked and what hasn’t, were all explored. As Nigeria is trying to put all social safety nets on one platform, the forum has helped us understand that the urban context needs to be part of the system as well going forward. It will help us the make right decisions.” —Maryam Uwais, Adviser to the Vice President, Nigeria • “Social politics tends to be challenging regardless of the level of development. As we all experience new global urban challenges, it’s important to share experiences. We have different cultural, economic, and historical plat- forms, but the challenges are similar.” —David Sergeenko, Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs, Georgia SPECIAL CHANNELS GLOBAL: Disaster-Responsive Social Protection GLOBAL: Nutrition-Sensitive Social Protection P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 DISASTER-RESPONSIVE SOCIAL PROTECTION PROTECTING ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES TO THE MOST VULNERABLE IN TIMES OF CRISIS Sometimes overlooked, their potential underestimated or misunderstood, social protection programs and systems can be adapted to help the vulnerable better weather natural disasters, directly intervening to assist those affected in recovering from their impacts. TRENDS IN NATURAL DISASTERS Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, and they are affecting more people. When natural disasters strike, they ruin lives. In rapid-onset, sudden disasters like super-typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines in 2013 or the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, a person’s house, livelihood, and assets may be washed away or crumble in an instant. These tragic events often scar people psychologically through bereavement and shock, and can leave others 55 physically disabled. They can fracture and displace entire communities, sever- ing social and familial bonds and reversing years of investment in community facilities, infrastructure, schools, and hospitals. Slow-onset, creeping disasters like the 2011 drought in the Horn of Africa can be just as ruinous, making food scarce in countries where many may already be food poor and leading—in the worst instances—to famine and starvation. There has been a pro- Figure T3-1: Number of Disasters and People nounced global trend Affected, 1980–2010 toward more frequent and severe disasters of these sorts during the last two decades, and they are affecting more and more people (figure T3-1). This trend will only increase under the influence of climate change, making the need for increased resilience among vulnerable peo- SOURCE: EM-DAT: The CRED/OFDA International ple more acute than it Disaster Database; www.emdat.be. has ever been. Disasters can undo years of development gains, with Figure T3-2: Cycle of Poverty and Vulnerability poor households typically the most vulnerable to their Resulting from Disasters impacts. While natural disasters do not discriminate, poor DISASTER and near-poor households are often more exposed to and Asset accumulation disproportionately affected by their impacts. Limited sav- ings and access to finance inhibit poor households’ ability to Recovery Disaster respond to and recover from disasters. Moreover, traditional from disaster asset loss coping mechanisms provided by the family or the commu- nity may be overwhelmed by large, covariate shocks such as natural disasters. In such circumstances, poor households Fall back Negative may be compelled to employ harmful strategies to cope with into coping strategies loss: they might take out high-interest loans that cannot be poverty repaid, sell what productive assets they have left for immedi- ate liquidity, or remove children from school so they can work for additional household income. Such shortsighted strategies can have a lasting and scarring effect on individuals, households, society, and the economy as a whole (figure T3-2). THE ROLE OF SOCIAL PROTECTION IN DISASTER RESPONSE Social protection can play a prominent role in helping people recover from 56 rapid-onset disasters. After a typhoon, flash flood, or earthquake hits, first responders and humanitarians are on the scene to provide immediate, life-sav- ing relief. The reconstruction period after a disaster is often similarly well covered, with a number of institutions—includ- Figure T3-3: Resource Requirements during the ing the World Bank—working with governments to rebuild Relief, Recovery, and Reconstruction Phases lost infrastructure a year or two after the event. However, Postdisaster between relief and reconstruction, there is often a lull in activity, during which the chronic needs of affected people are not well met. This recovery period marks a point in time where people’s immediate life-saving needs (food, shelter, etc.) have largely been met after relief operations wind down, even though true reconstruction and a return to normality may be months or years away (figure T3-3). At this juncture, social protection can help meet the needs of affected people through myriad interventions that center on income and consumption support, psycho-social care, live- lihood restoration and diversification, and community rehabilitation. Currently, the delivery of such services in response to disasters is characterized by ad hoc programs hastily established after a disaster. Implemented in this fashion, such programs can take time to be delivered, be lacking in transparency, and struggle for coordinated delivery. However, implementing similar interventions through pre-established social protection systems can increase their timeliness, coordi- nation, efficiency, transparency, and accountability—all to the ultimate benefit of those who have been affected. DISASTER-RESPONSIVE SOCIAL PROTECTION: THE RSR-GFDRR PARTNERSHIP A review of existing social protection–disaster risk management (DRM) programs worldwide reveals a common thread of design and implementation parameters that ought to be established to make social protection more disaster responsive, including the following: • Programs should have sufficient footprint, flexible design, and comprehensive service delivery systems in place ex ante. • Appropriate and credible information (on livelihoods, meteorological data, etc.) should be available to determine the needed response, prepare adequately, and influence timely decision making. • Established disaster risk financing arrangements should exist that govern disaster response. Box T3-1: Strengthening Social Protection • Institutional coordination and capacity should be in place to Systems to Manage Disaster and Climate Risk in Asia and the Pacific carry out disaster-responsive social protection programs. The government of the Philippines and the To ensure these parameters are built into disaster readiness of World Bank hosted the first-ever global forum SPL systems of client countries, the RSR has partnered with on Strengthening Social Protection Systems to the GFDRR and, as of December 2015, channeled $1.2 million Manage Disaster and Climate Risk in Asia and from it to support activities in Jamaica; the Pacific Islands of Pacific in November 2014 to capture lessons on 57 Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu; and the Philippines. Two IDA-eligible how countries could better respond to natural countries—Dominica and Grenada—were also targeted to disasters through robust social protection sys- receive support for their disaster-responsive social protection tems. The event, supported by the GFDRR and agendas. The partnership has helped support a variety of the RSR, convened experts and policy makers activities in countries with varying degrees of SPL systems from 17 countries in Africa, Latin America, and maturity, including the following (also see box T3-1). Asia and the Pacific. • Initiating a new dialogue on integrating SPL with The event was held in Manila, as countries in DRM. In Vanuatu, the RSR is helping initiate a new dia- this region are among the most prone to disaster logue with the government on policy options for integrating and climate risks, with devastating impacts on SPL and DRM, given the country’s high levels of vulnera- lives and livelihoods—especially for the poorest bility. and most vulnerable. The Philippines has one of • Establishing the foundation of a merger between SPL the most well-developed safety net programs in and DRM through building blocks. In Dominica and the world, which serve as a platform to quickly Grenada, the RSR-DR grant is helping the countries fortify deliver assistance to the affected and vulnerable. their existing SPL systems and, at the same time, making The message from the conference was clear: them more responsive to disasters by strengthening core countries can respond to natural disasters better building blocks. Through analytics, capacity-building initia- and assist victims faster if robust social pro- tives, and technical assistance (in conjunction with existing tection systems are in place. Social protection IDA programs), both countries will have the tools needed systems have a big role to play in addressing the to strengthen their SPL systems and make them more human side of disaster and climate risks. Having responsive and efficient. them in place before disaster strikes is critical to • Strengthening government capacity for disaster pre- addressing livelihood losses with disaster. paredness and response through SPL. In Fiji and Tonga, the RSR-DR grant is helping the governments design SPL programs that are better able to help the poor and vulnerable postdisaster. With varying levels of maturity in their SPL systems, neither Fiji nor Tonga are currently utilizing their SPL systems in response to disaster. With RSR help, both countries will have more detailed analyses on financing options as well as support in program implementation. In Jamaica, a similar grant will help make the existing Program for Advance- ment through Health and Education (PATH) program more disaster responsive. The flagship conditional cash transfer program’s service delivery mechanisms have been used to provide cash and in-kind support to poor and vulnerable households postdisaster. To make service delivery even more effective and to be able to reach a larger number of affected people, the RSR-DR grant will help the government of Jamaica improve the design of delivery mechanisms and provide the necessary training for staff and beneficiaries. • Promoting stronger integration of risk financing and SPL. In the Philip- pines, the RSR-DR project is centered on strengthening the government’s ability to better protect poor and vulnerable households postdisaster. The social protection and welfare programs in the Philippines—delivered through the Department of Social Welfare and Development—have been at the frontline of disaster response, as witnessed after Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. Nevertheless, the potential for social protection to better assist those most in need during the response period after a crisis occurs has much potential for improvement. The 58 grant will help assess the potential for introducing a scalable emergency cash transfer in the Philippines (which will replace some of the in-kind assistance) as well as an MIS to support such an important postdisaster program. GOING F ORWA RD SPL programs have the potential to build resilience among the population post- disaster. Key elements of SPL programs—including targeting and enrollment, financing, payments, and so on—have the potential to incorporate ex ante mechanisms that can lower the vulnerability of already poor households (or those that may become poor after disasters strike), minimize the costs of delivering systematic response to those most in need, and even prevent more protracted social and economic crises. The RSR-GFDRR partnership has fortified the new collaboration between SPL and DRM—an agenda that is attracting much attention in development frontiers. The RSR itself, originally conceived as a crisis response program, is well aligned to continue its engagements in disaster-responsive SPL. Indeed, through its partnership with the GFDRR, the RSR can help take this agenda forward through catalytic investment in disaster-responsive social protection systems. Specifi- cally, it can engage in this agenda through knowledge products that help expand the growing but still limited body of knowledge on disaster-responsive SPL, as well as through technical assistance on systems development and adaptation in line with the four parameters outlined above. