IADB Poverty Reduction& Social Protection Network Regional Policy Dialogue –

1. Support to Poverty Reduction and Assessment in the Caribbean within an MDG framework: The SPARC Initiative Presented by Leisa Perch (Programme Manager, Poverty Reduction), United Nations Development Programme, Sub-regional Office for Barbados and the OECS IADB Poverty Reduction& Social Protection Network Regional Policy Dialogue – Kingston, Jamaica – February 23-24th, 2006

2. Guiding Vision for Poverty and Sustainable Human Development Everybody has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of his/herself and of his/her family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his/her control. (United Nations, Declaration of Human Rights Article 25 (1))

3. What makes persons vulnerable in the Caribbean • Limited access to income and employment opportunities • Limited collateral – land tenure • Limited access to insurance or social security if in informal sector • Limited alternatives to traditional sources of income • Dependency and crowded households • Living in disaster prone areas • Economic shocks, natural disasters and conflict (nat’l or global), other external influences • Gendered roles , the impact of sexual practice and ability to negotiate

4. How SPARC came about?

5. Why Support to Poverty Assessment and Reduction? • Arose out of a concern about: • State of policy for poverty reduction (disjointed) • Increased rural poverty due to economic downturns in bananas etc • Increasing poverty despite high levels of human development • The lack of quality data on social development or socio-economic links in development • Inadequate analysis of poverty and no clear definition of poverty in the Caribbean context • Achievement of the MDGs or development - could not occur in the absence of sound, reliable data which identified progress, challenges, who should be targeted and point to required shifts • Limited spatial analysis • Absence of linkages among data collectors, analysis and policy makers

6. Efforts in Assessing Poverty (1992-2003)

7. How did we arrive at this point? • Discussions – common concerns by development partners through DPPWG and then PSSDDG • Recognize that TA over last 10 yrs had not resulted in significant institutionalized capacity except in a couple of countries – Jamaica, STL • Progress Review of the MDGs by UNDP in 2003/4 • Successful pilot of CWIQ in 2004 and 2005 • Specific technical research – Hutcheon study • Detailed discussions amongst key donors • Discussions with CARICOM Stats Advisory Group and CARICOM w/Director of Stats • Presentations at COHSOD level and other regional meetings inc. PRSP Review in 2005 • Development of a Strategy Paper on Poverty and MDG monitoring which could guide donor collaboration on this issue (by UNDP in collab with others) • Donor networking on Social Protection

8. Key Findings of the Hutcheon Study (2002) • Specifically: • Number of various methodologies being used and no consistent approach to poverty assessment • Limited analysis due to limited capacity • On occasions no real capacity built to sustain activities –Lack of overall social development frameworks or policy structure at the national level • No national or regional poverty, social development, MDG targets or goals • Recognition of: • relative high dependency on external consultants • the absence of linkages among data collectors, analysts and policy makers

9. The PSSDDG • Poverty and Social Sector Development Donor Group*, chaired by UNDP, comprises: CDB, CIDA, EU/EC,ECLAC, DfID (UK and Caribbean offices), FAO, IDB, OECS/SPU UNDP,UNESCO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNIFEM,USAID, WB, PAHO *part of Eastern Caribbean Donor Group

10. SPARC as enabler of MDG Achievement • Being developed in the context of: • Localization and Regionalization at the OECS level by UNDP through the OECS Secretariat (Dominica and St. Kitts and Nevis); • Customization of MDGs by CDB; • Fuller PRSP development (UNDP) • New round of CPAs (CDB) • Progress Reports on the MDGs in 2005 – Saint Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda (UNDP) • Continuing support to coordination at the national level through SIMDG committees through CARICOM (UNDP, UNFPA)

11. UNDP inputs informed by Focus on Training/Capacity-building in key areas • Improving Gender Analysis Capacity • Joint training on Data Interpretation and Analysis • Enhancing Social Assessment capacity • Implementation of CWIQs in other countries (Grenada) • Thematic reports from CWIQs – a continued assessment process • Improving socio-economic assessment for HIV-AIDS • HDR formulation and preparation

