PROGRAM BRIEF 1 Allowances for the Widow, Deserted and Destitute Women Widows and divorced women in Bangladesh represent about a tenth of ever married women in the country.i Despite progress in women’s empowerment, due to social stigma and patriarchal social norms, they tend to be highly vulnerable to poverty and social marginalization. In addition, widows face legal, religious and social restrictions which impede their ownership of property and their option to re-marry. Allowances for the Widow, Deserted and Destitute Women aim to provide cash transfers to poor and vulnerable widowed women to improve their socio-economic wellbeing. 1 The Program Brief series discusses major safety net programs that the Government of Bangladesh implements. The series includes notes on the Old Age Allowance; Allowances for the Widow, Deserted and Destitute Women; and Allowances for the Financially Insolvent Disabled by the Ministry of Social Welfare; Employment Generation Program for the Poorest; Food for Work; Work for Money; Test Relief; and Vulnerable Group Feeding by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief; and the Child Benefit Scheme. Many of these programs are supported by the World Bank. 1 Allowances for the Widow, Deserted and Destitute Women PROGRAM BRIEF BACKGROUND Women’s situation in Bangladesh has progressed through conservative social norms that dictate their mobility, lifestyle improved literacy; better access to family planning options and choice of livelihood. Also, there are social insecurities and reproductive and maternal health care; and enhanced associated with living alone without male guardian. access to education and formal sector jobs among other milestones. However, such empowerment is not uniform Considering women’s vulnerability, the Government of throughout the country and multiple challenges still exist. Bangladesh, since the 1970s, has been implementing important Social norms in Bangladesh continue to prescribe roles, social safety nets focused on women. Such programs include rights and responsibilities according to gender. Patriarchy is the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR)’s prominent as men are deemed to be the breadwinners while Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF), part of which, in subsequent women manage the household and raise children. Women, in years, evolved into the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) many cases, have limited role in household decision making, program with an empowerment and graduation element for little access to household and individual resources and working age women. In FY 1998, the Government of Bangladesh assets, heavy domestic workload and poor knowledge and introduced Allowances for the Widow, Deserted and Destitute skills.ii Therefore, the majority of women continue to depend Women (Widow Allowance [WA]). on fathers, and husbands following marriage, for decision making and financial and social welfare. As a result, especially Key features of the Widow, Deserted and Destitute when poor women lose their husbands or get divorced, their Women in Bangladesh (WA) vulnerability to poverty, exploitation and social isolation The WA is an unconditional cash transfer allowance program increases significantly. administered by the Department of Social Services (DSS) under the Ministry of Social Welfare (MoSW). Administration of the program was shifted to the Ministry of Women’s and Children’s Table 1: Key features of the Widow Allowances (WA) Affairs in 2003 but in 2010, the program was reassigned to DSS. Number of beneficiaries 1.4 million When the program began in FY 1998, monthly allowance was BDT 100 (US$ 2.1 as of FY98) covering around 0.4 million women in rural Amount of monthly allowance BDT 500/ US$ 6 areas. As of FY19, total number of beneficiaries under the program is 1.4 million each receiving a monthly allowance of BDT 500 (US$ Eligibility Means-tested, gender and 6) (figure 1). The WA constitutes a tenth of eligible women.iii marital status-based targeting Agency Department of Social Services, Ministry of Social Welfare Number of beneficiaries Allowance(BDT) 1.6 600 1.4 1.4 500 Beneficiaries in numbers Monthly Allownce in BDT According to local custom, when a woman’s husband dies, 1.2 400 500 she has the options of staying with her in-laws or returning to 0.92 1.15 400 1 0.75 0.90 1.01 her parents’ family. The choice however is not easy for women 0.8 300 0.60 in poor families that are unable to support an additional 0.6 0.50 250 300 200 non-earning member. The financial hardship on the families 0.4 0.40 200 165 significantly increases when the widow has children who 0.2 100 125 100 are either too young to earn and are financially dependent 0 0 on their mother; has children who are older but do not earn FY98 FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19* enough or are not willing to provide support to the mother. Many widows resort to very low paid menial jobs, begging or charity especially as their access to dignified jobs is limited by their poor literacy, lack of marketable skills and in many cases Figure 1: Growth of beneficiaries and benefits under WA Source: Budget Archives, Finance Division, Ministry of Finance THE WORLD BANK 2 PROGRAM BRIEF FY19, total number of In beneficiaries under WA is 1.4 million a monthly allowance of each receiving BDT 500 (US$ 6) In the past two decades, the number of WA beneficiaries has multiplied