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 NUTRITION-SENSITIVE SOCIAL PROTECTION PROTECTING ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES TO THE MOST VULNERABLE IN TIMES OF CRISIS Nutrition-sensitive RSR grants can support work in middle-income countries, and aim to influence nutrition through improvements to SPL systems. NS-RSR grants can fund stand-alone activities or work that adds a nutrition-sensitive lens to World Bank Group SPL country projects. IMPLICATIONS OF NUTRITION FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION An estimated 45 percent of deaths of children under age 5 are linked to malnu- trition (Black and others 2013), and globally almost 2 billion people suffer from some form of malnutrition (IFPRI 2016). While poorer countries may exhibit greater rates of undernutrition (too little food and nutrients), malnutrition as a whole affects countries all over the world (as noted, for example, in the executive 59 summaries of both IFPRI 2016 and Shrimpton and Rokx 2012), and can affect the health and labor profiles of middle- and high-income countries. Whether under- nutrition or overnutrition (too much of the wrong food), the impacts can range from poor physical and cognitive development among vulnerable children, to reduced capacity to work and increased health care costs for individuals. When both under- and overnutrition are present in a country—which is not unusual (see IFPRI 2014, chapter 4), the economy may feel the impacts of the “double burden of malnutrition,” and governments will have to tame a two-headed beast that starts as a health concern but can affect labor, safety nets, government services, and national expenditures. In short, malnutrition is a human capital challenge that cuts across all economies and layers of the population. EMERGING THEMES IN NUTRITION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION Working across sectors does not come naturally. The NS-RSR window supports critical connections between nutrition and other disciplines in a way that can lead to meaningful policy change. The current suite of grants (table T3-1) provides a window into the shared needs across countries that are revealed once a team applies a nutrition-sensitive lens. Multisectoral collaboration. Four of the NS-RSR teams find common ground by involving multiple ministries and institutions in policy planning and Table T3-1: Current NS-RSR Grant Portfolio YEAR GRANT OBJECTIVES BUDGET ($) FY16 Enhancing Public Food Delivery (1) Review the role of public food distribution 350,000 Systems as a Safety Net systems (PFDS) as part of the national safety net; (2) understand factors that affect the design of PFDS programs across studied coun- tries and their reforms over time; (3) document selected aspects of current design and imple- mentation. FY16 Support the Strengthening of (1) Inform policy reforms that can increase 380,000 the Mexico SP System and its the coverage and effectiveness of the social Focus on Wellbeing, Nutritional protection system in Mexico; (2) document Status, and Food Security important results and lessons from Mexico to inform other policy dialogues. FY16 Armenia Social Inclusion and Improve the targeting of social safety nets 380,000 Activation and enhance the contribution of the social assistance system in identifying and reducing malnutrition. FY17 Strengthening the Social Pro- Support the development of a nutrition-sensi- 340,000 tection System in Botswana to tive social protection system through develop- Contribute to the Eradication of ment of key reforms and tools. Food Poverty FY17 Improving Nutrition-Sensitive Support the government of Ecuador to increase 302,250 Social Protection in Ecuador the impact of the social protection system on reducing chronic malnutrition through (1) 60 enhancing the coordination of programs and benefits, and (2) strengthening coordination with the health sector. Maharashtra State, India Forthcoming Forthcoming implementation. For instance, a project in Armenia was able to bring the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to consensus around three shared priorities that bridge nutrition and social protection: (1) gathering evidence on multisectoral program impacts, (2) training social workers to identify malnutrition, and (3) establishing monitoring and evaluation methods that assess social protection program impact on nutrition outcomes. In Ecuador, the NS-RSR grant supports the Ministry of Economic and Social Development in fulfilling a presidential mandate to redesign and improve the country’s nutrition strategy, which also involves the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion, among others. Whether providing a new space for dialogue or supporting a pre-existing mandate to build multisectoral capacity, the NS-RSR window allows key policy players to come together. South-South exchange. NS-RSR grants offer a means to take advantage of shared experience in several ways. For example, the team in Armenia is building on a learning visit by the Ministry of Labor to Brazil to hear about its Zero Hunger program, and Ecuador is looking to translate policy elements that contributed to Peru’s dramatic reduction in stunting among children into useful approaches in its own context. In addition to these country-country examples, the NS-RSR window is support- ing a global knowledge-sharing effort—Enhancing Public Distribution Systems as a Safety Net grant—that highlights lessons in public food distribution systems across the world. Working with authors from India, Indonesia, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and the United States, this NS-RSR team is scanning nations of all income levels and nutrition situations to directly compare and contrast decisions made around in-kind food support to vulnerable families. The project will result in a book that is the first of its kind in terms of scope. Early workshops are showing how many poverty programs have evolved incrementally to take on food and nutrition components—essentially becoming public food distribution systems over time. Governance. Nutrition-sensitive approaches are more likely to stick if they become owned and monitored by governments. Mexico is using an NS-RSR grant to contribute to a culture of evidence-based policy making, and pilot ways to establish causality among complex multisectoral programming. The World Bank team is drawing on both international and national experts to accomplish this work, together building a system that can be taken over by government officers as they oversee massive national programs such as PROSPERA and the National Crusade Against Hunger (Crusada Nacional Contra el Hambre). In Botswana, the NS-RSR is helping the Ministry of Local Governance and Rural 61 Development understand how national policies can incorporate both nutrition and social protection programs as complementary services, and help drive the country’s Vision Beyond 2016. With an eye toward improving return on invest- ment for social safety net spending, the grant in Botswana supports the ministry in identifying program coherence and justifying its budget decisions. INTEGRATED APPROACHE S Good programs of any kind require both individual demand and quality supply in order to be effective. In several cases, NS-RSR teams are making these criti- cal links for nutrition-sensitive initiatives and ensuring an integrated approach. In Ecuador, experience from the recently completed Cresciendo con Nuestra Guaguas program shows it is possible to achieve a suite of multisectoral suc- cesses: increase awareness of the importance of child growth through social protection programs, improve nutrition counseling techniques, and promote high- er-quality monitoring and evaluation tools for those services. Now, an NS-RSR grant is supporting scale-up of the Cresciendo experience, looking to expand improvements in the provision of nutrition services and inform budget allocations at the national level. In Armenia, an NS-RSR team began with a plan to address demand for growth monitoring services, but quickly found that supply—that is, the quality of the services provided—was the more critical issue. It has since pivoted to reduce the administrative load on social workers and train them as touch points for nutrition education, while simultaneously looking at the quality of cooking demonstrations, growth monitoring, and other key services overseen by the Ministry of Health. DATA AND TE CHNOLOGY Social protection as a sector stands out for its focus on targeting pro-poor services toward vulnerable populations, as well as using social registries to track access, use, and impact. NS-RSR grants are taking advantage of these strengths by upgrading hardware and moving toward registries that track use of government services across both social protection and nutrition. In Armenia, the government is reviewing its methods to identify who receives social safety net benefits, looking to target the most vulnerable households that are at greater risk of malnutrition. The NS-RSR team is supporting these efforts by providing a suite of policy options based on household data and new surveys and facili- tating an informed choice of what works in the Armenian context. In Botswana, the Ministry of Local Governance and Rural Development is upgrading its social registry database in order to track not only social safety net use, but also the use of food supplementation programs that target nutritionally vulnerable women and children. The upgrades require coming to multisectoral consensus on which programs should be tracked, what type of information to include, and even the hardware and software that is a best fit for Botswana. At a more individual level, Ecuador is exploring the use of nutrition-focused text messages that both edu- 62 cate and drive demand for services promoted through the NS-RSR grant. COMING TO COHERENCE What stands out across all NS-RSR grants is the act of taking critical steps toward coherence—aligning separate programs, policies, people, and tech- nology. In an era when budgets are tight at all levels, whether in IDA or IBRD countries, finding common ground and leveraging (for example) sophisticated safety net targeting formulas to help identify those in need of growth monitoring and nutritional counseling is the type of effort that makes good fiscal sense. NS-RSR teams such as that in Armenia find that sitting down with government counterparts and describing the areas of overlap between the sectors is a signifi- cant step in itself, and often allows them to consider more holistic approaches to human capital, good health, and good nutrition across generations. WHAT’S NE X T The NS-RSR is allowing World Bank teams to support the nutrition-sensitive social protection agenda. There is still more ground to cover, and the NS-RSR mechanism is positioned well to respond. The following themes are likely areas of entry for new projects. • 1000 Days. This rallying cry of the public health nutrition world is likely to continue being integrated with social protection targeting systems. Sources such as the 2013 Lancet series on maternal and child nutrition point to the period from the first day of pregnancy to a child’s second birthday as a critical time for development (Lancet 2013), when human capital may become locked in for the rest of a child’s life. • Measuring impact on nutrition. Part of the work in the Mexico NS-RSR grant is to establish a system able to tease out the independent effects of different policies and programs on nutrition. This is a complicated task from a monitoring and evaluation perspective, and future grants can continue to support the development of appropriate methods and indicators to assess multisectoral impact. • Maintaining collaboration. In cases such as Armenia, NS-RSR grants may be allowing a country to work on nutrition across ministries for the first time. These interactions provide the building blocks for multisectoral and nutri- tion-sensitive work, but represent a significant shift in approach and even mind-set toward collaboration. Future rounds of grants can build on such groundwork, and will require continued investment to establish nutrition sensi- tivity as a norm. • Behavior change communication (BCC). Nutrition and social protection find a programmatic intersection around BCC. Conditional cash transfers can encourage use of government services such as growth monitoring, or find ways to include individual or small-group counseling approaches that address nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices. BCC is a common challenge in 63 improving nutrition and an area that can be included in NS-RSR grants. These and other themes will continue to drive the NS-RSR as a mechanism that brings a nutrition-sensitive lens into the SPL arena. The cohort of grantees will make for a natural knowledge network to further South-South exchange, and together create a supportive grant system that will grow even more effective over time. RSR Project Portfolio and Associated IDA Projects, 2010–15 THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM RSR Project Portfolio (as of December 31, 2015) a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS AFRICA Angola: Systemic Support to Social Protection in 450,000 Sept 15– Active Angola. Contributes to strengthening the social pro- March 17 tection system by enhancing the government’s capac- ity to design and implement social protection pro- grams, strengthening coordination and institutional linkages among the multiple government institutions, and designing a graduation model Benin: Building a Common National Targeting and 275,000 August Closed Registry System for Cash Transfers, Public Works, 2013– and Other Safety Net Interventions. Supported the June 2015 government of Benin in developing a national benefi- ciary targeting and registry system that can be used across multiple social protection and health programs Burkina Faso: Strengthening Safety Net Response to 500,000 April Closed Crises. Supported the development and implementa- 2010– tion of a cash transfer program and a feasibility study June 2015 of a public works program to support the poor and vulnerable Burundi: Supporting Evolution toward a Coordinated 400,000 August Closed Social Protection System. Assisted a gradual move 2014– from fragmented social protection programs to a August coordinated system through feasibility assessments, 2015 66 BUILDING support to program implementation, and South- SOCIAL South learning PROTECTION SYSTEMS Cameroon: Strengthening Safety Net Response to 550,000 March Closed Crises. Supported an inventory and analysis of the 2010– country’s social safety nets, and piloted a cash trans- December fer program 2013 Cameroon: Support to Building Productive Safety 250,000 April Closed Nets. Supported the development of a productive 2014– social protection system in Cameroon including November strengthening the design of safety net programs and 2015 including approaches to linking program beneficiaries to the labor market and to productive activities Comoros: Strengthening Social Protection in 410,000 February Closed Comoros. Supported the government in improving 2015– social protection policy coordination and safety net October program implementation 2016 Congo–Brazaville: LISUNGI–Safety Nets System. 