Publication:
Efficiency in the Delivery of Social Protection Benefits and Services to Beneficiaries

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files in English
English PDF (587.82 KB)
352 downloads
Date
2021-09-07
ISSN
Published
2021-09-07
Editor(s)
Abstract
Most social protection agencies in Bangladesh do not invest enough in core processes of budgeting, management, enrolment, delivery and accountability. To maximize the impact of social protection (SP) programs, it is critical to: (1) align the allocation of resources with national policies and strategies; (2) design programs that are able to reach their intended beneficiaries with adequate coverage and level of benefits; (3) ensure efficiency in programming and financing; and (4) ensure efficiency in the actual delivery of programs at the local level. This policy note analyses point (4), the processes of delivery of SP programs, including beneficiary identification and provision of benefits. It highlights areas where challenges remain and proposes policy recommendations to address those.
Link to Data Set
Citation
Sabbih, Mostafa Amir; Coudouel, Aline. 2021. Efficiency in the Delivery of Social Protection Benefits and Services to Beneficiaries. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/36251 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
Associated URLs
Associated content
Report Series
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Publication
    Efficiency of Planning, Programming and Delivery of Social Protection Programs on Early Years
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-11-10) Sabbih, Moustafa Amir; Coudouel, Aline; Rahman, Aneeka
    Investing in children’s human capital is one of the most critical investments a country can make to break the cycle of poverty and reap the demographic dividend. It can support the productivity and competitiveness of the future workforce and thus affect the growth trajectory of the country. Adequate stimulation and nutrition, especially during the first years of life, is critical for children’s physical, cognitive, and socioemotional growth and development. And children who are left behind in their formative years are often unable to reach strong learning outcomes. To maximize the impact of social protection programs, it is critical to: (1) align the allocation of resources with national policies and strategies; (2) design programs that are able to reach their intended beneficiaries with adequate coverage and benefits; (3) ensure efficiency in programming and financing; and (4) ensure efficiency in actual program delivery at the local level. This policy note analyses all four points based on the findings of the recent social protection public expenditure review, but with a particular focus on mother and child programs. It highlights areas where challenges remain and proposes policy recommendations to address those.
  • Publication
    Adequacy of Coverage, Targeting and Benefits of Social Protection Programs
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-09-07) Sabbih, Mostafa Amir; Coudouel, Aline
    In Bangladesh, regular increases in social protection budget have typically prioritized increases in coverage over increases in benefit size or amounts. To maximize the impact of social protection (SP) programs, it is critical to: (1) align the allocation of resources with national policies and strategies; (2) design programs that are able to reach their intended beneficiaries with adequate coverage and level of benefits; (3) ensure efficiency in programming and financing; and (4) ensure efficiency in the actual delivery of programs at the local level. This policy note analyses point (2), the adequacy of SP programs in Bangladesh, and highlights areas where challenges remain and proposes policy reforms to address those. It focuses on the three elements of the design of social protection (SP) programs that are critical to maximum impacts on poverty and vulnerability: (1) the extent to which programs have the right size and coverage; (2) the extent to which programs effectively reach or target the right beneficiaries; and (3) the extent to which programs provide these beneficiaries with the right benefits. The optimal combination of these elements depends on programs’ policy objectives, the needs or demands of target population groups, the types of beneficiaries or programs, and available resources.
  • Publication
    Allocative Efficiency
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-09-07) Sabbih, Mostafa Amir; Coudouel, Aline
    Policy making requires categorizations, which are commensurate with strategic directions. Social protection is a term, which can be used to describe a broad range of programs. The National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) of Bangladesh has a rather broad scope, covering what many define as safety nets or social assistance, as well as insurance against some risks, programs addressing shocks, and interventions focused on employment or productivity. This policy note analyses the extent to which resources are allocated efficiently, in line with national strategies and priorities. In particular, this policy note discusses the importance of policy relevant categorization/classification of programs; gaps and challenges in resource allocation in respect to the needs of different demographic and socio-economic groups and/or in respect to functions Social protection (SP) programs are supposed to play. It proposes reforms which could address some of the challenges identified.
  • Publication
    Efficiency in the Programming and Financing of Social Protection
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-09-07) Sabbih, Mostafa Amir; Coudouel, Aline
    Social protection (SP) in Bangladesh is characterized by a large number of programs. Multiple agencies implement numerous interventions. To maximize the impact of social protection programs, it is critical to: (1) align the allocation of resources with national policies and strategies; (2) design programs that are able to reach their intended beneficiaries with adequate coverage and level of benefits; (3) ensure efficiency in programming and financing; and (4) ensure efficiency in the actual delivery of programs at the local level. This policy note analyses point (3), the processes of budgeting, programming, and reporting on SP budget, highlights areas where challenges remain, and proposes policy recommendations to address those.
  • Publication
    Results Readiness in Social Protection and Labor Operations
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-02) Rubio, Gloria; Rawlings, Laura; Van Domelen, Julie; Honorati, Maddalena
    The main focus of the social protection and labor portfolio is on strengthening client's institutional capacity in the design and implementation of programs, but projects are not well equipped to track progress in this area. Correspondingly, there is a need to strengthen approaches to measuring and monitoring a 'missing middle' of service delivery, precisely those areas for which counterpart institutions are responsible during the course of a project. In particular, better measures of the primary functions of social protection and labor agencies are needed, such as identifying and enrolling beneficiaries, targeting, payment systems, fraud and error control, performance monitoring of service delivery providers, responsiveness to citizens, transparency, efficiency, management information systems and monitoring and evaluation systems. New World Bank initiatives particularly standard core indicators by sector and the introduction of results based investment lending call for substantial improvements in the use of monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Impact evaluations are included in about half of projects and should continue to be used selectively and strategically, particularly when the program is innovative, replicable and/ or scalable to reach a broader set of beneficiaries, addresses a knowledge gap and is likely to have a substantial policy impact. Structuring evaluations around core themes with common outcome measures is fundamental to building a global knowledge base on development effectiveness.