more than three times and the benefit amount in 10 nominal terms has increased fivefold. As of FY19, national budget 8.40 allocation to WA is BDT 8.4 billion (approximately US$ 100 million) 7.60 8 which is 1.3 percent of the national social protection budget for 6.90 FY19 and 0.03 percent of the country’s GDP (figure 2). Budget in BDT Billion 6 5.34 The WA aims to work on the following aspects for widows and 4.86 deserted women: 4 3.64 • Socioeconomic development and social protection; 2.70 3.31 • Improved status in the family and society; 2 • Enhanced morale; and • Improved nutrition and health care. 0 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19* Figure 2: Annual Expenditure for WA, FY09 – 19 (*budgeted) Source: Budget Archives, Finance Division, Ministry of Finance Allowances for the Widow, Deserted and Destitute Women 3 Allowances for the Widow, Deserted and Destitute Women PROGRAM BRIEF PROGRAM DETAILS The WA program, along with Old Age Allowance (OAA) and 2) Eligibility Criteria and Intake Disability Allowance, comprises key cash transfer programs of As stated in the implementation guidelines of the WA, DSS, MoSW. The business process details described here are beneficiaries are selected based on the following eligibility very much similar to those of OAA. criteria: 1) Outreach • Nationality: Bangladeshi; According to the implementation guidelines of the program, • Minimum age in years: at least 18; and widespread awareness campaigns should be carried out • Annual income: less than BDT 12,000 (US$ 145). to invite applications for the WA, and to gather community Eligible applicants shall be prioritized if they are: members and conduct community vetting to finalize the list of beneficiaries. The guidelines are not clear about the frequency • among the oldest of applicants; of such campaigns. In reality, however, awareness campaigns • detached from family and/or have no children; are limited to announcements through local mosques and • with children who are less than 16 years old; some ‘mic-ing’, if at all, especially ahead of a payment cycle. Limited efforts for awareness campaigns to invite applications • unable to work and/or, ill or weak; and are mostly due to the following reasons: • landless (own less than 0.5 acre) and/or destitute. • Managing expectations – The WA continues to be a An applicant shall be considered ineligible if he or she receives means-tested, targeted program with budget limitations. Government pension or regular safety net benefits or grants With no exit rules, the list of beneficiaries is not updated from the Government, NGOs or any other source. While unless replacements take place due to beneficiaries’ death participation of multiple members of the same household or budget increases to absorb more. The concern that was not originally limited by the implementation guidelines, widespread awareness about the program may invite a large the single-benefit-per-household criteria was introduced via number of applications, every year, beyond the ability of the an instruction in the mid-2000s. WA’s capacity, discourages active outreach. According to the implementation guidelines of the WA, inviting • Financial – Dedicated budget allocations for awareness applications and selection of beneficiaries follows a four-step generating activities are largely absent at the union level. process (figure 3). • Administrative – DSS has one staff, the Union Social Worker According to the guideline, the program can set aside ‘quota’ (USW) at the union level, tasked with administering all for areas affected by natural disasters, extremely poor, hard-to- programs of DSS in that union. Carrying out meaningful reach or ‘backward’ regions and any other emergency. It was awareness campaigns therefore becomes difficult. noted by a studyiv that, though the WA also includes husband deserted women, in reality, the majority of beneficiaries are With limited outreach campaigns, individuals acquire widows as it is difficult to define or verify husband deserted program information mostly from words of mouth. According women. to an assessment carried out in 2012,iv most women who became beneficiaries of WA, became aware of the program It was observed by multiple studies that the targeting process of through Ward Members, villagers and relatives. The same the WA has challenges. According to one diagnostic,iii 22 percent assessment also revealed that many non-beneficiaries were of WA beneficiaries are not eligible as they are not widows, of the opinion that the Union Parishad did not circulate divorced, or separated women; the share increases to 36 percent information sufficiently. Studies suggest that the media was if violation of socio-economic criteria is included; and across found to be a source of information for the non-poor but less both OAA and WA, around 20 percent are found to be non-poor. for the poor. It was noted from the evaluation that greater access to information on program eligibility, entitlement and selection process might enhance the chances of more pro- poor selection of beneficiaries and also help reduce leakage. 