350,000 January Closed Supported building blocks of a consolidated national 2014– safety nets system and an impact evaluation of the November LISUNGI cash transfer pilot program 2015 Cash Transfers: Design for Scaling Up in Sub-Saharan 391,874 May 2012– Closed Africa. Provided technical assistance to improve and June 2013 scale-up existing cash transfer programs in Angola, Benin, Lesotho, Mali, Tanzania, and Zambia P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Côte d’Ivoire: Assessing the Impact of Crises on 300,000 November Closed Human Capital and Laying the Foundations for an 2011– Effective Social Safety Net System. Provided tech- December nical assistance to investigating the aggregate and 2013 distributional impact of recent crises on the country´s human capital, and made specific policy recommen- dations to better respond to future crises Democratic Republic of Congo: Support to Establish- 350,000 April Closed ing a National Social Protection System. Strength- 2014– ened the framework for social protection and the March establishment of a national social protection system 2016 though capacity building of social protection actors and mapping of SPL interventions Ghana: Building a Common Targeting Registry for 450,000 February Closed Ghana’s Social Protection System. Building on pre- 2014– vious support from RSR, this grant supported the gov- November ernment of Ghana in establishing a national common 2015 targeting system to scale up Ghana’s main safety net program (Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty— LEAP) and the National Health Insurance Scheme Ghana: Cash-Transfers Designed and Brought to 181,322 April Closed Scale. Helped to upgrade the design of the country’s 2010– cash transfer programs with a view to develop a com- June 2012 BUILDING mon targeting mechanism for all safety net programs SOCIAL in the country PROTECTION 67 Guinea: Strengthening Social Safety Nets in Times 400,000 July 2011– Closed SYSTEMS of Crises. Provided technical assistance, including a September feasibility study and capacity building to help create 2014 a safety net system that can respond effectively to crises Guinea Social Protection Safety Nets Strategy. 400,000 March Closed Supported the government’s request to elaborate a 2015– national social protection policy and strategy docu- September ment 2016 Guinea-Bissau: Laying the Foundations for a Social 383,500 February Closed Protection System. Supported the government in 2015– laying the foundations of a social protection system October capable of effectively responding to current crises 2016 and future shocks Kenya: Developing and Strengthening the Kenya 415,250 August Closed Social Protection System. Helped the government 2013– enhance the single registry for social protection, May 2015 develop common program targeting mechanisms, and design program graduation mechanisms Kenya: Social Protection Interventions. Supported 144,891 March Closed the government of Kenya in its effort to bring about 2010– a systemic change of the social protection system, December and deliver more tangible and sustainable results for 2012 vulnerable people THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Kenya: Support to the Government for Social Pro- 1,147,853 July 2010– Closed tection Programming. Supported the government September in strengthening its response to the recent crisis 2013 through increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of ongoing social protection interventions Kenya: Support to the Internship Program of the 585,000 September– Closed Kenya Private Sector Alliance. Supported the IDA December Youth Empowerment Project in its efforts to increase 2012 access to youth-targeted temporary employment pro- grams and to improve youth employability Lesotho: Developing the Strategy and Building 250,000 May 2014– Active Blocks for a Social Protection System. Supports the November government in developing a social protection strategy 2015 and laying some of the fundamental building blocks of a social protection system, such as targeting, bene- ficiary registry, and coordination among programs Lesotho: Social Safety Net Review. Improved the 137,123 November Closed existing safety net to better protect the poor and 2011– vulnerable under crisis by analyzing the efficiency of May 2013 current social safety net programs in reaching out to the most vulnerable, and developing policy reform options and guidance BUILDING Liberia: Development of a Crisis Response Social 288,275 November Closed SOCIAL Protection Strategy and Capacity. Funded a Social 2010– PROTECTION Protection Diagnostic Report, which was a critical March 68 SYSTEMS first step in the development of a coordinated and 2012 comprehensive social protection strategy that forms an integrated part of the human development pillar of the country’s poverty reduction strategy Liberia: Improving Employment of Vulnerable Youth. 239,566 November Closed Provided an analysis and technical assistance to 2011– the government on how to prioritize and sequence June 2013 employment programs targeting vulnerable youth Liberia: Developing National Social Protection Deliv- 450,000 August Active ery Systems. Supports the government in establish- 2015–April ing key building blocks for a basic national safety 2017 system and strengthening coordination and adminis- trative processes Madagascar: Developing Madagascar’s Safety Net 441,000 February Active System. Helps to advance the social protection 2014– policy dialogue and develop innovative safety net November approaches to address the needs of the poorest pop- 2015 ulation Mauritania: Improving Safety Nets Programs. Helps 150,000 September Active the government improve targeting, prepare a single 2013– registry for safety nets programs, and develop a feasi- June 2015 bility assessment for a national cash transfer P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Mozambique: Developing the Building Blocks for 1,554,074 March Closed Effective Crisis Response. Supported the develop- 2012– ment of labor-intensive public works in 10 arid and December semi-arid rural and 2 urban areas to address the 2012 country-specific dynamics of poverty and improve food insecurity; helped set the direction of the new national public works program by developing and testing criteria for selecting beneficiaries, determining the level of transfers, and ascertaining the types of eligible public works Mozambique: Building Gender-Sensitive Social 1,000,000 March Active Protection and Labor Systems through Soft Public 2015– Works. Supports and expands the emerging social May 2017 protection system by piloting a gender-sensitive, inclusive safety nets mechanism that provides tem- porary income support to extremely poor individuals, mainly women, while delivering social and commu- nity services to vulnerable groups in underserved rural and urban areas Nigeria: Strengthening Social Safety Net. Provided 399,686 July 2011– Closed technical assistance to improve the design of the December IDA-supported Social Safety Net program 2012 Nigeria: Developing National Social Protection 430,000 February Closed Platform. Supported the development of a compre- 2015– BUILDING hensive national platform for an effective safety net October SOCIAL program, including a common targeting system, har- 2016 69 PROTECTION monized eligibility criteria, guidelines for a payment SYSTEMS system, and a monitoring and evaluation system Regional: Support to Coherent Pension Policy and 310,000 January Active Improved Pension Delivery in Africa. Provides policy 2014– makers with the information and international expe- November rience required to formulate more equitable old age 2015 income security policies as well as with tools to allow program administrators to improve delivery of pen- sions Regional: Building and Sharing Knowledge to Sup- 410,000 September Active port Identification Systems in Africa. Aims to pro- 2015–April duce and share public goods and knowledge that will 2017 help countries in Africa in their efforts to build robust identification and birth registration systems leading to an increased share of the population possessing robust legal identity Regional: Support to Africa SP System Development 300,000 January Closed 2014–June 2015 Social Protection and Labor Systems in Rwanda: 450,000 May 2014– Closed Operationalizing the Vision. Supported the govern- November ment of Rwanda to improve effectiveness of its social 2015 protection system by moving from a focus on policy formulation to the design and implementation of key service delivery systems THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Rwanda: Technical Assistance for Stronger Social 2,086,048 April Closed Safety Nets. Provided technical assistance to improve 2010– existing social protection programs’ ability to protect December vulnerable households in times of crisis, and boosted 2013 the programs’ capacity to scale-up interventions and absorb more funds when the need arises São Tomé and Príncipe: Building Blocks for Social 325,000 April Closed Protection System. Created the basic blocks for a 2014– social protection system by enhancing the govern- November ment’s understanding of vulnerability and risk vis-à- 2015 vis the existing supply of safety net interventions, and developing key operational tools to reach the poorest with selected safety net programs Senegal: Developing a Unified and Effective Safety 217,563 September Closed Net. Supported the development of a comprehen- 2010– sive and efficient social protection system including June 2014 a unified set of design parameters such as targeting mechanisms, a registry system, payment methods, and a management information system Senegal: Developing Senegal Safety Net System. 300,000 December Closed Supported the design of a responsive safety net 2013– system in connection with the government’s launch of June 2015 the Food Security Program (Programme de bourse de sécurité alimentaire) BUILDING Senegal: Developing National Social Protection 75,000 August Active 70 SOCIAL Delivery Systems. Aims to carry out an assessment 2015–April PROTECTION of public works programs and develop a time-bound 2017 SYSTEMS action plan to design and implement new programs, and strengthen the SPL system and coordination through active engagement of government institu- tions and other stakeholders Sierra Leone: Developing Sierra Leone’s Social Pro- 300,000 January Closed tection System through Common Targeting Mech- 2014– anisms. Supported the establishment of a common November targeting system, a critical step in the consolidation 2015 of the country’s social programs into a robust social protection system Sierra Leone: Social Safety Net Support. Provided 299,985 July 2011– Closed a diagnostic of sources of poverty and vulnerability June 2013 and made recommendations to improve the design, effectiveness, and sustainability of the major safety net interventions, with a view to move from an ad hoc emergency focus to a longer-term programmatic focus on national systems Social Protection Design and Implementation in 95,827 April Closed Sub-Saharan Africa. Supported the development 2010– of cash transfer programs; depending on the coun- April 2012 try situation, areas for support included design for scaling up, specifics of targeting, design of enrollment and identification of beneficiaries, payment systems, control and accountability mechanisms, monitoring system, and management information systems P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Sudan: Strengthening Safety Net Programs. 400,000 February Active Strengthens the effectiveness and responsiveness 2015– of social protection interventions by improving the October implementation and coordination of the Ministry of 2016 Welfare and Social Security’s Social Support Pro- gram, builds the foundations for a common targeting system, and develops cash for work for poor and conflict-affected regions Tanzania: Enhancing Crisis Response for the Most 626,136 July 2011– Closed Vulnerable Children and Elderly Poor. Worked to September improve household practices and engender sustain- 2012 ability of livelihoods of the current Community-Based Conditional Cash Transfer beneficiaries; following some implementation issues, part of the grant was canceled Tanzania: A Systems-Based Approach for Operation- 410,000 April Closed alizing the Tanzania Productive Social Safety Net. 2014– Developed a strategy for using information and com- November munication technology for expanded outreach and 2015 greater impact as well as enhancing key operational tools including the management information system, the single registry of beneficiaries, and the formal payment system Togo: Promoting Innovative Crisis-Response Social 283,806 November Closed BUILDING Protection. Financed a rigorous impact evaluation of 2010– SOCIAL the new public works project and provided technical September 71 PROTECTION assistance to the government in implementing and 2012 SYSTEMS monitoring the national social protection strategy Togo: Support to Social Safety Net Development. 220,000 November Closed Helped the country move toward an integrated 2011– national system for social protection by providing December technical assistance to the development of a cash 2013 transfer program and improving the design of exist- ing programs Uganda Social Protection Sector Review. Supported 258,800 December Closed the development of a social protection system through 2013– an analysis of poverty, risk, and vulnerability as well December as a detailed analysis of existing social safety pro- 2014 grams Youth Employment in Africa: The Skill Develop- 93,719 March Closed ment-Labor Demand Conundrum. Identified and 2010– analyzed programs that improve employability and April 2012 earnings among youth and reduce their vulnerability and risky behavior—knowledge that improves the design of labor-market interventions Zambia: Development of Integrated Management 1,400,000 December Closed Information System and Single Registry of Benefi- 2013– ciaries. Supported the government in strengthening December its social protection system by developing a policy 2015 framework and building management information systems and a single registry to allow robust identifi- cation of beneficiaries THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Zimbabwe Productive Safety Net: Pilot Public Works 1,084,868 March Closed Project. Helped the government of Zimbabwe to 2011– improve its national public works program to bolster February BUILDING the resilience of vulnerable families and communities 2013 SOCIAL PROTECTION Zimbabwe: Revival of Social Protection System. 250,000 February Closed SYSTEMS Assisted the government in the development of a 2014– social protection strategy and creation of a harmo- February nized targeting system and beneficiary registry for 2016 the main social safety net programs in the country Cash Transfers and Conditional Cash Transfers in 449,805 June 2011– Closed Sub-Saharan Africa: A Community of Practitioners. June 2013 This community of practice brought together offi- cials and practitioners from Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Niger to exchange experiences, resources, and learning on conditional cash transfers Community of Practice of Cash Transfers and Con- 450,000 August Closed ditional Cash Transfers to Support Countries in 2013– the Consolidation of Social Protection and Labor June 2015 Systems. Supported participating countries in their process of launching or scaling-up unconditional and conditional cash transfer programs as a core pillar in the consolidation of SPL systems Experience of Cash-for-Work in Liberia and Togo. This 88,699 April Closed activity built on the experience of the Liberia Cash for 2010– Work Project and assisted Togo’s government in iden- February 72 tifying key issues and success factors for a new public 2012 SHARING KNOWLEDGE works intervention Informal Safety Nets in Eastern and Southern Africa. 