Social Development Strategy

The Social Dimensions of The Social Dimensions of Development EffectivenessDevelopment Effectiveness:

World Bank Strategic Priorities for Social Development

Robert S. Chase

Senior Economist

Social Development Strategy

What is “social development”?

How does the World Bank support it?

Social Development Strategy

An example from Chinje, Malawi…In the late 1990s, an illiterate woman joined a program developed by CARE that taught her how to listen to clients and keep track of drugs in the village health facility

Drugs delivery was a huge problem throughout Malawi

She got very good at it…

-How many drugs were available?

-How much money spent?

-What the shelf life was?

- Reported on: how health staff behaved?

Complete turnaround in the performance of this health center

• Health staff know that they will be evaluated every six months

• Ministry takes note of the evaluations

• Change in performance is dramatic

Social Development Strategy

An example from Chinje, Malawi…

When the program was introduced to other areas in Malawi, this illiterate woman was asked to present it

- Clear

- Articulate

- Powerful

In the past couple of years, through World Bank support, the CARE program was expanded throughout Malawi

Social Development Strategy

What is social development?

Inclusion: Putting people at the center of development Involved an illiterate woman in Chinje

Cohesion: Strengthening community fabric so that members can work togetherChinje village worked together to solve problem

Accountability: Developing ways for people to exercise voice to authoritiesAn illiterate woman gave voice to community

Social Development Strategy

What is social development?

One illiterate woman

A village

A district

A national program

Why not the world?

Social Development Strategy

In 2001, the World Bank began talking to the Laos government about community-driven development

Social Development Strategy

Laos is a very top-down country…

…eventually it was agreed to try a village gardening project in four communities

Social Development Strategy

One of those villages was Nakaikhia in the Khammouane Province

Project began there

in May 2002

Social Development Strategy

In February 2003, a Bank team came to view progress

Progress was striking• Ethnic minorities had chosen to stop foraging in the forests • They had started communal backyard gardens• They had learned composting• They were producing their own vegetables

Social Development Strategy

The local governor heard what was happening…

He visited Nakaikhia in the middle of the night…

… and the next day announcedan “official visit” and

made a big thing of the project’s success

Social Development Strategy

Fast forward to February 2004…

World Bank is helping the Nam Theun 2 project…

They were discussing withthe State Planning Committee:

How to do socio-economic development

Social Development Strategy

Fast forward to February 2004…

State Planning Committee:“Don’t think too much:

just follow the example of Nakaikhia village!!!”

Skepticism Buy-in

Social Development Strategy

What is social development?

Inclusion: Putting people at the center of development Villagers in Nakaikhia did it themselves

Cohesion: Strengthening community fabric so that members can work together Villagers in Nakaikhia did it together

Accountability: Finding ways for people to exercise voice to authoritiesVillagers in Nakaikhia showed they could do it!

Social Development Strategy

What is social development?

One government willing to experiment

A village

A district

A national program

Why not the world?

The story of Naikaikhia

Social Development Strategy

How does the World Bank “do” social

development? Social analysis

E.g., what social norms about girls education are relevant for achieving universal primary education?

E.g., what is the likely social impact of land reform in Zambia?

Social Development Strategy

How does the World Bank “do” social

development? Participation and Civil Engagement

In Uganda, support public debates of policy changes proposed through dialogue with World Bank

In Albania, support legal changes in enabling environment for civil society

Social Development Strategy

How does the World Bank “do” social

development? Community Driven Development

E.g., in Indonesia, provide resources to communities that take initiatives to develop local kecamatan plans

E.g., In North East Brazil, support community involvement in budgeting

Social Development Strategy

How does the World Bank “do” social

development? Conflict Prevention and Reconstruction

E.g., help rebuild infrastructure, economies and societies in Afghanistan, Congo, Somalia

Social Development Strategy

How does the World Bank “do” social

development? Social Safeguards

E.g., protect interests of vulnerable groups

Social Development Strategy

World Bank Support to Social Development

World Bank accepts and supports global consensus that social development mattersOfficial statementsSenior management enthusiasm

Social Development Strategy

Social Development Works

Review from World Bank internal auditing department shows that attention to social institutions makes projects work better

Social Development Strategy

Accelerating the trajectory

Heading in the right direction

Part of portfolio that takes account of social development has gone from 1% to 30% in a short time

World Bank Social Development strategy priorities to get to 100%

Social Development Strategy

What the Bank Has to Offer

Commitment to Social Development principles

Management support Endorsement from auditors that Social

Development works Rapidly growing program Energized staff

Social Development Strategy

Yet…

We can do more… We can do better… We can accelerate our efforts…

WITH YOUR HELP…

Social Development Strategy

What Can You Do?

SupportIncrease awareness of social development

agendaOfficial encouragement

Resources Trust funds Skilled people with practical ideas