4 PROGRAM BRIEF - Improvement in financial status; Step 1 Application - Change in marital status (remarriage or in case of divorced/separated women, reconciliation with husband); Applications submitted to Upazila Social Service Officers - Drawing benefits from other Government or NGO (USSOs) (rural) and District Social Service Officers (DSSOs) programs; (urban), using the designated form. - Migration from the area; - Drawing WA from more than one location; and - Death – replacements will be subject to the approval of Step 2 Initial listing of Applicants the Cabinet Committee on Safety Nets. The above conditions for replacement, except death, are USSOs and DSSOs prepare ward wise lists of potential in most cases very difficult to verify unless self-reported or beneficiaries and present them to the Union Committee confirmed by local leaders. However, a studyiv found that this and Municipality/City Committee for rural and urban wards is sometimes misused as influential people wrongly report respectively. change in circumstances of existing beneficiaries to make space for new entrants they want to favor. This becomes Union (rural) and Municipal (urban) a bigger challenge especially in areas where no one else is Step 3 Committees’ approvals influential enough to dispute or challenge any such claim. • Some overlap with OAA: The OAA provides cash transfers to Union Committee (rural) and Municipal Committee (urban) select potential beneficiaries and send a primary list of men aged sixty-five years and older and women aged sixty- eligible beneficiaries from the lists prepared by USSOs and two years and older. According to the National Social Security DSSOs to the Upazila Committee. Strategy (NSSS), 23 percent of WA beneficiaries are above the age of sixty-two and therefore should be transferred to the OAA. However, this age-based transition of beneficiaries from Step 4 Upazila Committee’s (rural)/City WA to OAA is yet to take effect. As a result, the OAA and WA Corporation Committee’s (urban) approval continue to complement each other to maximize coverage of the insolvent older population based on eligibility and the The Upazila Committee (rural) and the District Committee availability of budget at the union level.v (urban) finalize the list of potential rural beneficiaries, and waitlist of potential beneficiaries and seek approval of the local Member of Parliament. The committee shall also 3) Enrolment finalize a waitlist. Within seven days of the approval of the final list of beneficiaries, the Upazila Social Service Officers (USSOs) and District Social Service Officers (DSSOs) are expected to issue a ‘passbook’ Figure 3: Process of beneficiary selection of WA to each beneficiary, with the beneficiary’s photo attested by a Government official, and arrange to open the beneficiary’s accountvi with a bank designated to provide payments for OAA In addition, there are a few other areas where the guidelines – currently, Sonali, Janata, Agrani, Bangladesh Krishi Unnayan are not specific: and Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Banks or any other DSS designated payment service providers (PSPs). The beneficiary account • Replacement – While the program continues with the number is labelled ‘Widow Allowance’ for ease of identification. same list, there is however some annual change due to The BDT 10 account is part of Bangladesh Bank’s initiative for increase in budgetary allocations and the demise of existing financial inclusion, requiring only the minimum balance of BDT beneficiaries. The program guideline has provision for the 10, and is becoming a standard bank account for poor and replacement of beneficiaries with new ones from the waiting vulnerable individuals. At the same time, the USSO/DSSO also list. However, beneficiaries can only be replaced in case of maintain a register of the list of beneficiaries of WA and it should any of the following scenarios: be updated every quarter. 5 Allowances for the Widow, Deserted and Destitute Women PROGRAM BRIEF 4) Payment The beneficiary payment process under WA has two parts like other cash transfer programs: cash-in (from treasury to MoSW approves fund release individual’s bank account) and cash-out (cash withdrawal from individuals’ bank account). The cash-in process starts with release of funds from MoSW followed by Treasury allocation to (State-owned) Sonali Bank for the amount of benefit payments budgeted for a quarter. Sonali Bank then DSS issues a bill to Chief transfers the funds to four other state-owned banks and Accounts Officer (CAO) each of these five banks then transfer funds to their upazila or district branches based on advice from DSS. At the local branches, the funds are deposited in an account, jointly administered by Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) and USSO for CAO issues check for rural areas; Deputy Director (DD), Social Services and DSSO for each program urban areas. Based on the list of beneficiaries received from the USSO and DSSO, the local bank branch then transfers benefits to individual beneficiary accounts. With these layers of processes (figure 4), the entire cash-in process often takes months every quarter. Treasury allocates check amounts to Sonali Bank The cash-out process involves the physical presence of beneficiaries arriving at the bank branch with their passbooks. In case a beneficiary is unable to come due to sickness, disability or cultural restrictions on female beneficiaries, a Sonali Bank divides the nominee can collect the payment, authorized by a locally amount and transfers to the elected representative for every payment cycle. Following the head offices of each payee bank death of a beneficiary, the nominee can also collect payments for three months (including the month of