118,116 February Closed Supported the preparation of three case studies in 2010– Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Côte d’Ivoire to elucidate the April 2012 interplay between formal and informal safety nets Africa Community of Practice on Cash Transfer for 340,000 January Closed Francophone Countries in the Region. Broadened 2015– and deepened the results of the francophone Sub-Sa- October haran Africa Community of Practice on cash transfer 2016 programs in member countries Social Safety Nets System: Administrative Toolkit 450,000 October Active Development and Regional Workshop. Supports the 2014– improvement of SPL systems through the develop- June 2015 ment and application of: (1) tools for measuring and evaluating current systems, (2) SPL-specific question- naires to improve household survey indicators, and (3) sharing knowledge within the region Benin and Malawi: Enhancing Institutional Capacity 375,770 July 2011– Closed PROTECTING to Design, Implement, and Monitor Nutrition Secu- June 2013 ACCESS rity Programs. Worked to enhance the two countries’ TO BASIC ability to respond to—and mitigate—the nutritional SERVICES impact of economic and climate-related shocks P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Ethiopia: Strengthening the Early Warning Sys- 1,014,091 January Closed tem. Provided technical support to the development 2011– and implementation of an early warning system for December malnutrition; the project complemented the IDA-sup- 2013 ported Nutrition Project The Gambia: Rapid Response Nutrition Security 3,150,623 January Closed Improvement Project. Strengthened the capacity of 2011– the National Nutrition Agency to develop a communi- July 2013 ty-driven approach to nutrition, and provided tech- nical assistance to the development of an updated nutrition policy and strategic plan for implementation Lesotho: Estimating the Impact of Economic Crises 229,442 April Closed on Education and Skills Development. Collected and 2010– analyzed data to help the government better target December education and labor market policies to help youth and 2012 vulnerable groups during economic crises Madagascar: Assessing Negative Effects of the Polit- 397,900 June 2011– Closed ical Crisis and Protecting Access to Essential Health September PROTECTING and Nutrition Services. Provided technical assistance 2012 ACCESS to ensure continuous and effective health and nutrition TO BASIC service delivery in stable times and when crises hit SERVICES Madagascar: Development of Tools to Monitor 449,770 November Closed and Mitigate the Effect of Crises on Out-of-School 2011– Children. Supported a diagnosis of the effects of March economic and political crises on children and devised 2013 appropriate mechanisms to protect vulnerable chil- 73 dren’s access to basic education Malawi: Protecting Early Childhood Development. 2,182,341 April 2011– Closed Supported the government in the design, implemen- November tation, and evaluation of strategies to increase access 2012 to—and the quality of—9,000 community-based child care centers across the country Mali: Piloting Effective Early Childhood Development 1,976,234 October Closed Services. Assisted in the government’s crisis response 2010– by developing cost-effective early childhood develop- December ment services for vulnerable children in rural areas 2013 Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo: 50,617 February Closed Operations and Capacity Development for Nutrition. 2010–April Strengthened awareness of the need to improve 2012 capacity to implement nutrition interventions at scale EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC Assessing Myanmar’s Social Protection and Labor 450,000 February Closed System and Designing Policy and Program Options 2014– for the Future. Used the Social Protection Assess- September BUILDING ment of Results and Country Systems (SPARCS) 2015 SOCIAL framework to identify strategic direction and appro- PROTECTION priate instruments to build resilience and promote SYSTEMS equity and opportunity; the grant also focuses on building the capacity of government to develop SPL policies, design appropriate programs, and build an effective system for delivery THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Cambodia: Developing the Components of a National 250,000 November Active Social Protection System. Puts in place elements of a 2014– social protection system through technical assistance December for the implementation of a cash transfer program; 2016 these elements can then be scaled-up to help develop a comprehensive social protection system Making Social Protection Systems Responsive 450,000 December Closed to Natural Disasters in East Asia and the Pacific. 2013– Strengthened the capacity of governments across the June 2015 region to adapt social protection programs and sys- tems to mitigate disaster risks ex ante, improve cop- ing strategies, and better respond to natural disasters and extreme climate conditions Mongolia: Building a More Efficient Social Protection 265,000 June Closed System. Improved the efficiency and effectiveness 2014– of the country’s social assistance system by rec- November ommending strategies to consolidate the country’s 2015 fragmented social assistance system and by building an integrated information technology system that can serve as an information platform to manage all categorical and proxy-means tested social assistance programs in the country Monitoring and Evaluation for Mongolia Social Wel- 67,787 February Closed fare Programs. Helped to develop an alternative to the 2010– current social security scheme and developed a savings February 74 BUILDING program for herders and others involved in the informal 2012 SOCIAL sector, as well as a social security reserve fund PROTECTION Papua New Guinea: Ensuring Effective Monitoring 296,590 January Closed SYSTEMS and Evaluation and Social Accountability for the 2011– Urban Youth Employment Project. Strengthened the June 2013 government’s capacity to implement and evaluate the impacts of an IDA-supported youth employment proj- ect that aims to increase the aspirations and future earnings of 17,500 urban disadvantaged youth Timor-Leste: Strengthening Social Safety Nets Insti- 87,811 January Closed tutions. Strengthened the delivery of social assistance 2010– through a diagnosis of existing payment systems and October options for alternative systems, and helped establish 2014 a management information system in the Ministry of Social Solidarity to facilitate monitoring and evaluation Timor-Leste Social Protection Administration Proj- 2,205,721 March Closed ect. Supported the Ministry of Social Solidarity in 2011– building a standardized information management sys- October tem that integrates beneficiary information across dif- 2014 ferent database systems and identifies beneficiaries uniquely and strengthening the government’s capac- ity to improve delivery of cash transfer programs Vietnam: Strengthening the Social Protection Sys- 450,000 February Closed tem. Supported the government in strengthening the 2015– social protection system through consolidation of November overlapping programs and modernization of manage- 2016 ment and delivery systems, in addition to building the capacity of government to develop more effective social assistance and social insurance systems P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Implementing Social Protection Programs: Asia 436,711 November Closed Learning Forum. The event took place in Bangalore, 2011– SHARING India, in September 2012 with the participation of May 2013 KNOWLEDGE social policy practitioners from 19 countries and focused on the administration and implementation aspects of social protection programs EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA Albania: A Functional Review of the Administrative 49,846 December Closed Processes of Nhdima Ekonomike. A stocktaking of 2009– the country’s main poverty program’s administrative December architecture and its operational aspects, functional 2012 responsibilities, and institutional capacity Rapid Assistance to Improve Social Safety Nets in 59,660 March Closed Kyrgyzstan in the Face of Energy Tariff Reforms. Sup- 2010– ported the Agency for Social Protection in reforming February its social safety nets so that vulnerable families with 2012 children have better access to programs and are less harmed by increases in energy prices Kyrgyz Republic: Roadmap for Improving Social 370,000 October Closed Safety Net Administration and System Building. Sup- 2013– ported the efforts of the Ministry of Social Develop- June 2015 ment to design and implement a roadmap for social protection; the grant catalyzes the switch from iso- BUILDING lated social assistance interventions toward a system SOCIAL approach by providing critical analytical inputs and PROTECTION helping stakeholders to make informed choices 75 SYSTEMS Kyrgyzstan: Enhancement of Targeted Social Assis- 259,413 June 2011– Closed BUILDING tance. Supported the modernization of the cash January SOCIAL transfer program directed to families with children, 2013 PROTECTION and the development of a social protection strategy SYSTEMS for the country Tajikistan: Targeting and Payment of Social Assis- 2,283,190 May 2010– Closed tance to the Poor. Supported the building blocks of December a more efficient system to deliver aid to the poorest 2013 households, so that the government and donors will have an effective way to intervene in ordinary times and during crises Uzbekistan: Integrated Single Window Office for 550,000 August Active the Social Assistance and Employment Services. 2015– Developing a concept for an integrated single-window June 2017 office for provision of services to the population by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection; designing a detailed blueprint for implementation and roll-out of national reform of social assistance and employment program administration, including high-level design of the management information system and a registry of beneficiaries Regional: ECA Learning Forum—Management Infor- 330,000 March Closed mation Systems for Modernization of Social Protec- 2014– SHARING tion Programs. Shared lessons and experiences on June 2015 KNOWLEDGE the benefits of using new technologies in systematic ways to operate existing and new social protection interventions THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Tajikistan: Protecting and Promoting Access to 396,291 November Closed Maternal and Neonatal Health Services. Provided 2011– PROTECTING technical assistance to assess the feasibility of a con- April 2013 ACCESS ditional cash transfer to protect access for the poor to TO BASIC basic maternal and child health and nutrition ser- SERVICES vices in selected rayons (districts) of the Sogd oblast (region) in Tajikistan LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN Bolivia: Strengthening Access to Social Services 90,000 September Closed among Women and Indigenous Groups. Filled infor- 2014– mation gaps about dimensions of access to social ser- September vices among women and indigenous groups in Bolivia 2015 with the goal of promoting more equitable access to social services, social protection, and economic opportunities Strengthening Haiti’s National Social Protection 450,000 April Closed System. Helped the government improve its capacity 2014–April to coordinate and target social initiatives and enhance 2016 the efficiency and effectiveness of public spending in the area of social protection Honduras Strengthening Social Protection. Strength- 72,566 January Closed ened the government’s safety net programs by helping 2010– redesign the conditional cash transfer program and June 2012 enhance targeting of social safety net interventions 76 Nicaragua: Expansion of the Family and Community- 2,548,570 February Closed BUILDING Based Social Welfare Model with Cash Transfers. 