The World Bank Social Development Strategy

Strategic Directions in Social Development – November 2002

Strategic Directions for the World Bank

in Social Development

Steen Lau JorgensenDirector of Social Development

The World Bank


The World Bank Social Development

StrategyBackground

Why have a strategy? What is the demand? Who is it for? What is it – descriptive or prescriptive? What is the process?


What will the SD Strategy cover?

Concepts and definitions Why attention to social development? The Bank and SD: history & commitments Strategic directions Business strategy


Concepts and Definitions

What do we mean by social development? Social development means development

of society. The goal of social development is a

society that enables people, especially poor people, to take actions to help themselves.

The social dimensions of development --Empowerment Inclusion Security

-- help make societies equitable, productive and sustainable.



An abstract definition of social development

Social development refers to the relationships and institutional conditions within a society (social capital) and the historical, political, and institutional conditions that affect project and policy outcomes (the social context of development)



What don’t we mean by social development?

Health Education

The World Bank calls these human development

Social welfare/security/protection

The World Bank calls these social protection



What is the work program of social development at the World Bank?

Social AnalysisParticipation and Civic EngagementCommunity Driven DevelopmentConflict Prevention and ReconstructionSafeguard Policies


Why attention to social development?

… that leads to sustainable poverty reduction

Economic Dimensions

Social Dimensions

Empowerment + Inclusion + Security

Participation + Inclusion

Investment Climate + Growth

Pro-poor Growth

Social development completes a virtuous circle….


Why attention to social development?

Development Interventions SD as an end: CDD, Conflict, Targeted at Vulnerable Groups SD as a means to sustainability in other sectors

SD Perspective Bottom-up: starts with poor people’s multidimensional needs Formal and informal stakeholders

SD Expertise social analysis of opportunities, constraints, risks participation and civic engagement as means and end

Enabling environment provides responsive, reliable and resilient institutions good governance security from conflict

Poor and marginalized people have capacities assets to help themselves

Poverty Reduction

Socially Sustainable Development

Bank mission

SD Objective

SD Outcome

SD Outputs

SD Inputs


Sustainable improvements in livelihoods

Institutions:FAMILY

COMMUNITY

GOVERNMENT

MARKETS

H

F

PN

S

Assets and Institutions for Sustainability

Empo

werm

ent

Incl

usio

n

Why attention to Social Development? Examples of Social Development Challenges by Region

Region Empowerment Inclusion Security

Africa High gender inequality, untapped potential for scaling up community-driven development

Governance issues and over-centralization causing exclusion of poor and marginalized

Prevalence of civil conflict and need for post-conflict reconstruction

East Asia and Pacific

Rapid democratization gives some more voice and choice than others

Rapid change and urbanization creating new forms of exclusion

Persisting social conflicts exacerbated by regional economic crisis

Europe and Central Asia

Political institutional reform difficult and slow

Transition has strengthened institutions unevenly

Reforms have created winners and losers – social disruption and violence on the rise

Latin America and Caribbean

The political economy traditionally excludes the poor from the political process and local institutions have limited voice and limited upward linkages, fragmenting rural and urban poor

Poor distribution of assets, especially in rural areas

Conflict – domestic violence, urban violence, civil conflict, conflict around drugs and rural poverty, youth and violence

Middle East and North Africa

Low level of popular consultation and participation in decision-making and resource allocation

Weak civil society institutions, poor accountability, and limited inclusion of women and youth

Pervasive conflict and violence with spillover dangers and negative impact on economic growth and poverty

South Asia Increasing marginalization and high levels of embedded social inequality

Governance and corruption issues

Continuing and emerging tensions; current focus on social reconstruction of Afghanistan and neighboring states


The Bank and SD: history & commitments

1974-1987 1987-1997 1997-2002 Beyond

Objectives Improving operational effectiveness

Develop methods/ tools, putting people first

Poverty reduction and socially sustainable development

Scaling up our impact, understanding how societies work

Social Analysis

OMS 2.30 Sociological Aspects of Project Appraisal

1994 – Bank Guidelines on Social Assessment

2002 Social Analysis OP and sourcebook

PSIA and Country Social Analysis

Participation and civic engagement

Listening, BA, consultation, NGOs as implementers

1990 Working Group, 1994 SourcebookNGOs as partners

Civic Engagement in PRSPs, from NGOs to civil society

Empowerment, Accountability, Voices & Choices

Vulnerability Involuntary resettlement and Indigenous People policies

Concern with gender, vulnerable groups

SafeguardsVulnerabilityConflict

InclusionRightsPreventing conflict

Communities and institutions

Social organization of production

Institutions (mainly local) which affect development, NGOsCommunity-based development

Social Capital,Local Level Inst.,State and Society,Community-driven development

Societal Development,Clients and their citizens

Comments Early focus on rural development

Emphasis on methods and tools

Add conflict and cultural heritage to agenda, more emphasis on CDD

Scaling up, mainstreaming



Advocacy

Policy

OperationsConflict Prevention

and Reconstruction

Civic EngagementSocial Analysis

CDD

Gender

Safeguards



1. Public statements (President, Chief Economist)

2. Corporate strategy documents3. Research (WDRs, DEC)4. SD in IDA replenishments5. Operational Policies6. Recommendations from Internal

Evaluations

A rhetoric-reality gap

+


Four Preliminary Strategic Directions

1. From Project to Program and Policy

2. SD Throughout the Project/Program Cycle, for Sustainability

3. Replicate and Deepen Interventions

4. Country Framework to Prioritize SD Interventions


Strategic Direction #1

From Project to Program and Policy

Use social development approaches and methods beyond the project context. For example, at the macro level in country social analysis, poverty and social impact analysis (PSIA), poverty assessments and PRSPs.



SD Throughout the Project/Program Cycle for SustainabilityIntegrate social development approaches and tools throughout the project and program cycle – for example in early planning stages, in implementation, and in monitoring and evaluation.



Scale up and Deepen Interventions

Scale up our efforts in social development by (a) building more social development interventions within a given community, project, program or country and (b) replicating successful interventions in other geographical areas or sectors, as appropriate.



Country Framework to Prioritize SD Interventions

Prioritize social development interventions based on general country context. This would involve offering a different menu of SD services dependeing countries’ economic level, institutional health, state of governance, and other similar factors.

Certain generic social development interventions would be applicable to each category.


Business Strategy Overview Business lines/products and tools Countries of emphasis Sectors and themes of emphasis Partnerships Organizational issues Strategic staffing and skills mix Resource issues


SD Strategy Timetable

Issues Paper to Bank Management (March 2002)Conceptual framework, background, stocktaking papers (underway)Drafting of Regional strategy papers (ongoing) Consultations on strategic directions (ongoing)Drafting of Bank-wide strategy (just beginning)First draft of strategy paper to Bank Board of Directors (early 2003)

Consultations on strategy paper (2003-2004)Strategy with business plan to Bank Board of Directors (early 2004)


QuestionsDo the strategic directions make sense to you? What

obstacles do you think we might face in implementing such a strategy?

How do these strategic directions and SD work program areas relate to your approach to development cooperation?

Given the relationship between the Bank’s approach and that of BMZ, what should be the focus of continued partnership? (Can we add to PSIA, Accountability and Conflict as areas of mutual interest?)

Do you have any advice from experience with mainstreaming a cross-cutting topic such as social development into your institution (or others)?

The World Bank Social Development Strategy

Documents

Transcript of The World Bank Social Development Strategy