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

  • Publication
    South Asia Development Update, April 2024: Jobs for Resilience
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-04-02) World Bank
    South Asia is expected to continue to be the fastest-growing emerging market and developing economy (EMDE) region over the next two years. This is largely thanks to robust growth in India, but growth is also expected to pick up in most other South Asian economies. However, growth in the near-term is more reliant on the public sector than elsewhere, whereas private investment, in particular, continues to be weak. Efforts to rein in elevated debt, borrowing costs, and fiscal deficits may eventually weigh on growth and limit governments' ability to respond to increasingly frequent climate shocks. Yet, the provision of public goods is among the most effective strategies for climate adaptation. This is especially the case for households and farms, which tend to rely on shifting their efforts to non-agricultural jobs. These strategies are less effective forms of climate adaptation, in part because opportunities to move out of agriculture are limited by the region’s below-average employment ratios in the non-agricultural sector and for women. Because employment growth is falling short of working-age population growth, the region fails to fully capitalize on its demographic dividend. Vibrant, competitive firms are key to unlocking the demographic dividend, robust private investment, and workers’ ability to move out of agriculture. A range of policies could spur firm growth, including improved business climates and institutions, the removal of financial sector restrictions, and greater openness to trade and capital flows.
  • Publication
    Remarks at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-10-12) Malpass, David
    World Bank Group President David Malpass discussed biodiversity and climate change being closely interlinked, with terrestrial and marine ecosystems serving as critically important carbon sinks. At the same time climate change acts as a direct driver of biodiversity and ecosystem services loss. The World Bank has financed biodiversity conservation around the world, including over 116 million hectares of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas, 10 million hectares of Terrestrial Protected Areas, and over 300 protected habitats, biological buffer zones and reserves. The COVID pandemic, biodiversity loss, climate change are all reminders of how connected we are. The recovery from this pandemic is an opportunity to put in place more effective policies, institutions, and resources to address biodiversity loss.
  • Publication
    Business Ready 2024
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-03) World Bank
    Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.
  • Publication
    Economic Recovery
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-04-06) Malpass, David; Georgieva, Kristalina; Yellen, Janet
    World Bank Group President David Malpass spoke about the world facing major challenges, including COVID, climate change, rising poverty and inequality and growing fragility and violence in many countries. He highlighted vaccines, working closely with Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF, the World Bank has conducted over one hundred capacity assessments, many even more before vaccines were available. The World Bank Group worked to achieve a debt service suspension initiative and increased transparency in debt contracts at developing countries. The World Bank Group is finalizing a new climate change action plan, which includes a big step up in financing, building on their record climate financing over the past two years. He noted big challenges to bring all together to achieve GRID: green, resilient, and inclusive development. Janet Yellen, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, mentioned focusing on vulnerable people during the pandemic. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, focused on giving everyone a fair shot during a sustainable recovery. All three commented on the importance of tackling climate change.
  • Publication
    Media and Messages for Nutrition and Health
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-06) Calleja, Ramon V., Jr.; Mbuya, Nkosinathi V.N.; Morimoto, Tomo; Thitsy, Sophavanh
    The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) has experienced rapid and significant economic growth over the past decade. However, poor nutritional outcomes remain a concern. Rates of childhood undernutrition are particularly high in remote, rural, and upland areas. Media have the potential to play an important role in shaping health and nutrition–related behaviors and practices as well as in promoting sociocultural and economic development that might contribute to improved nutritional outcomes. This report presents the results of a media audit (MA) that was conducted to inform the development and production of mass media advocacy and communication strategies and materials with a focus on maternal and child health and nutrition that would reach the most people from the poorest communities in northern Lao PDR. Making more people aware of useful information, essential services and products and influencing them to use these effectively is the ultimate goal of mass media campaigns, and the MA measures the potential effectiveness of media efforts to reach this goal. The effectiveness of communication channels to deliver health and nutrition messages to target beneficiaries to ensure maximum reach and uptake can be viewed in terms of preferences, satisfaction, and trust. Overall, the four most accessed media channels for receiving information among communities in the study areas were village announcements, mobile phones, television, and out-of-home (OOH) media. Of the accessed media channels, the top three most preferred channels were village announcements (40 percent), television (26 percent), and mobile phones (19 percent). In terms of trust, village announcements were the most trusted source of information (64 percent), followed by mobile phones (14 percent) and television (11 percent). Hence of all the media channels, village announcements are the most preferred, have the most satisfied users, and are the most trusted source of information in study communities from four provinces in Lao PDR with some of the highest burden of childhood undernutrition.