12. How does Donor support match up to the needs?

13. Conclusions from PSSDDG Technical Review in 2004 and Discussions in 2005 • Gaps: • Census-related • Qualitative assessments (impact) • Consistent (Annual) M&E • Information needs: • depth of poverty and other human development challenges; • quality of challenge; • change over time. Source: ECLAC (2005 Presentation on Social Vulnerability and the PRSPs

14. Follow-up Process in 2005 • Consultative: • Present revised SPARC framework at the MDG Launch and PRSP Review Meeting, (March/April 2005). • Present SPARC at SLC training (April 2005) • Strategic: • Prepare and present a strategy paper on to COHSOD (April 2005). Endorsed by COHSOD • Implementation of another CWIQ survey • Programme Finalization: • Discussions amongst Technical Working Group • Refine document based on feedback and Prepare project support document for SPARC (end 2005)

15. SPARC – Moving Forward

16. Supporting Poverty Asst and Reduction in the Caribbean • Overarching Goal: To assist governments to design and implement a planning framework that speaks to the specific needs of the vulnerable and the disadvantaged in reducing poverty and enhancing social development. … is designed to facilitate multi-donor programming to deliver a comprehensive package of assistance to Caribbean countries to strengthen national and regional capacities to systematically collect, analyze and disseminate social data for poverty assessment as well as critically inform social policy formulation at national levels.

17. Key Approach under SPARC • Strengthening institutional capacity • Local ownership for Sustainability • Building lasting local technical capacity at the regional and national level –harnessing existing capacities at all levels • Sound reliable data • A “system of surveys” approach • Balancing specific country needs and the sub-region or region strategic direction • A strategy and a framework for donor intervention and inputs • A strategic approach for MDG and poverty monitoring and the required M&E • Dedicated resources for training and research

18. Proposed MDG and Poverty Monitoring Framework • Tools for measuring the depth and determinants of poverty (Understanding) • HBS, LSMS etc., Participative Poverty Monitoring (listening to the poor) • Tools for comparing differences over space (Targeting) • Local admin. records • Pop. Census + Hhold survey = Poverty maps • Tools for monitoring changes over time (Tracking) • service delivery monitoring • Administrative data/MIS; Institution-based surveys; household surveys, CWIQ

19. Project Support Document • Developed end of 2005 • Enhanced issues relating to country ownership, technical inputs • Local Ownership enabled by multi-stakeholder participation • Participation of civil society • Building sustained capacity • Making data collection and analysis routine and a shared responsibility • Engagement with senior policy-makers – creating champions • Partnership building and coordination with civil society • Encouraging the demand for experiental data • Reflected joint UN system response and inputs into SPARC

20. MDGs embedded in SPARC with a Simple Vision of SHD

21. Revised Programme Components • Building National Capacity for Data Collection and Survey Design - assisting in designing surveys to collect data, enhancing data analysis, updating and harmonizing, support to continuous poverty and human development assessments, analysis, evidence-based policy-making and programmes • Establishment of Monitoring and Evaluation Systems formonitoring and evaluating poverty reduction and social development policies. Monitoring of processes and outcomes; enabling independent monitoring and evaluation and enhancing coordination • Data Dissemination: addressing dissemination strategy and supporting the publication of data through various reports

22. Revised Programme Components (2) • Regional coordination building on CSME efforts and seeking to harmonize data collection efforts at the regional level and among donors • Symposia for Senior Policy Makers – awareness building for and advocacy with senior policy-makers and promote linkages between users and producers of data • Build Partnerships: partnerships enabled and fostered amongst government institutions through SIMDG committees, and also with donors, regional and international statistical and research organizations

