Social Development Strategy The Social Dimensions of Development Effectiveness The Social Dimensions of Development 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 together Chinje village worked together to solve problem Accountability: Developing ways for people to exercise voice to authorities An 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 announced an “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 with the 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 authorities Villagers 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 matters  Official statements  Senior 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?  Support  Increase awareness of social development agenda  Official encouragement  Resources  Trust funds  Skilled people with practical ideas