2012– SOCIAL Provided technical assistance to the expansion of April 2013 PROTECTION a model program for family and community-based SYSTEMS social welfare and cash transfers Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS): 475,118 November Closed Enhanced Crisis Resilience Project. Strengthened 2011– the OECS Secretariat’s capacity to support and guide June 2013 national crisis responses on social protection Transforming Social Protection in St. Lucia. Sup- 300,000 February Closed ported implementation of a social safety net reform 2014– through: (1) analyzing and improving key operational November elements of St. Lucia’s flagship Public Assistance 2015 Program, (2) harmonizing the architecture of social assistance programs, and (3) improving the Ministry of Social Transformation’s capacity to implement the social safety net reform Regional (Bolivia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, 150,000 April Closed Honduras, Nicaragua, St. Vincent and the Grena- 2014–May dines): Building Evidence on Program’s Performance 2016 to Strengthen Social Protection and Labor Systems in Low-Capacity LAC Countries P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Listening to LAC: Mobile Phones as Instruments for 239,106 April Closed Rigorous Surveys. Developed and piloted the use of a 2010– low-cost, quick method of gathering data via mobile June 2012 phone technology to give timely information on the effects of crises on poor and vulnerable populations SHARING in Latin America and the Caribbean KNOWLEDGE Regional: Improving Latin America and Caribbean 256,000 July 2011– Closed (LAC) Countries Responses to Protect the Nutritional February Status of the Poorest and Most Vulnerable. Sup- 2013 ported the development of a toolkit that offers policy makers and program administrators in the region cost-effective tools Haiti: Household Development Agent Pilot. Improved 3,202,317 April Closed family health and nutrition practices by enhancing the 2010– quality and coordination of social services and intro- December ducing household development agents 2014 Haiti Nutrition Security and Social Safety Nets. 90,345 November Closed Improved the capacity and effectiveness of nutri- 2010– tion-related safety net programs to address acute and June 2012 chronic malnutrition Gender-Based Violence in Post-Earthquake Haiti. A 580,951 January Closed community-based organization received support from 2011– RSR to improve delivery of services to survivors of September PROTECTING gender-based violence and to enhance the growing 2012 ACCESS public dialogue around the issue TO BASIC 77 SERVICES Honduras: Improving Nutritional Monitoring and 1,054,662 July 2012– Closed Targeted Response to the Global Crisis. Helped to December offset the negative effects of the global food crisis on 2013 the most vulnerable children by strengthening moni- toring systems and providing technical assistance to the expansion of the nutritional services in the most affected areas of the country Honduras, Nicaragua, and Haiti: Education Sector 378,250 December Closed Rapid Response and Protection of Youth Vulnerable 2011– to Violence and Conflict. Provided support to policy March development and strategic planning to protect chil- 2013 dren and youth from violence made worse by crises MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Djibouti: Employment for the Poor Project. Piloted 173,593 January Closed BUILDING an integrated safety net mechanism that combines 2010–April SOCIAL a workfare program with social assistance for nutri- 2012 PROTECTION tion, using community-driven and participatory SYSTEMS approaches as well as targeted capacity-building interventions Lessons from Successful Education Administration 398,720 October Closed under Difficult Circumstances. Captured lessons from 2010– SHARING the success of the United Nations Relief and Works November KNOWLEDGE Agency for Palestine Refugees, which provided edu- 2012 cation to Palestinian students in the Middle East THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Yemen: Targeted Delivery of Early Childhood Nutrition 201,146 November Closed PROTECTING Interventions. Supported a short household survey to 2010– ACCESS monitor the economic and social impact of instability, December TO BASIC including food insecurity; the pilot project was can- 2012 SERVICES celed due to prevailing security concerns in Yemen SOUTH ASIA Afghanistan: Results-Oriented Approach in the Pro- 200,000 November Closed Poor Program Design of Implementation. Aimed to 2011–June strengthen the institutional capacity to monitor and 2014 evaluate government programs and mechanisms delivering benefits Afghanistan: Assessing the Potential and Feasibil- 370,000 June Closed ity of Scalable Public Works. Explores options for 2014–April increasing the social protection coverage of the poor 2016 by assessing the potential and feasibility of scalable short-term employment generation programs Bangladesh: Improving the Payment and Monitoring 605,706 June 2011– Closed System for the Employment Generation Program for June 2014 the Poorest. Provided technical assistance to make beneficiary payment and recordkeeping mechanisms for the Employment Generation Program for the Poor- est more efficient Bangladesh: Piloting Conditional Cash Transfers for 2,619,345 September Closed Human Development through Local Governments. 2010– 78 BUILDING Piloted the mechanisms for delivering conditional December SOCIAL cash transfers through local governments to improve 2013 PROTECTION children’s nutrition and education SYSTEMS Bangladesh: Assessment of Identification Systems 120,000 June Active for Social Protection. Aims to strengthen the SPL sys- 2015– tem by enhancing government’s capacity to improve March ID systems, develop options for how ID systems can 2017 be more effective and efficient, set up an action plan to operationalize the most preferred policy options, strengthen coordination among the government insti- tutions involved in SPL programs, and understand the operational foundations of public food distribution systems Bhutan: Supporting the Development of a Social 300,000 April 2014 Closed Protection Strategy. Supported the development of –June an evidence-based social protection strategy 2015 India: Broadening the Urban Safety Net Dialogue. 99,048 March Closed Provided support to streamlining and improving the 2010– effectiveness of urban safety nets in New Delhi and February improving the monitoring and delivery of benefit 2012 programs using integrated information technology platforms, databases, and smart cards P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS India: Strengthening Social Protection Systems in 450,000 October Closed Bihar. Evaluated the impact of providing a financial 2013– education program focused on long-term savings June 2015 for low-income households in Bihar, India, and their take-up rate of a New Government Pension Scheme (NPS Lite) designed for individuals working in the informal sector who are not covered by any formal old age social security program India: Improving Design and Delivery of Social Safety 250,000 April Active Net Program in Urban Locations. Supports improve- 2016– ments in the design and delivery of social safety net April 2017 programs in urban locations Maldives: Building a Common Platform for Identifica- 124,295 March Closed tion of the Poor. Assisted the government in design- 2011– ing and implementing a common platform for identifi- August cation of the poor 2012 Strengthening Safety Nets in Nepal: Piloting Tar- 1,535,882 January Closed geted Conditional Cash Transfers. Improved the 2011– delivery of cash-based safety nets in pilot districts September through technical assistance and capacity building to 2014 the Ministry of Local Development BUILDING Nepal: Safety Net System Building Technical Assis- 450,000 November Closed SOCIAL tance. Supported the government in strengthening 2014– PROTECTION the basic architecture of its administrative systems, October SYSTEMS with an emphasis on the payment system, the man- 2016 agement information system, and the ministry’s inter- 79 nal institutional arrangement for social protection policy coordination and service delivery Pakistan: Financial Inclusion and Literacy Outcomes 802,254 June 2011– Closed of Cash Transfers through the Banking System. An May 2013 assessment to improve the design and implementa- tion of the payment side of cash transfer programs in Pakistan and how different technologies work for the poor; also established ways to make cash grants more sustainable through financial inclusion (e.g., savings) and literacy Sri Lanka: Skills Development for Unemployed 238,800 June 2011– Closed Youth. Examined the impact of the economic crisis September on vulnerable groups in the formal and informal labor 2012 markets, and supported an analysis of critical policy issues on skills development, employment creation, and economic growth Sri Lanka: Strengthening Targeting, Monitoring, and 167,760 July 2010– Closed Evaluation of Safety Nets. Supported an assessment June 2013 of the beneficiaries of the largest social safety net program with a view to make the program more effi- cient in helping the poor become more productive THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Bangladesh: Supporting Nutrition-Sensitive Safety 320,000 August Active Nets through Strengthened Local Government 2015– Administration. Supports streamlined social pro- April 2017 tection services at the local level, with a focus on implementation of nutrition-sensitive safety nets in Bangladesh by strengthening local-level institutional arrangements for safety net administration, develop- ing innovative tools for promotion of nutrition among the poorest through income support and beneficiary engagement India: Critical Analysis of the Institutional Arrange- 99,640 February Closed ments for Improving Nutrition Outcomes. An analysis 2010– of existing institutional arrangements for organizing, May 2012 PROTECTING coordinating, and delivering nutrition services in India ACCESS and recommendations for how service delivery could TO BASIC be strengthened SERVICES Maldives: Technical Assistance to the National Social 58,098 June 2011– Closed Protection Agency on the National Health Insurance June 2013 Scheme. Strengthened the capacity of the National Social Protection Agency to improve the design of the Madhana, the country’s nascent social health insur- ance system, and helped build a robust monitoring and evaluation system that enhances the system’s efficiency and effectiveness Pakistan: Protecting Pakistan’s Poor Against Health 363,992 December Closed 80 Shocks. Provided technical assistance to the devel- 2011– opment of a diagnostic and a review of the health March sector’s policy options to increase the population’s 2013 resilience to health shocks caused by natural disasters GLOBAL Assessing Social Protection Systems. Supported 450,000 September Closed countries in building effective SPL systems by provid- 2013–June ing clear, cross-country guidance for assessing and 2015 monitoring system performance; supported Social Protection Assessment of Results and Country Sys- tems (SPARCS) in developing and applying common instruments to assess the structure of SPL systems and guide their development, and Atlas of Social Pro- tection–Indicators of Resilience and Equity (ASPIRE) in collecting, harmonizing, and sharing comparable indicators of program performance based on house- BUILDING hold and administrative data SOCIAL PROTECTION Social Registries and Management Information 450,000 February Active SYSTEMS Systems in Social Protection and Labor: Frame- 2015– work, Assessment Tool, and Country Cases. Develop November guidance notes and accompanying social information 2016 system assessment tools to support clients’ efforts in developing streamlined and harmonized information management systems; pilot the assessment tool in selected AFR, LAC and MENA countries Development of a Management Information Sys- 348,057 December Closed tem for Social Protection. Developed a high-quality, 2011– reliable client registry system for efficient delivery of August social protection systems 2013 P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Public Works Learning Forum: Social Protection 515,134 February Closed South-South Learning Forum 2010. A South-South 2010– forum was held in June 2010, in Arusha, Tanzania. December The forum provided opportunities to more than 220 2011 delegates from 40 low- and middle-income countries to exchange knowledge and take part in cross-country learning on the design and implementation of public works programs as safety net interventions as well as the development of an ongoing community of practice The South-South Learning Forum: Building Resilient 350,000 November Closed Safety Nets in Low Income Countries and Fragile 2010– States. This forum, which was carried out in June November 2011, focused on promoting resilient safety nets 2012 following the recent wave of food, fuel, and financial crises and natural disasters South-South Learning Forum: Designing Social Pro- 450,000 January– Closed tection Systems. Promoted global knowledge sharing December among social protection practitioners on the develop- 2014 ment of social protection systems, notably in low-in- come countries and fragile states; forum brought together approximately 200 practitioners and experts from 50 countries in Rio, Brazil SHARING South-South Learning Forum: Labor Market Policy 447,859 December Closed KNOWLEDGE Response to the Global Jobs Crisis. Organized in 2011– Hyderabad in November 2012 to stimulate a discus- January sion and exchange on the experiences of labor and 2013 81 social protection policies during the recent economic crisis and how to bolster effective policy making on labor markets and social protection in response to future crises South-South Learning Forum 2015: Urban Social 450,000 Pipeline Active Protection Systems. Aims to foster global knowledge sharing among social protection practitioners on the development of social protection systems in urban areas Resilience in the Face of Crisis: Multisector Actions 250,000 February Closed to Achieve Nutrition Results. Developed and dissem- 2011– inated tools for a multisectoral approach to planning February and implementation of actions that protect and 2014 improve nutrition outcomes for the poorest Development of the ADePT Crisis Module. Supported 249,263 April 2011– Closed the development of a crisis module for the ADePT September software platform, which produces simulations to 2012 help policy makers understand the distributional effects of macro-shocks and structural reforms Development of a Global Action Plan for Scaling-up 39,690 February– Closed PROTECTING Nutrition. Provided analytical work, consultations, December ACCESS and policy guidance on how to scale-up nutrition 2010 TO BASIC investments and encourage multisectoral actions to SERVICES achieve nutrition results THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM a PROJECT TITLE FUNDING ($) TIMELINE STATUS Food Crisis Monitoring System. Developed a frame- 74,339 November Closed work that defines, identifies, and monitors food secu- 2011– rity crises at the national level caused by shocks and November factors that are not attributed to a given country; the 2012 framework categorizes each IDA country’s exposure to shocks and its capacity to respond Monitoring the Health Outcomes and Financial 160,535 April Closed Vulnerability of the Poorest. Built the capacity of 2010– policy makers and researchers to carry out analysis of September financial protection and equity, using ADePT Health 2011 software, and produced country-specific reports on financial protection, vulnerability, and equity in the health sector Policy Levers to Protect Health and Enhance Financial 443,947 July 2011– Closed Protection. Improved the capacity of governments June 2013 and the international community to monitor the health outcomes of the poor after the food, fuel, and financial crises; also helped design health systems and policies more effectively to provide protection to PROTECTING future crises ACCESS TO BASIC Preparing Social Protection Systems for Natural 370,094 July 2011– Closed SERVICES Disasters and Climate Change. Supported the devel- July 2013 opment of a series of case studies and recommenda- tions from five countries to enhance the capacity of safety net programs to respond more effectively to 82 natural disasters and the impact of climate change Impact of Financial Crises on Children and Youth: 241,127 January Closed Protecting Human Capital of Future Generations. 