Approaches to Improving the Delivery of Social Services in Difficult ...

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Approaches to Improving the Delivery of Social Services in Difficult EnvironmentsWorkingthrough nonstatecoordinationmechanismsQuickwins/quickimpact projectsMulti donorfundingarrangementsGlobal FundsProject supportCan be effective atreaching the poorCan reach down topockets of the poor, buttends not to be systematicand difficult to scale upFinancing bypasses thestate and may undermine itin the longer termMeans of demonstratingpolitical willingness indifficult environments?Buildingcapacity of nonstate actorsHumanitarianinterventionsCommunitybasedapproachesVoice onlyinitiativesContractingConsolidatedAppealsProcessSocial fundsUmbrellagrantsCivil societyfundsEffective and efficient wayto provide services in lowcapacity environmentsProvides a framework formonitoring outcomesEffective at meetingimmediate needs ofaffected populationsEffective way to moveresources down tocommunity levelPuts power into the handsof the communityRisk of backlash from arepressive regimeNo immediate return withrespect to access toservicesState legitimacy may beunderminedRisk of elite capture ofresourcesBypasses governmentsystems and may not buildcapacity for the futureResponse can be becomefragmented in the absenceof strong coordinationRisk of elite capture ofresourcesScaling up can be difficultLinks to sectors may beproblematicBuilds social cohesion andputs power in the ands ofthe poorPowerful tool for promotingsocial, political andeconomic change57. The current range of instruments may not be sufficient to deal effectivelywith difficult environments. Current aid instruments may not be optimallyeffective. For example, the World Bank has recently established a TrustFund that enables the Bank to provide grants finance to LICUS countriesincluding in arrears). Activities that assist in delivering essential services tothe poor, especially regarding HIV/AIDS are among the eligible activities.Though the total size of the Trust fund is relatively small ($25 million FY05-FY07), this instrument has enhanced the Bank’s ability to help meet someneeds in the most difficult environments. 61 . There are likely to be others,including instruments to support interventions that fall somewhere betweenhumanitarian and development responses 62 .58. The international community, funding agencies and implementingagencies alike, have very limited evidence as to the impact of their servicedelivery interventions in difficult environments. It has proved extremelydifficult to find empirical support in the existing literature for the extent towhich service delivery interventions impact on human developmentoutcomes or promote longer-term social and political change. Rigorousevaluation of existing instruments and approaches will assist in arriving at61 World Bank (December 2003).62 Randel, J. (2004)This working paper is intended to stimulate public discussion. It is not necessarily DFID orUK Government policy28
Approaches to Improving the Delivery of Social Services in Difficult Environmentsthe optimal mix of modalities for any particular context. For example,global partnerships are increasingly being employed in difficultenvironments, but there is limited evidence on their role or impact - thismerits further work.V.4 Improving the humanitarian/development transition59. Where possible the international community should seek to work withhumanitarian actors to better co-ordinate their activities, to develop a morepragmatic and strategic vision of service delivery, building local capacitywhere appropriate. Where international humanitarian actors are the onlymeans of providing ongoing, long term service delivery, they should seethemselves as stewards of a country’s service delivery capacity that needsto be handed back at some stage in the future, even if that is many yearsaway.60. Humanitarian actors should further develop ways of programming thatmaintains humanitarian independence and impartiality but makes thetransition to longer-term development less difficult. Partnerships betweenhumanitarian and development actors at the implementation stage couldbe strengthened. The objectives of development and humanitarianagencies in the field also need to be better aligned and this can befacilitated by attempts to improve specific aspects of the response, suchas UNHCR’s durable solutions initiative. Other crucial aspects areprotection, the creation of a safe operating space for providers andcommunities, and how to maintain humanitarian neutrality in the face ofincreasingly politicised aid environments.V5 Implementing promising approaches61. Difficult environments present challenges to scaling up the delivery ofservices to the poor, but the analysis does suggest some promisingapproaches. Although the evidence base on impact is weak, there aresome indications of how the international community can increase itsengagement in the support of service delivery in difficult environments inways that both improve human development outcomes and lay the seedsfor change in the future. Any efforts to increase funding must beaccompanied by a thorough analysis of the possible unintendedconsequences.62. Supply side approaches include the following.• Contract out service delivery to non-state actors in situations of weakstate capacity. This approach has been applied successfully in thehealth and water and sanitation sectors, and it could be extended tothe education sector. Output-based contracts outline a minimumpackage of services and the desired outcomes in terms of serviceaccess and impact on the MDGs – incentives can be built in tocontracts for providers to reach vulnerable communities andmarginalised groups, including girls and women.This working paper is intended to stimulate public discussion. It is not necessarily DFID orUK Government policy29
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