death) to facilitate funeral expenses. Each payee bank transfers funds to upazila branches, in the acocunt jointly Even though beneficiaries can draw benefits any day in theory, administered by the USSO/UNO or DSSO/DD. the practice is not encouraged by local banks to manage transaction schedules and plan workload. They designate specific days to issue payments to beneficiaries, each quarter. The withdrawal date is announced through words of mouth The local branch transfers funds to individual beneficiary from USSOs, USWs and others involved. However, with a accounts based on list from USSO large number of beneficiaries per union (approximately 500 from the joint account on average), not all beneficiaries queuing up for payment may be served on the same day and many of them have to return the next day, inflicting additional financial costs and Figure 4: Payment (cash-in) process of WA physical exertion. Long queues also mean that beneficiaries have to wait several hours with little or no food, and no place to rest, which may be significant burden to elderly or sick it difficult for beneficiaries to collect allowances for payment beneficiaries. cycles they have missed to appear for. Moreover, reconciliation hardly takes place and DSS is not refunded the leftover amount Such capacity constraints and manual processes also hamper due to banks’ inability to account for how many beneficiaries banks’ ability to verify beneficiary details while issuing have actually collected payments. Such constraints could payments, sometimes resulting in erroneous payments. The create systemic loopholes for leakage and scope for rent timely update of payment records is also lacking, which makes seeking by those involved in the payment process. THE WORLD BANK 6 PROGRAM BRIEF 5) Grievance that while the WA contributes to food security, health care and clothing, the amount may be too small to bring significant Complaints – typically regarding eligibility criteria and improvements in housing status and IGAs. Though limited, payment accuracy and timing -- can be filed with the Union female beneficiaries do invest their benefits for IGAs beyond Committee. However, this indicates a serious conflict of consumption.ix interest given that this committee is the one that undertakes Women’s empowerment: Social norms in Bangladesh define the primary selection of beneficiaries. If the Committee fails gender roles that often confine women’s agency and mobility to come up with a mitigation measure, the grievance shall and make them dependent and vulnerable. This is particularly escalate sequentially up to the central level; though the the case for widows who have lost traditional sources of male implementation guidelines do not define specific procedures. and family support. Through the allowance, widows have Anecdotal evidence suggests that complaints are few and access to cash that helps meet some subsistence needs. In those filed are usually lodged with Ward Members or Union addition, the cash transfer is viewed to have helped enhance Chairmen with little evidence of their resolution. widows’ social esteem and importance in the family. PROGRAM OUTCOMES CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD Multiple evaluations of the WA reveal a number of socioeconomic outcomes of the Program, despite the The WA has been an important initiative towards supporting relatively low amount of allowance which represents only 30 vulnerable women and has yielded some impacts. percent of the average monthly per capita consumption of the Nevertheless, challenges continue to affect program lowest expenditure quintile.vii Some of those outcomes are effectiveness. Overall, the program needs to transition to a described below. centralized, automated, and rule-based decision-making system to improve governance and beneficiary experience. Food consumption: Most of the allowance amount is Below is a summary of the key challenges which have been reportedly spent on food consumption by beneficiaries. discussed throughout the document: This is particularly relevant for beneficiaries of WA because during seasonal poverty caused by lean periods, a key coping • The beneficiary selection process has scope to be more strategy is to reduce food intake and usually, women are the objective and pro-poor. There is also significant scope for first to do so. The WA is a welcome relief by providing a much- wider availability of information to further improve the needed cushion against hunger for widows and vulnerable application and selection processes. women.ii Generally, the majority of beneficiaries reported an • The payment process has scope for more efficiency and improvement in their household food consumption, with a transparency, to enhance the convenience of the old, often marked increase in protein intake in comparison with non- sick beneficiaries, by increasing the number of payment beneficiary households. Increase in body mass was also cited access points, closer to where beneficiaries live. Moreover, as an outcome by many beneficiaries. transparency of the payment process can be enhanced by Health care: A significant proportion of beneficiaries of WA are greater security measures such as biometric authentication. aged and often suffering from one illness or another. A World Bank field consultation revealed that individuals’ monthly • The grievance process can be strengthened to be more expense on medicines range between BDT 