2011– RSR supported rapport, and accompanying policy June 2012 notes, to show how the right policies and targeted interventions for children and youth can yield import- ant returns in human capital, and that even small, strategically applied resources can go a long way to protect and promote human development in crises and in stable times The Health Sector and the Poor in a Financial Crisis: 435,611 December Closed Identifying and Managing Risks. A stocktaking of the 2011– health sectors in the European region and their pre- June 2013 paredness and operational responses to the economic shock of 2008/09 with a view to generate lessons and encourage stakeholder dialogue a. Grant amounts reflect allocated funds against approved proposals, as of December 31, 2015; however, these amounts may change slightly by time of grant closure to reflect actual disbursements against activities covered by the grant. Excess funds from closed grants will be reused and reallocated against new activities. See the Development Partner Center website for an updated list of the RSR project portfolio. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 Associated IDA Projects RSR IDA PROJECT PROJECT COUNTRY GRANT NAME (MILLION $) ID NAME STATUS PROJECT OBJECTIVE AFRICA Benin: Improve access to decentralized Decen- basic social services and main- tralized Approved 46 P117764 stream the community-driven Community (5/12) development approach for such Driven Ser- services vices Angola, Benin, Cash Establish sustainable social safety Lesotho, Transfers— Mali: net system and scale-up programs Mali, Design for Emergency Approved that increase income and con- 0.39 70 P127328 Tanzania, Scaling Up in Safety Nets (4/13) sumption of poor and vulnerable Uganda, Sub-Saharan Project households through cash transfers Zambia, and Africa and short-term employment Zimbabwe Increase income and consumption Tanzania and improve ability to cope with Productive Approved shocks among targeted vulnerable 220 P124045 Social (3/12) population groups, while enhancing Safety Net and protecting the human capital of their children Benin Mul- Increase the coverage and utili- tisectoral zation of community-based child Enhancing Approved 28 P143652 Food Health growth and nutrition interventions Institutional (12/13) Nutrition in selected areas in the recipient’s Capacity Project territory to Design, Benin and Increase access to, and utiliza- Implement, 0.39 Malawi tion of, selected services known and Monitor Malawi 83 Nutrition to contribute to the reduction of Nutrition Approved Security 80 P125237 child stunting, maternal and child and HIV/ (3/12) Programs anemia, and the prevention of HIV AIDS Project and AIDS in children and sexually active adults Improve access to employment Benin: Approved skills and employment opportuni- 35 P132667 BJ-Youth (3/14) ties for underemployed youth in Employment Benin Burkina Faso: Youth Increase access to temporary Youth Employment Approved employment and skills develop- 50 P130735 Benin, Employment and Skills (5/13) ment opportunities for out-of- Burkina in Africa— Develop- school youth Faso, Ghana, The Skills 0.09 ment Guinea, Development- Ghana Youth Expand and enhance opportunities Sierra Leone Labor Demand Pipeline 60 P132248 Employment for youth employment, with a par- Conundrum FY14 Project ticular focus on at-risk youth Increase short-term employment Sierra opportunities and improve employ- Leone Youth Approved ability and incomes of targeted 20 P121052 Employment (6/10) youth; program seeks to address Support constraints on the demand and sup- ply sides of the labor market THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM RSR IDA PROJECT PROJECT COUNTRY GRANT NAME (MILLION $) ID NAME STATUS PROJECT OBJECTIVE Building a Benin: Common Decen- Improve access to decentralized National tralized Approved basic social services and main- a P117764 Targeting Community (5/12) stream the community-driven and Registry Driven Ser- development approach for services Benin System for 0.28 vices Cash Transfers, Benin: Contribute to increasing the Public Works Health coverage of quality maternal and and Other Approved 22.8 P113202 System neonatal services in eight health Safety Net (5/10) Performance districts (roughly a quarter of the Interventions Project population) Strengthening Burkina Provide income support to poor Safety Net Faso Social Approved and vulnerable groups and lay the Burkina Faso 0.50 50 P124015 Response to Safety Net (4/14) foundations for a basic safety net Crises Project system Strengthening Safety Net Support the establishment of a 0.55 Response to basic national safety net system Crises Cameroon Approved including piloting targeted cash Cameroon 50 P128534 Social Support to (3/13) transfers and public works pro- Safety Nets Building grams for the poorest and most 0.25 vulnerable people Productive Safety Nets Comoros Strengthening Social Approved Increase poor communities’ access Comoros Social 0.41 6 P150754 Safety Net (3/15) to safety net and nutrition services Protection Project 84 Human Support to Devel- Strengthen select management Congo, Dem. Establishing opment Approved systems for education and health 0.35 15 P145965 Rep. a National SP Systems (1/14) services in targeted geographic System Strengthen- areas ing Establish the key building blocks of Congo a national safety net program and Brazaville: LISUNGI Approved pilot a cash transfer program to Congo, Rep. LISUNGI— 0.35 2 P145263 Safety Nets (1/14) improve access to health and edu- Safety Net Project cation services of poorest house- Systems holds in participating areas Assessing the Impact Set the foundations of an effective of Crisis on Produc- and productive type of safety net Human Capital Approved Côte d’Ivoire 0.30 50 P143332 tive Social system capable of responding to and Laying the (5/15) Safety Net the country’s needs both in normal Foundations times and during times of crisis for an Effective SSN System Strengthening Improve child and maternal care the Nutrition behavior and increase utilization Information and Ethiopia Approved Ethiopia 1.02 30 P106228 of key micronutrients in order to Early Warning Nutrition (4/08) contribute to nutritional status of System in vulnerable groups Ethiopia Maternal Rapid Response and Child Nutrition Increase the coverage of commu- Nutrition Approved Gambia, The Security 3.16 3.68 P143650 nity-based nutrition and primary and Health (3/14) Improvement health care services Results Project Project P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 RSR IDA PROJECT PROJECT COUNTRY GRANT NAME (MILLION $) ID NAME STATUS PROJECT OBJECTIVE Improve targeting in social protection spending, increase access to conditional cash trans- Cash Transfers Social fers nationwide, increase access Designed and Approved 0.18 89 P115247 Opportuni- to employment and cash-earning Brought to (5/10) ties Project opportunities for the rural poor Scale during the agricultural off-season, and improve economic and social Ghana infrastructure in target districts Building a Additional Improve targeting of social pro- Common Financing tection programs and provide Targeting for Ghana Approved income support to poor households Registry for 0.45 50 P146923 Social (5/14) through LEAP (Livelihood Empow- Ghana’s Social Opportuni- erment Against Poverty) targeted Protection ties Project districts System Strengthening Social Safety Provide income support to vulner- 0.42 Nets in Times Produc- able groups and to lay the founda- of Crises tive Social Approved tions of a social safety net strategy Guinea 25 P123900 Guinea Social Safety Net (6/12) by testing some of the building Protection: Project blocks necessary for a larger 0.40 system Social Safety Nets Strategy Additional Financing Increase access to priority basic Social Safety to Rural social and economic infrastructures Guinea- Approved Net Systems 0.38 15 P151443 Communi- and services in participating com- Bissau (5/16) Support ty-Driven munities in at least two regions of 85 Develop- Guinea-Bissau ment Project Social Protection 0.15 Interventions National Integrated Establish an effective national Developing and Approved 250 P131305 Safety Net safety net for poor and vulnerable Strengthening (5/13) Program households the Kenya Social 0.42 (P4R) Protection System Kenya Support to the Kenya Cash Increase social safety net access for Government Transfer for extremely poor orphans and vul- Approved for Social 1.29 50 P111545 Orphans and nerable children (OVC) households (3/09) Protection Vulnerable through an effective and efficient Programming Children expansion of the CT-OVC Program Support to Support the government’s efforts the Internship Youth to increase access to youth-tar- Approved Program of the 0.98 60 P111546 Empower- geted temporary employment (5/10) Kenya Private ment Project programs and to improve youth Sector Alliance employability Developing the Strategy and Building Blocks for a Social 0.25 Lesotho: Assist the government in imple- Protection Second Approved menting a reform program aimed Lesotho System in 16 P146534 Growth and (4/14) at promoting growth, competitive- Lesotho Competitive- ness, and public sector efficiency ness DPC Lesotho Social Safety Net 0.14 Review THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM RSR IDA PROJECT PROJECT COUNTRY GRANT NAME (MILLION $) ID NAME STATUS PROJECT OBJECTIVE Improving Youth, Expand access of poor and young Employment Employ- Approved Liberians to temporary employ- 0.24 6 P121686 of Vulnerable ment, Skills (6/10) ment programs and improve youth Youth Project employability Development of a Crisis Response Social 0.29 Protection Strategy and Capacity Liberia RSR Grant on Support the broadening of reforms Developing Poverty to include economic transformation Liberia’s Reduction Approved and human development in the 10 P127317 National Social 0.45 Strategy (6/13) context of the implementation of Protection Credit I the government’s second Poverty Delivery Reduction Strategy System Vulnerable Youth: Enhancing 0.24 Economic and Social Resilience Assessing Negative Effects of the Political Crisis 86 and Protecting 0.40 Emergency Access to Support Essential Health to Critical Preserve critical education, health, and Nutrition Education, Approved and nutrition service delivery in Services 65 P131945 Health and (11/12) targeted vulnerable areas in the Development Nutrition recipient’s territory of Tools to Services Madagascar Project Monitor and Mitigate the 0.45 Effect of Crises on Out-of- School Children Emergency, Developing Food Strengthen the country’s immedi- Madagascar’s Security Approved ate capacity to respond effectively 0.44 65 P147514 Safety Net and Social (2/14) to the food security and locust System Protection crises Project Developing the Building Blocks 2.16 for Effective Crisis Response Provide temporary income support Social Approved to extremely poor households and Mozambique Building Gender 50 P129524 Safety Net (3/13) put in place the building blocks of a Sensitive Project social safety net system SPL Systems 1.00 through Soft- Public Works P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 RSR IDA PROJECT PROJECT COUNTRY GRANT NAME (MILLION $) ID NAME STATUS PROJECT OBJECTIVE Youth Increase access of the poor to Employment youth employment opportunities, Approved 0.40 300 P126964 and Social social services, and strengthened (3/13) Support safety net systems in participating Strengthening Operation states Nigeria Social Safety Net Establish building blocks of a Social national social safety net system Approved 0.43 500 P151488 Protection for effectively targeting and deliver- (6/16) Project ing cash transfers to extreme poor and vulnerable households Technical Support Support government’s efforts to Assistance for to Social Approved consolidate, enhance efficiency and 0.07 40 P126877 Stronger Social Protection (3/12) effectiveness, and expand coverage Safety Nets System of its social protection system Technical Assistance Third Support government’s social and Capacity Community Approved protection and health reforms Building to the 2.12 6 P122157 Living Stan- (3/11) designed to reduce extreme pov- Vision 2020 dards Grant erty Umurenge Program (VUP) SPL Systems in Rwanda: Rwanda 0.45 Operationaliz- Second Support government’s efforts to ing the Vision Support Approved consolidate, enhance efficiency and 50 P131666 Support for to Social (3/13) effectiveness, and expand coverage Strengthening Protection of its social protection system 0.06 System Rwandan Social Rwanda Safety Nets 87 Rwanda Third Support government’s efforts to Support to Approved enhance effectiveness and expand 70 P146452 the Social (3/14) the coverage of its social protection Protection system System Social Support government of Rwanda Protection Approved to improve the efficiency, account- 70 P151279 System (1/15) ability and coverage of its social Support protection system Second in a series of three devel- Second opment policy operations whose Social program development objective Protection Approved 95 P155024 is to support the government of System (12/15) Rwanda to improve the efficiency, DPO (SPS-2) accountability and coverage of its (P155024) social protection system Developing a Senegal Assist government in developing Unified and Approved 0.29 30 P133597 Safety Net building blocks of an efficient Effective Safety (4/14) Operation safety net system Net Senegal Increase utilization and quality of Senegal Developing maternal, neonatal, and child health Health Approved Senegal Safety 0.30 20 P129472 care and nutritional services, espe- and Social (12/13) Net System cially among the poorest house- Financing holds in targeted areas of Senegal THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM RSR IDA PROJECT PROJECT COUNTRY GRANT NAME (MILLION $) ID NAME STATUS PROJECT OBJECTIVE Social Safety 0.30 Net Support Developing Sierra Leone’s Sierra Leone Create a comprehensive, efficient, Social Approved Sierra Leone 7 P143588 Safety Nets well-targeted productive safety net Protection (3/14) 0.30 Project system for the poor and vulnerable System through Common Targeting Mechanisms Enhancing Crisis Response Tanzania for the Most Produc- Approved 0.63 a P124045 Vulnerable tive Social (3/12) Children