From poverty to power - Oxfam-Québec

4 RISK AND VULNERABILITY SOCIAL PROTECTIONworking) and with long-term development issues. The two parts ofthe organisation have different staff, budgets, and mindsets: a can-doengineers’ attitude to saving lives in emergencies, contrasting witha more long-term focus on rights, processes, and politics amongdevelopment types.However, recognising that vulnerability is chronic, and that, forexample, food ‘emergencies’ in a number of African countries arebecoming the norm rather than exceptional events, means rethinkingthis division. Social protection offers a way to move from an inevitablychaotic emergency response to long-term protection based on therights of poor people.If social protection systems are in place before an emergency hits,they also provide a ready-made delivery channel, for example byallowing pensions or child support to be stepped up to help familiescope. This can be a huge benefit when delays in creating paymentsystems can cost lives. However, blurring the boundary betweenhumanitarian relief and long-term development also carries the riskof politicising humanitarian work in the eyes of governments, whichsometimes prove more willing to countenance outsiders providingfood aid for the hungry than supporting the organisations of poorpeople demanding land so that they can reduce their long-termvulnerability.Joining up humanitarian relief and long-term development workis far easier to advocate than to actually do,but the renowned BangladeshiNGO BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) has shownthe way. Its Income Generation for Vulnerable Group Development(IGVGD) programme builds the productive capacity of chronicallypoor households and simultaneously provides them with a protectivebase. Through collaboration with the World Food Programme andlocal government, families receive a monthly wheat ration for twoyears, plus training and credit provision by BRAC. Micro-credit hashelped to set up income-generating activities, such as poultry, livestock,and silkworm farming. IGVGD targets in particular widowedor abandoned female heads of household, households owning lessthan 0.5 acres of land, and those earning less than Tk.300 ($4.40)per month.213