Publication: Helping South Asia Cope with Natural Disasters : The Role of Social Protection
Date
2007-09
ISSN
Published
2007-09
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
Addressing the social protection needs
of households during emergencies is a major development
issue. Without social protection measures, such as cash
transfers for basic needs or workfare programs, many
households faced with large economic and natural shocks
might deplete their human and physical capital, reducing
their ability to participate in economic development. Social
protection measures (cash transfers, in particular) are
therefore assuming a growing role in the World Bank to help
the poor cope with the aftermath of a disaster. In South
Asia, all three recent major emergency-related operations in
South Asia (Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Pakistan) included cash
transfers components. This discussion paper, an input to the
South Asia region's social protection and hazard risk
management strategies, describes the cash transfer
instruments supported by the Bank in South Asia, evaluates
their design and implementation, and suggests improvements
to increase their effectiveness. Based on available
evidence, the paper finds that cash transfers appear to have
performed well in providing relief to affected households,
suggesting that they should remain an integral part of
Bank-financed support for natural disasters. The paper also
suggests that the Bank can ensure timely and high-quality
support through a best-practice design toolkit, a
right-on-time technical assistance facility, and by
integrating social protection in emergency preparedness by
building the capacity of national social assistance (cash
transfers) agencies to respond to natural disasters.
Although the focus is on cash transfers, the note also
discusses other types of social protection mechanisms used
in emergencies in South Asia and worldwide, e.g., workfare
or social care for the vulnerable, and which might also
appropriate for including in Bank emergency operations. The
note covers South Asia, but lessons from this region may
also be relevant for governments of other developing
countries and donors. Finally, while the focus of the paper
is on social protection instruments for natural disasters,
several of these instruments have also proved useful in
post-conflict situations and in economic crises.
Citation
“World Bank. 2007. Helping South Asia Cope with Natural Disasters : The Role of Social Protection. South Asia : human development sector
discussion paper series;no. 20. © Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/18014 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”