and Safety Net Elderly Poor Create a comprehensive, efficient, well-targeted productive social Tanzania A Sys- safety net system for the poor and tems-Based Tanzania vulnerable section of the Tanzanian Approach for Produc- population Operationaliz- tive Social Approved 0.41 200 P151838 ing the Tanzania Safety Net (6/16) Productive Additional Social Safety Financing Net Togo Provide selected poor communities Experience of Community with improved basic socioeconomic Cash for Work Develop- Approved 0.09 8.7 P121067 infrastructures, income-generating Program in ment Project (6/10) and labor-intensive activities, and 88 Liberia for Togo Additional access to food Financing Support to SSN Togo Development in 0.22 Togo Community Provide poor communities with Promoting Develop- Approved greater access to basic socio- Innovative 14 P127200 ment and (3/12) economic infrastructures and social Crisis Response Safety Nets safety nets 0.28 Social Protection Measures Third North- Provide effective income support to Uganda Social ern Uganda Approved and build the resilience of poor and Uganda Protection 0.26 130 P149965 Social (5/15) vulnerable households in Northern Sector Review Action Fund Uganda EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC M&E for Mongolia Mongolia Strengthen the capacity of the Min- 0.07 Social Welfare Multi-Sec- istry of Social Welfare and Labor Programs toral Approved to improve the efficacy of social Mongolia 12 P119825 Building a Technical (6/10) expenditure by designing and More Efficient Assistance implementing a targeted poverty 0.27 Project benefit SP System in Mongolia Ensuring Effective M&E and Social Provide urban youth with income Urban Youth Papua New Accountability Approved from temporary employment 0.30 16 P114042 Employment Guinea for the (1/11) opportunities and increase their Project Urban Youth employability Employment Project P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 RSR IDA PROJECT PROJECT COUNTRY GRANT NAME (MILLION $) ID NAME STATUS PROJECT OBJECTIVE Support government of Vietnam Social in strengthening social assistance Strengthening Assistance system by developing innova- the Social Approved Vietnam 0.45 60 P123960 System tions in management and service Protection (1/14) Strengthen- delivery nationwide, and by piloting System ing Project these innovations in four project provinces EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA Social Support Albania’s implementation Assistance Approved of reforms to improve the equity 50 P122233 Moderniza- (4/12) and efficiency of its social assis- tion Project tance programs Albania Social Albania 0.05 Social Sec- Safety Nets TA tor Reform Support policy changes to improve Approved 25 P116937 Develop- the effectiveness of social safety (4/11) ment Policy nets Loan Rapid Assistance to Economic Safeguard social assistance to the Improve Social Recovery Approved poor and to conflict-affected fam- Safety Nets 0.06 30 P125425 Support (8/11) ilies in the face of fiscal pressures in the Face of Operation and improve targeting Energy Tariff Reforms Kyrgyz Republic Improve health outcomes in four health priority areas in support Second Enhancement of the National Health Reform Health of Targeted Approved Program 2012/16; and enable the Social 0.26 16.5 P126278 and Social (4/13) government’s efforts to enhance 89 Protection Assistance effectiveness and targeting per- Project formance of social assistance and services Improve the capacity of the government to plan, monitor, and Targeting Social manage social assistance for the and Payment Safety Net Approved poor through the development of a of Social 2.72 3 P122039 Strengthen- (6/11) national registry of social protec- Assistance to ing Project tion and the provision of training, the Poor equipment, and related items for Tajikistan improving said capacity Protecting and Tajikistan Contribute to the improvement of Promoting Health the coverage and quality of basic Access to Approved 0.40 15 P126130 Services primary health care services in Maternal and (7/13) Improve- rural health facilities in selected Neonatal ment Project regions Health Services THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM RSR IDA PROJECT PROJECT COUNTRY GRANT NAME (MILLION $) ID NAME STATUS PROJECT OBJECTIVE LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN Strengthen the basic architecture of the consolidated conditional cash transfer program and the capacity Grenada of the Ministry of Social Develop- Safety Net Approved ment to implement it, improve cov- 5 P123128 Advance- (7/11) erage of poor households receiving ment Project cash transfers, and improve edu- cational outcomes of poor children and health monitoring of vulnerable households Improve basic conditions of welfare and social well-being of extremely poor beneficiary families with children in selected Nicaragua Approved localities, strengthen capacity of 20 P121779 Social Pro- (2/11) MIFAN to implement the family and tection community-based social welfare model, and promote preschool and primary school attendance through the provision of school lunches Strengthen the effectiveness of social protection system by sup- porting the design, financing, and Bolivia, Bolivia: implementation of two flagship Dominica, Building Investing in Approved interventions of the social pro- 17 P101084 Grenada, Evidence on Children and (3/08) tection network strategy, while Guyana, Program’s Youth enhancing its capacity to coordi- 90 Haiti, Performance to nate and monitor programs that 0.15 are part of the social protection Honduras, Strengthen SPL Nicaragua, Systems in Low network St. Vincent Capacity LAC Improve institutional capacity of and the Countries recipient’s institutions to manage Grenadines the conditional cash transfer pro- gram, provide income support to Honduras Approved eligible beneficiaries, increase use 40 P115592 Social Pro- (6/10) of preventive health services and tection school attendance in grades 1–6 among beneficiaries in rural areas, and improve recipient’s capacity to respond to an eligible emergency Haiti: Improving Maternal and Child Increase the access and use of Approved P123706 Health maternal and child health, nutrition, (5/13) through and other social services Integrated 70 Social Ser- vices Improving Employ- Improve employability and labor ability income of poor youth by support- Approved P143995 and Labor ing the expansion of the Skills (5/14) Income Development Programs in Selected of Youth Cities Project P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 RSR IDA PROJECT PROJECT COUNTRY GRANT NAME (MILLION $) ID NAME STATUS PROJECT OBJECTIVE Strengthen the statistical capacity and improve the informational base Strengthen- Strengthening of the recipient in order to provide ing Statistical Access to quality information, as defined by Capacity and Social Security Approved its reliability, timeliness, accuracy, Bolivia 0.09 51 P101336 Informational among Women (1/11) and representativeness with the Base for Evi- and Indigenous level of disaggregation necessary dence-Based Groups to support systems for planning, Planning designing, monitoring, and evaluat- ing public programs and policies Household Improving Development 3.38 Maternal Agent Pilot and Child Increase the access and use of Strengthening Health Approved Haiti a P123706 maternal and child health, nutrition, Haiti’s through (4/13) and other social services National Social 0.45 Integrated Protection Social Ser- System vices Support the government’s efforts to build an improved social protec- Honduras tion system mainly by strengthen- Approved a P115592 Social ing institutional capacity to design (6/10) Protection and implement a new conditional cash transfer program, the Bono 10,000 Program Improve institutional capacity to manage the conditional cash Strengthening transfer program by strengthening Social 0.07 transparency and targeting, mon- 91 Protection itoring compliance with program Honduras co-responsibilities, and making Additional Approved payments to beneficiaries; provide 12.3 P144928 Financing (8/13) income support to eligible benefi- Honduras for SP ciaries; increase use of preventive Project health services and school atten- dance in grades 1–6 among benefi- ciaries in rural areas; and improve recipient’s capacity to respond effectively to an eligible emergency Improve Honduras’s social safety Improving net for children and youth by Nutritional Additional strengthening the country’s capac- Monitoring Finance for ity to administer social assistance Approved and Targeted 1.20 23.6 P126158 Nutrition programs, improving nutritional (6/11) Response to and Social and health status of young children, Global Crisis Protection and increasing employability of Project at-risk youth by piloting an employ- ment program Improve the basic welfare of Expansion of extremely poor beneficiary fami- the Family and lies with children, strengthen the Community Nicaragua capacity of MIFAN to implement Approved Nicaragua Based Social 2.75 19.5 P121779 Social the family and community-based (2/11) Welfare Model Protection social welfare model, and promote with Cash preschool and primary school Transfers attendance through the provision of school lunches THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM RSR IDA PROJECT PROJECT COUNTRY GRANT NAME (MILLION $) ID NAME STATUS PROJECT OBJECTIVE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Support the provision of short- Crisis term employment opportunities in Employment Response— community-based labor-intensive Approved Djibouti for the Poor 0.17 5 P130328 Social works for the poor and vulnerable, (6/12) Project Safety Net and support the improvement of Project nutrition practices among partici- pating households SOUTH ASIA Afghanistan: Results- Afghanistan Improve the administration of the Oriented Pension public pension schemes, and pilot Approach in Adminis- Approved a modest social safety net program Afghanistan 0.20 8 P113421 the Pro-Poor tration and (10/09) as a first step to developing a sus- Program Safety Net tainable approach to safety nets in Design and Project the country Implementation Piloting Improve the equity, efficiency, and Conditional Bangladesh transparency of key social safety Cash Transfers Safety Net Approved net programs and finance short- for Human 2.99 500 P132634 Systems for (7/13) term employment to enable the Development the Poorest poorest households to better cope through Local Project with poverty and vulnerability Governments Improving the Payment and Provide short-term employment on Monitoring Employment community subprojects to enable System for the Generation Approved 92 Employment 1.10 150 P118701 Program for (11/10) households to better cope with vulnerability, while strengthening Generation the Poorest program implementation Program for the Poorest Bangladesh Supporting Nutrition- Provide income support to the Sensitive poorest mothers in selected Upazi- Income Safety Nets las, while (i) increasing the moth- Support Approved through 0.32 300 P146520 ers’ use of child nutrition and cogni- Program for (12/14) Strengthened tive development services, and (ii) the Poorest Local enhancing local level government Government capacity to deliver safety nets Administration Bangladesh Provide income support to the Identifica- poorest mothers in selected Upazi- tion System las, while (i) increasing the moth- Government Approved 0.12 195 P121528 for Enhanc- ers’ use of child nutrition and cogni- Administration (12/14) ing Access tive development services, and (ii) to Services enhancing local level government (IDEA) capacity to deliver safety nets Integrated Child Devel- opment Improve nutritional outcomes of Critical Analysis Services— children in India; strengthen the of Institutional Systems Approved policy framework, systems, and India 0.10 106 P121731 Arrangements Strength- (9/12) capacities, and facilitate community for Nutrition ening and engagement; and ensure greater Nutrition focus on children under three Improvement Program P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 RSR IDA PROJECT PROJECT COUNTRY GRANT NAME (MILLION $) ID NAME STATUS PROJECT OBJECTIVE Strengthen institutional capacity of the Department of Social Welfare Bihar and the Rural Development Depart- Integrated ment to deliver social protection Social Approved 84 P118826 programs and services and expand Protection (12/13) outreach of social care services for Strengthen- poor and vulnerable households, ing Project Strengthening persons with disabilities, older Social persons, and widows India Protection 0.45 Bihar Rural Systems in Livelihoods Approved Bihar 63 P090764 Project— (6/07) Enhance social and economic JEEViKA empowerment of the rural poor in Bihar Rural Bihar through community institution Livelihood development, community invest- Approved ment, and technical assistance 100 P130546 Project (5/12) Additional Financing Building a Common Platform for 0.19 Support the implementation of the Identification of National Pension Act, to strengthen Pension the Poor institutional capacity of key agen- and Social Approved cies responsible for implementing Maldives TA to the 12 P125700 Protection (6/11) the National Pension Act, and to National AP Additional develop the processes and plat- Agency on Financing 0.06 forms required for the delivery of National Health social protection programs Insurance Scheme 93 Safety Net Strengthen- System ing Systems Improve the efficiency of MOFALD’s Approved Nepal Building 0.45 150 P154548 for Social social protection programs and civil (12/16) Technical Protection registration Assistance Project Support implementation of Health Protecting Punjab Sector Strategy by focusing on Pakistan’s Poor Health Sec- Approved improving coverage and utilizing 0.40 100 P123394 against Health tor Reform (5/13) quality essential health services, Shocks Project particularly in the low-performing districts of Punjab Support expansion and strengthen administration and performance of Social Financial Approved country‘s safety net with particular Pakistan 60 P103160 Safety Net Inclusion (6/09) focus on Benazir Income Support TA and Literacy Program (BISP) as the national Outcomes of safety net platform 0.81 Cash Transfers The additional financing will support through the Social the evolution of Pakistan’s BISP Banking Safety Net Approved through the expansion of program System 150 P125793 Project— (3/12) coverage