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

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Approaches to Improving the Delivery of Social Services in Difficult Environmentsactors and institutional arrangements for service delivery are discussedand analysed. In section V, the approaches are mapped onto a typologyof difficult environments and key issues and questions for funding andimplementing agencies involved in supporting SDDE are highlighted. Theconceptual framework underpinning the paper is presented in annex 1.6. Scope of this paper. This is one of a series of working papers from thePoverty Reduction in Difficult Environments team (DFID Policy Division).Consequently, it does not seek to address the response to difficultenvironments in its entirety. This paper primarily focuses on the delivery ofsocial services (education, health, water and sanitation) rather than onservices designed to increase personal security. However, the importanceof a secure environment for the delivery of social services is highlighted,as is the role that the international community plays in facilitating such anenvironment. It is also recognised that the delivery of services is only onepart of the response – interventions aimed at livelihoods and socialprotection are also key. Finally, the paper does not attempt to unpack indetail any one particular sector, but rather to consider approaches tostrengthening institutional arrangements for the delivery of services ingeneral (with examples drawn from sectoral experiences). The challengesand approaches described and analysed here are not always unique todifficult environments. However, they have been identified as havingparticular relevance to contexts where the state is unwilling or unable toharness resources to reduce poverty.Box 1: DefinitionsFor the purposes of this paper:Difficult environments are defined as those areas where the state isunwilling or unable to harness domestic and international resources forpoverty reduction, including the delivery of basic services. Such areastypically have all or several of the following characteristics: weakgovernance, fragile political and economic institutions, conflict, pooreconomic management, or are suffering from the effects of a chronichumanitarian crisis such as high HIV and AIDS infection or repeatedfamine.Service Delivery is conceptualised as the relationship between policymakers, service providers, and poor people. It encompasses servicesand their supporting systems that are typically regarded as a stateresponsibility. These include social services (primary education andbasic health services), infrastructure (water and sanitation, roads andbridges) and services that promote personal security (justice, police).Pro-poor service delivery refers to interventions that maximise theaccess and participation of the poor by strengthening the relationshipsbetween policy makers, providers, and service users.This working paper is intended to stimulate public discussion. It is not necessarily DFID orUK Government policy8
Approaches to Improving the Delivery of Social Services in Difficult EnvironmentsII. Why should DFID be involved in Service Delivery in DifficultEnvironments?7. The importance of remaining engaged despite the difficulties involved.Several donors, including the World Bank 5 and the OECD’s DevelopmentAssistance Committee 6 , have produced policy or position papers onengaging in difficult environments, each of which includes an emphasis onservice delivery as a key entry point. DFID considers continuedinvolvement in service delivery of vital importance for four reasons 7 :• The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets represent aglobal commitment to realising the rights of the poor to services andlivelihood opportunities. They will not be met without increasedaccess to services in difficult environments.• There is a ‘humanitarian imperative’ to respond to an emergencysituation where people’s access to services has been severelyreduced or has completely diminished.• Service delivery may offer an entry point for triggering longer-termpro-poor social, political and economic change.• Service delivery may help to prevent some states from sliding(back) into conflict by addressing its structural causes.II.1 Rights and the MDGs8. The world is off track to reach the Millennium Development Goal (MDG)targets for primary education, gender equality and maternal and childmortality. The MDGs reflect the multi-dimensional nature of poverty andare at the centre of DFID’s development work. The goals also represent acollective commitment from the international community to ensure that therights of the poor to education, health and a decent standard of living aremet. Progress towards the ‘human development’ targets 8 is laggingbehind the first one of reducing income poverty. Economic growth isessential but will not be enough to reach these targets.9. Making better progress in difficult environments represents one of thebiggest challenges to achieving the MDG targets. Using low scores on theWorld Bank Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) indicators 9as a proxy for difficult environments, more than 40 countries with thelowest scores over the last five years are home to an estimated 343 millionpeople living on less than $1 per day 10 . This is 59% of all absolute poverty5 World Bank (September 2002)6 Development Assistance Committee (November 2001).7 These are working hypotheses around which we are seeking to develop a more robust evidence base8 These are targets 2 (achieving universal primary education), 3 (promoting gender equality), 4(reducing child mortality), 5 (improving maternal health), and 6 (combating malaria and otherdiseases).9 The CPIA includes 20 equally weighted criteria grouped in four clusters: economic management;structural policies; policies for social inclusion and equity; and public sector management andinstitutions.10 Branchflower, A., Smart, M. and Hennell, S. (2004)This working paper is intended to stimulate public discussion. It is not necessarily DFID orUK Government policy9
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