A Gendered Analysis of the Social Protection Network in ... - CISAS

was need and an ‘ad hoc’ instrument was developed (BID 2003: 9) that included four
elements: family size, access to potable water; access to latrines; level of illiteracy.
Further selection criteria included the organisational capacity of the communities. The
evaluation of the RPS suggests that 80% of the families selected live in extreme poverty.
Nationally the total number of people living below the poverty line was estimated to be
2,206,742 in 1998, which represents 51% of the population. The number of people
living in extreme poverty in 1998 is estimated to be 891,720 representing 40.4% of all
poor and 20.7% of the population. Ultimately phase I of the RPS only benefited 10,093
families, in six municipalities, in only two departments of the country (Madriz and
Matagalpa). That is the first phase of the RPS reached less than 1% of the extreme poor,
and not even 0.5% of the poor. Although the number of beneficiaries will be more than
doubled (a further 12,500 new households) during the second phase of implementation,
even with better targeting as a proportion of the numbers in extreme poverty in the
country the RPS has very little impact (a maximum 2.5% of the extreme poor will
benefit).
In its first or pilot phase of implementation the RPS had a number of objectives that
included those that were aimed at setting up, testing and strengthening the system before
full implementation in phase II. Meeting the goals set for improvements in health,
education and nutrition would ‘trigger’ release of the full funds for phase II. The
objectives of the first phase are summarised as: 7
a) To establish the initial operative framework of the RPS
b) To supplement the incomes of families in extreme poverty for up to three years to
increase their expenditure on food
c) Increase the ‘care’ of children under the age of five
d) Reduce school drop out rates during the first four years of schooling
The improvement in the ‘care’ of the under fives appears to have to interrelated strands.
First, a programme of vaccinations and second an improvement in ‘nutritional care’. The
expression ‘nutritional care’ suggests that the aim is to do more than increase food
consumption but also to change behaviour presumably via the training programmes
mentioned above. One important aspect of the health related activities of the RPS is that
private providers were contracted to implement the programmes during the first phase
and their performance was also evaluated in terms of this continuing in phase II.
In terms of education the focus is on the incorporation of children into schools and their
continuation in the school system. It is interesting that although primary education
consists of 6 grades, the incentives are only offered to children in grades 1 to 4.
Although the aim of the project was to increase enrolment by 5%, retention of existing
students was as, if not more, important and the goal in this case was to improve by more
than 10% retention rates.
As can be seen, the main focus of the RPS is young children. As such the RPS fulfils at
least in part commitments made by the government under the PRSP agreements. The
final PRSP - the Strengthened Strategy for Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction
(ERCERP) highlights the need for ‘special protection’ to be afforded to children under
five years of age (Gobierno de Nicaragua 2001:34). However, it also notes the existence
7 From: Red de Protección Social (NI-0075), Resumen Ejecutivo (author’s translation)
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