and broadening of objec- Additional tives to promote access to educa- Financing tional services Skills Develop- Skills Devel- Support the government of Sri Lanka Approved Sri Lanka ment for Unem- 0.24 102 P132698 opment to improve the quality and relevance (6/14) ployed Youth Project of the skills development sector TOTAL IDA 46.04 5,681 NOTE: Grant amounts reflect allocated funds against approved proposals; however, these amounts may change slightly by time of grant clo- sure to reflect actual disbursements against activities covered by the grant. Excess funds from closed grants will be reused and reallocated against new activities. a. IDA amount for this project included in regional project. Financial Report THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM Status of Contributions and Total Cash Received In December 2014, the size of the RSR Trust Fund Program expanded, with the activation of the Nutrition-Sensitive Social Protection and Labor RSR Multi-Do- nor Trust Fund (RSR-NS). The Russian Federation is the sole contributor to this trust fund under the RSR Trust Fund Program umbrella, with a total contribution amount of $3.30 million. All World Bank client countries (IDA only, IDA, and IBRD) are eligible for RSR-NS financing for the purpose of nutrition-sensitive SPL system building and strengthening. Consequently, as of December 31, 2016, the RSR Trust Fund portfolio had grown to include the following: • The RSR Multi-Donor Trust Fund (RSR-MDTF) • The RSR Catalyst Trust Fund (RSRC), which closed on June 30, 2012 • The Nutrition-Sensitive Social Protection and Labor Trust Fund (RSR-NS) The Russian Federation remains the largest funder to the RSR Trust Fund Pro- gram, followed by in descending order the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, and Australia. In 2013, the United Kingdom joined the RSR-MDTF with a total contribution of £15 million. As of August 2016, donor contributions to the RSR totaled about $108.42 million. Table F-1 shows the breakdown of contributions by donor; these contributions represent the total amounts specified in the counter- signed administrative agreements between the donors, IBRD, and IDA. 96 The United Kingdom via the Department for International Development was the sole contributor to the RSRC. A total contribution of £2 million (about $3.24 mil- lion) was received against the trust fund program. These funds supported the preparation of key analytical work in 30 countries focused on assessing existing programs, technical assistance to improve components of existing systems, and building the capacity of implementing teams. Table F-1: Status of Paid and Unpaid Contributions by Donor, as of August 18, 2016 CONTRIBUTIONS CONTRIBUTION CONTRIBUTIONS UNPAID IN CURRENCY AMOUNT PAID INSTALLMENTS TOTAL DONOR RECEIVED (MILLION $) (MILLION $) (MILLION $) (MILLION $) Russian Federation million $ 50.00 50.00 0.00 50.00 Norway million NKr 130.00 21.62 0.00 21.62 Australia million $A 2.90 2.97 0.00 2.97 Sweden million SKr 70.00 10.43 0.00 10.43 United Kingdom million £ 15.00 20.51 2.88 23.39 Total paid and unpaid contributions 105.54 2.88 108.42a SOURCE: SAP (Bank internal system). a. Installments paid in currencies of contributions are valued at the exchange rates in effect at the time the funds are received and the date they are converted to U.S. dollars. Details may not sum to totals because of rounding. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 Table F-2 presents the financial summary for the three trust funds, including information on the status of donor contributions, investment income, grant com- mitments and disbursements, approved proposals without allocation, and funds available for allocation against future calls for proposals. Table F-2: RSR-MDTF, RSRC, and RSR-NS Contributions Paid in and Financial Summary, as of August 30, 2016 (million $) RSR-MDTF RSRC RSR-NS TOTAL a. Receipts Cash contributiona 105.54 3.24 3.30 112.08 Investment incomeb 1.37 0.02 0.02 1.41 Other income c 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.18 TOTAL RECEIPTS 107.09 3.25 3.32 113.66 b. Grant amount/allocationd 79.16 3.01 1.92 84.10 c. Nonproject disbursements Refundse 0.00 0.07 0.00 0.07 Administrative feef 1.06 0.16 0.07 1.28 Approved proposals without allocation g 3.91 0.00 0.45 4.36 AVAILABLE BALANCEh 22.95 0.01 0.89 23.85 d. Activity disbursements and commitments Disbursementsi 68.76 2.99 0.75 72.50 Commitmentsj 0.78 0.00 0.00 0.78 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS 69.54 2.99 0.75 73.28 97 SOURCE: SAP (Bank internal system). NOTE: In accordance with the Trust Fund Administrative Agreement, “the World Bank shall furnish to the Donor current financial informa- tion relating to receipts, disbursements and fund balance with respect to the Contributions via the World Bank’s Trust Funds Donor Center secure website. The Bank shall provide to the Donors an annual single audit reporting, within 6 months following the end of the each Bank fiscal year, which starts on July 1 and ends on June 30 of each year.” Additional information on accounting and financial reporting is included in the Administrative Agreement, Annex 2, paragraph 6. Details may not sum to totals because of rounding. a. Any portion of a contribution made in form of cash. b. Returns on cash and investments allocated to the Trust Fund and earned between November 2009 and August 30, 2016, on the undis- bursed balance of the RSR-MDTF. c. Ineligible expenses returned from one of the recipient-executed grants that has closed. Funds will be reallocated against new approved propos- als. d. The setting aside of funds for specific agreed activities/projects in accordance with the decision-making process specified in the adminis- trative agreement. e. Unspent funds from the RSRC were automatically transferred to the donor bank account. f. The cost of administration and other expenses, which are in accordance with the terms of the administrative agreement. g. Proposals that have been approved by the selection committee but for which funding is not yet allocated in the Bank internal system. h. Funds available for new allocation after subtracting total grant amount, administrative fee, and approved proposal without allocation. Future unpaid contributions will be allocated against new rounds of calls for proposals in FY17. i. Cash payment to a recipient or vendor based on a commitment by the Bank. The Bank provides oversight and supervision over implemen- tation. j. Obligations of the Trust Fund to provide funds. They are recorded in full amounts in the system, pending disbursement against the allo- cated goods and services. THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM The RSR-MDTF, the RSRC, and the RSR-NS have earned investment income on the undisbursed balance accumulated since the inception of the three trust fund programs. The income is used for the same purposes as the contribution funds, as specified in the trust fund administrative agreements. At present, the RSR‑MDTF is valued at $107.09 million ($105.54 million in Figure F-1: RSR-MDTF Program Status as of donor deposits, plus $1.37 million in investment income, in addi- August 30, 2016 tion to $0.18 million in returned funds). The administrative fee for the three trust fund programs represents the cost of administration Closed funds but and other expenses, which are in accordance with the terms of the still disbursing 1% administrative agreements. Since the inception of the RSR-MDTF in late 2009, 9 rounds of calls for proposals have been launched so far, supporting differ- Active funds ent sectors, and regional and global activities. Figure F-1 shows 30% the current status of RSR-MDTF program activities. All activities under the RSRC are now legally closed. Disbursements under the RSR-MDTF have increased significantly since December 2009, as Legally closed funds shown in figure F-2. 69% To date, about 89 percent of the funds allocated to RSR and RSR-NS activities have been disbursed, and another 1 percent is contractually committed. New rounds of calls for proposals SOURCE: SAP (Bank internal system). are planned to be launched in FY 2017 to allocate the unused 98 resources. Figure F-2: RSR-MDTF Program Cumulative Grant Approvals and Disbursements as of August 30, 2016 Million $ 90 Approved grants Disbursements Commitments 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 SOURCE: SAP (Bank internal system). NOTE: Approved grant amounts represent the grants that were activated and recorded by fiscal year in SAP. P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 The RSR-MDTF and RSRC fund two main types of grants, as shown in figure F-3. Recipient-Executed Trust Funds (RETFs) are Figure F-3: RSR Program Grant Allocation by funds that the Bank passes onto a recipient, whose projects are Trust Fund Type prepared and supervised by the Bank. Bank-Executed Trust Funds (BETFs) finance activities such as capacity building, technical assis- Recipient tance, and supervision and preparation of RETF-funded projects. executed, BETFs are implemented by the Bank. 15% Bank executed, 85% SOURCE: SAP (Bank internal system). 99 RSR Results Framework and Indicators THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM INDICATOR 2013 2014 2015 Social protection cov- 42.1 million 77.3 million 72.4 million erage in IDA-supported More poor people projects (both genders) IMPACT covered by social protection systems Social protection cov- 21.0 million 38.7 million 36.2 million erage in IDA-supported projects (female only) Increased resource allo- $3.27 billion $3.73 billion $5.68 billion cation to social protec- tion through IDA Increased resource $5.09 billion $5.71 billion $6.88 billion Enhanced capacity allocation to social pro- of social protection tection overall budget, OUTCOME systems to protect domestic and other poor and vulnerable funding people Global data accessi- 57 112 115 ble (number of new countries in ASPIRE/ SPARCS) 1.1 System diagnostic and stocktaking Number 71 76 89 1.1(a) Diagnostic, stocktaking, and Number of countries 45 48 60 mapping 102 Amount $11,944,594 $12,311,284 $13,769,410 Number 31 36 47 1.1(b) Identification or development of Number of countries 37 40 51 effective options Amount $6,372,750 $6,739,440 $7,840,899 1.2 Component design OUTPUT 1: and development NEW OR IMPROVED 1.2(a) Building Number 27 34 47 SOCIAL systems for robust PROTECTION identification of Number of countries 21 27 43 AND LABOR beneficiaries and Amount $2,537,607 $3,047,631 $3,931,792 SYSTEM COM- development of PONENTS registries AND ARCHI- TECTURE 1.2(b) Improving Number 35 40 53 processes for Number of countries 29 33 47 determination of eligibility Amount $5,358,345 $5,701,583 $6,581,494 Number 9 11 15 1.2(c) Developing effective appeals and Number of countries 7 9 15 grievance procedures Amount $618,230 $775,516 $988,135 Number 12 18 26 1.2(d) Streamlining Number of countries 14 20 31 payment systems Amount $2,359,261 $2,804,999 $3,324,702 P ROGRE S S RE P OR T 2015 –16 INDICATOR 2013 2014 2015 1.2(e) Setting Number 26 29 33 up appropriate Number of countries 21 24 29 evaluation arrangements Amount $6,245,840 $6,474,792 $6,858,125 1.2(f) Establishing Number 17 20 27 practices for Number of countries 13 16 23 communication and outreach Amount $2,470,868 $2,651,821 $3,192,237 1.2(g) Building Number 33 38 43 information systems Number of countries 28 32 38 for better service management Amount $5,943,983 $6,291,721 $6,589,340 1.2(h) Improving Number 24 26 37 administrative Number of countries 29 31 38 processes and clarifying rules Amount $4,860,691 $4,974,977 $5,597,179 1.3 Interagency program harmonization Number 17 18 22 1.3(a) Coordination of legal and policy-level Number of countries 18 19 24 frameworks Amount $1,529,183 $1,662,516 $1,994,391 103 Number 33 34 49 1.3(b) Integration of Number of countries 28 29 43 programs Amount $3,855,916 $3,905,916 $5,151,119 Number of client 6 15 20 1.4 Customer government officials feedback interviewed Rate of satisfaction 80% 80% 95% Number of events 11 13 20 Amount $2,703,224 $2,880,843 $3,627,510 OUTPUT 2: 2.1 South-South and Number of participants 856 1,017 1,398 INCREASED peer-to-peer learning Number of countries 70 70 75 LEARNING represented AND KNOWLEDGE Rate of satisfaction 82.1% 82.1% 95.0% SHARING FOR SOCIAL Number 3 4 5 PROTECTION Amount $698,997 $812,331 $1,277,331 AND LABOR SERVICE 2.2 Communities of Number of participants 141 200 280 DELIVERY practice Number of countries 25 35 47 represented Satisfaction rating Very high Very high Very high THE WORLD BANK | RAPID SOCIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM INDICATOR 2013 2014 2015 Number 15 17 19 Amount $2,776,875 $2,954,494 $3,091,160 2.3 Analytical and operational toolkits Number of downloads — — — Number of training — — — participants Number 18 18 18 OUTPUT 3: Number of countries 12 12 12 PROTECTION OF ACCESS Amount $14,622,483 $14,622,483 $14,622,483 3.1 Projects to TO BASIC provide benefits Number of beneficiaries 86,000 86,000 86,000 SERVICES IN TIMES OF (both genders) CRISIS Number of beneficiaries 43,000 43,000 43,000 (female only) NOTE: — = not available. All indicators are cumulative from the inception of the RSR to the end of the reporting year unless otherwise stated. 104 REFERENCES Black, R., C. Victora, S. Walker, Z. Bhutta, P. Christian, M. de Onis, M. Ezzati, S. Grantham-McGregor, J. Katz, R. Martorell, and R. Uauy. 2013. “Maternal and Child Undernutrition and Overweight in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries.” Lancet 382 (9890): 427–51. IFPRI (International Food Policy Research Institute). 2014. Global Nutrition Report 2014: Actions and Accountability to Accelerate the World’s Progress on Nutrition. Washington, DC: IFPRI. —. 2016. Global Nutrition Report 2016: From Promise to Impact: Ending Malnutrition by 2030. Washington, DC: IFPRI. Lancet. 2013. “Executive Summary of the Lancet Maternal and Child Nutrition Series.” Lancet. Shrimpton, Roger, and Claudia Rokx. 2012. “The Double Burden of Malnutrition: A Review of Global Evidence.” HNP Discussion Paper. World Bank, Washington, DC. World Bank. 2012. The World Bank 2012–2022 Social Protection and Labor Strategy. Washington, DC: World Bank. —. 2015. The State of Social Safety Nets 2015. Washington, DC: World Bank. © 2016 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this publication is copyrighted. 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