1,000 and 3,000 accountable and provide reassurance to potential complainants (US$ 12 and 36). While the Government health facilities provide about timely resolution and minimal chances of backlash. medicines that are less expensive, the rest needs to be purchased According to the NSSS, the Government aims to consolidate from the market incurring a significant amount of out of pocket the WA and the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) Program expenditure. The allowance helps pay for medicine expenses. into the Vulnerable Women’s Benefit (VWB) that will reach 3.2 Access to finance: Beneficiaries tend to have better access million women and pay a monthly allowance of BDT 800. to small loans for unforeseen health care needs because The program plans to place a strong emphasis on women’s creditors feel assured of payback when the beneficiaries draw empowerment through child care and IGAs to facilitate their allowance. women’s entry into the job market. While this is a promising Income generating activities (IGA): One evaluationviii notes strategy to help able-bodied women to emerge out of poverty, Allowances for the Widow, Deserted and Destitute Women 7 Allowances for the Widow, Deserted and Destitute Women PROGRAM BRIEF several characteristics of WA beneficiaries should be taken - Poor access to finance for business – and when finance is into account while designing the VWB: available, fear of not being able to repay prevents most women from taking even concessional loans for business; • Awareness: Beneficiaries in general have poor awareness - Fear of going out of the house or beyond familiar of their rights and entitlements. In addition, their ideas and surroundings; and aspirations are often confined by what the social norms - Lack of space for agriculture/poultry/dairy especially for define. those living on others’ land or rented squatters in peri- • Age and agency: The WA has a significant number of urban areas. beneficiaries aged above forty years. Many of them have never been to school and have low absorptive capacity in terms of acquiring new skills. WORLD BANK SUPPORT • Occupation: Most widows are involved in some form of low paid or non-paid employment – usually as domestic workers In recognition of the need to strengthen the administrative in neighboring houses. These jobs are menial and pay very aspects of WA, the Government of Bangladesh, with the little if at all. Ill health, illiteracy and social norms often form financial and technical support from the World Bank, has implicit influencers to these women’s choice of occupation initiated the Cash Transfer Modernization Project. The Project and flexibility to new skills and jobs. Moreover, women’s was approved by the Bank’s Board of Executive Directors in access to livelihood options are also significantly affected by: January 2018. - Where they live i.e. peri-urban and urban areas offer more The Project aims to improve the transparency and efficiency options; of WA and other major cash transfer programs for vulnerable - Social capital i.e. relationship with enablers like Ward populations by modernizing service delivery. The Project Members who can facilitate private use of Government provides technical assistance to DSS and financial support for land for residential or commercial purposes and also help the OAA. arrange loans; i Household Income Expenditure Survey, 2016, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS); and National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) 2015 ii Islam, K.M. Kabirul, 2007, Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Analysis of the ‘‘Allowance Scheme for Widowed and Husband-deserted Distressed Women”. iii A Diagnostic Study on Old Age Allowance Programme and Allowance to the Husband Deserted Destitute Women and Widows Programme of Ministry of Social Welfare - Strengthening Public Financial Management for Social Protection (SPFMSP) Project, Finance Division, Ministry of Finance iv Khan, Nilufar Jesmin; An Assessment of Widow Allowance Programme in Bangladesh – the Supply Side Perspectives 2012 v Information from DSS, 2018 vi The account is opened with BDT 10 as part of a Bangladesh Bank’s initiative for to increase financial inclusion. This account, requiring only the minimum initial balance of BDT 10 to be maintained, and is becoming a standard bank account for poor and vulnerable individuals in Bangladesh. vii Analysis based on Household Income Expenditure Survey, 2016, BBS viii Islam, K.M. Kabirul, Department of Social Sciences, Bodø University College, Bodø, Norway in a thesis paper, Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Analysis of the ‘‘Allowance Scheme for Widowed and Husband-deserted Distressed Women” ix Shirin 2008; RED/BRAC 2007 For more information: Overview on Bangladesh’s safety net program: This Program Brief has been prepared World Bank. 2016. Bangladesh Social Protection by Rubaba Anwar, Yoonyoung Cho and https://bit.ly/2stPrtU and Labor Review: Towards Smart Social Ashiq Aziz, Social Protection & Jobs Global Protection and Jobs for the Poor. Bangladesh Practice, World Bank, with the kind support Development Series,no. 33;. World Bank, Dhaka, of the Korea-World Bank Partnership Bangladesh. © World Bank. Facility (KWPF). https://bit.ly/2TWVVx9 World Bank Office Dhaka Plot- E-32, Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh Tel: 880-2-5566-7777, Fax: 880-2-5566-7778 www.worldbank.org/bangladesh 8