23. Building National Capacity for Data Collection and Survey Design (a) Capacity to conduct CWIQ, CPAs and to utilize other appropriate assessment tools related to health, children, gender etc; (b) Localization of the MDG – targets and indicators Establishment ofM&E Systems (a) Improved National policy frameworks, (b) Specific M&E guidelines harmonized across programme countries (c) Enhanced capacity for reporting on policies Data Dissemination (a)Increased reporting on the state of poverty and social development; (b) readily available data and data sets, (c) Annual/Bi-ennial Monitoring Reports, (d) Biennial Human Development Reports Regional Coordination (a) Regional Plan for MDG and Poverty Monitoring; (b) Effective programme implementation enabled by a fully functioning and operational PSC Proposed Programme Outputs

24. Alignment of Gaps with current or new activities UNDP/ CARICOM Census Related Census Related CARICOM/ TFSCB OECS MECOVI/SLC CARICOM/ UNFPA UNECLAC UNECLAC EC (Impact Monitoring Methodology) Qualitative Assessments CDB (PPA) OECS/ MECOVI/SLC Annual Monitoring UNDP (CWIQ) UWI/UG – University Systems

25. Operationalization of the Vision • Harmonization of approaches • Identification of development priorities and targets • Localization of MDGs • Documentation of best practices and lessons learnt • A system of surveys • Consistent data collection and the right type of data (e.g. disaggregated by sex, measuring income equality) • Consistent and appropriate M&E • Reduce dependence on external consultants/build and sustain local capacity • Recognize the inter-dependencies b/ween issues and sectors • Financial and technical commitment • Build on CARICOM Stats Framework • Improved Donor coordination • Better programming and targetting (who is at risk?) • Improved strategies and policies

26. Where are we now?

27. Finalization of Project Document • PSSDDG/Donor Review held February 14th, 2006 • Main outcomes • UNDP will be the implementing partner for SPARC • Agreed that a Project Manager and support would be housed at UNDP • CDB, IDB and UNDP would meet after CDB/IDB meet to finalize their agreement on SPARC activities • Agreed on constitution of Steering Cttee at high level including core and rotating members as well as the continuing role of the PSSDDG as a technical advisory group • Agreed on the joint, parallel modalities • Agreed on the need for better reflection of ongoing activities in the background • SPARC will support the development of process and outcome indicators which would better support poverty reduction

28. Finalization of the PSD (2) • PSSDDG Review agreement: • Expand on the dissemination component to include a public information and awareness component (often the citizenry don’t know much about what is going on or how a study fits into the larger picture) • Specifically address the need to legislative reform to address access to information throughout government, by citizens and by universities or research agents and donors • Need for arrangements to facilitate access to expertise at relatively short notice while enabling cooperation amongst countries

29. Likely Implementation Arrangements • A multiple modality framework funded by various donors contributing to specific components through (i) a single mechanism or (ii) their own mechanisms e.g. cost-sharing/parallel funding • Joint UN system contribution • Joint M&E by all partners • Mechanism to support and provide TA to countries on request • Operationalization of the Project Steering Cttee • A possibly Phased approach – which in Phase 1 – could focus on the OECS with expansion to wider region in Phase 2

30. Commitments to-date • World Bank approved $200,000 of the Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building (TFSCB) grant to support follow up project for UNSD/CARICOM programme (2004-2005). • World Bank approved US$400,000 of the Institutional Development Fund (IDF) grant in 2003 to support the mini-MECOVI component for strengthening, via the OECS Secretariat ( 2004 to 2006/7). • IDB approved US$350,000 to support SPARC to facilitate, via CDB, the strengthening of institutional capacity in statistical offices in Caribbean countries to collect, analyze, and produce high quality statistical information required to formulate social policies and strategies, and to monitor their progress. • CDB has indicated that it will seek to match the IDB amount in providing support in similar areas. • IDB approved a US$3,450,000 for Guyana to improve and sustain the capacity of the country to generate social data, to undertake evidence-based policy analysis, and to monitor the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) implementation and impact. • UNDP Regional programme provided support in the last 2-3 years to CARICOM on harmonization of stats and support to national coordination mechanism (US$ 150,000). • UNFPA has committed resources to the 2010 census and has supported analysis of the 2000 census through a CARICOM effort. • UNDP has committed US$450,000 over 3 years.

31. Next Steps • Finalization of the PSD for internal UNDP purposes and allocation of resources for 2006 • Finalization of a general document for other agency internal uses • Further discussions and finalization of inputs from UN system – follow-up with UNFPA from meeting on Monday 22 Feb • Signing of MOUs with agencies on agreed areas of contribution and based on existing work and comparative advantage • Further Resource Mobilization (continuous and ongoing) • Initiation of project activities including expansion of CWIQ in one or 2 other countries in 2006 and support to the CPA process of 2006 in Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis

32. Proposed Programme Activities for 2006 • Launch of the project • Inventory of existing data and cleaning (UNFPA and CARICOM) • Workshops – Incorporating MDG targets and indicators into national planning frameworks (UNDP, CDB, OECS) • Seminars to develop M&E guidelines (UNDP, CDB) • Workshops – Training in data collection and survey design (UNDP, CDB, OECS & partners) • 1st Symposium or policy makers • Survey Administration - 3 CWIQ surveys (UNDP, CDB) • Annual Human Development Report • Data Dissemination including establishment of Regional Poverty Information Website

33. Conclusions

34. Resulting Partnerships from SPARC approach • Successful partnership with the EC and the Govt of Saint Lucia on CWIQ pilot 2004 • UNDP and EC collaboration on strategy paper on Social Policy and operationalization in the context of social protection • UNDP/UNIFEM collaboration on Study on Issues and Challenges facing Rural women in Saint Lucia linking to economic growth and trade (2005) • Capacity building – OECS, WB, UNDP, CDB • Donor collaboration on Social Protection

35. Resulting Partnerships from SPARC (2) • Strengthening collaborative efforts with CDB to link CPA and policy efforts including data on MDGs in ANT and STL • CDB/OECS/UNDP linking to support localization of MDGs in 2 OECS countries (DMI and SKN) • CDB and UNDP joint support to national coordination mechanisms for CPAs; UNDP/CARICOM in similar activities across the board • Greater involvement of /collaboration by UNDP and CDB in regional implementation of MECOVI • UNDP, CDB, UNECLAC and UNIFEM support to a CWIQ in Grenada including focus on gender and vulnerability – Key outcome for 2005 – 1st CWIQ Report

36. Outcomes for the Countries • Saint Lucia has: • a data series of welfare for 2004,2005 • A gender analysis of welfare (2005) • Grenada has: • up-to-date data on welfare and social development post-Ivan and a sense of where social services may need enhancement • Enhanced capacity in survey design and implementation • Primed capacity wise for 2006 CPA • Information disaggregated by sex in Grenada • Gender analysis of impact of Ivan available • Saint Lucia able to provide technical support to GRN in 2005 CWIQ • A growing cadre of resources amongst the countries – DMI supporting SVG in CPA • MDG Progress reports for Grenada, Barbados, STL in 2005 • MDG Task Force established in Antigua • Localized MDGs and implementation plans in progress in Dominica and SKN • Regional approach to MDG Localization pending in 2006

37. Our continuing challenge • To provide support that addresses poverty in the way that it must concern us : “the poverty of a life lies not only in the impoverished state in which the person actually lives but also in the lack of real opportunity-due to social constraints as well as personal circumstances-to lead valuable and valued lives” (using the capability concept – based on Amartya Sen’s work)

38. For More Information Contact: PSSDDG c/o Leisa Perch, Programme Mgr, Poverty Reduction UN House, Marine Gardens Hastings, Ch. Ch Barbados, West Indies Tel: 246 467-6005 Fax: 246 429-2448 Email: leisa.perch@undp.org Website: www.bb.undp.org/poverty/html

39. THANK YOU!!!