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Social Dimensions of Sustainable Development

Part 1Dr. Kazi F. Jalal

Faculty

Harvard Extension School

ENVR: E115ENVR: E115

12/11/0712/11/07Lecture # 12Lecture # 12

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Social Dimensions of Sustainable Development

1. Introduction

2. Poverty Reduction

3. Participatory Development

4. Non-Governmental Organizations

(NGO)

5. Gender and Development

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Introduction

• Sustainable Development is three-dimensional • Social Dimensions are gaining momentum• Social entrepreneurs have brought significant changes -Bill Drayton (USA) -M. Yunus (Bangladesh) - Veronica Khosa (South Africa) - Javed Abidi (India) - James Grant (UNICEF) - Tom Sadowski (Poland) - Others (from all over the world)

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Six qualities of SEs1.Willingness to self-correct

2.Willingness to share credit

3.Willingness to cross beaten path

4.Willingness to work quietly

5.Willingness to cross disciplinary boundaries

6.Strong ethical principles

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2. Poverty Reduction2. Poverty Reduction

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World Development Report Conclusions on Poverty

• Poverty is multidimensional.• The state has largely been ineffective in reaching

the poor.• The role of NGOs in the lives of the poor is

limited.• Households are crumbling under the stress of

poverty.• The social fabric, poor people’s only “insurance”,

is unraveling.Source: World Bank, 2000Source: World Bank, 2000

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Framework for Poverty Reduction

Economic x Distributional Growth Effectiveness

Poverty Reduction Population GrowthPopulation Growth

Source: ADB, 1999Source: ADB, 1999

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Elements for Effective Poverty Reduction:

Economic Growth

Policy EnvironmentPolicy Environment

• Growth stimulation in Growth stimulation in

poverty areaspoverty areas

•Market Friendly

• Sound fiscal management

• Unsound public Unsound public enterprise divestedenterprise divested

• Sound use of subsidiesSound use of subsidies

• Effective public Effective public investmentsinvestments

• Environmental Environmental sustainabilitysustainability

Institutional FactorsInstitutional Factors

• Free of political distortionsFree of political distortions

• EfficientEfficient

• AccountableAccountable

• Eliminate corruptionEliminate corruption

• Performance-rewardingPerformance-rewarding

• Demand-basedDemand-based

• TransparentTransparent

Program FocusProgram Focus

• Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development

•Basic infrastructure Basic infrastructure

•Financial sector stabilityFinancial sector stability

• National development National development programprogram

Source: ADB, 1999Source: ADB, 1999

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Elements for Effective Poverty Reduction:

Distributional EffectivenessPolicy EnvironmentPolicy Environment

• Labor-intensive growthLabor-intensive growth

• Minimum labor standardsMinimum labor standards

• Universal educationUniversal education

• Pro-poor government Pro-poor government subsidiessubsidies

•Needs-based resource Needs-based resource allocationallocation

• Efficient/equitable social Efficient/equitable social safety netssafety nets

•Land tenancyLand tenancy

• Accessible courtsAccessible courts

Institutional FactorsInstitutional Factors

• Effective participation of Effective participation of poorer communitiespoorer communities

• Effective participation of Effective participation of womenwomen

•Minimum political distortionMinimum political distortion

• Mobile labor forceMobile labor force

• Client-focused government Client-focused government agenciesagencies

• Program transparencyProgram transparency

• Pro-poor judicial systemPro-poor judicial system

• Social capital strengthenedSocial capital strengthened

Program FocusProgram Focus

• Targeted programs for Targeted programs for impoverished impoverished areas/sectors/groupsareas/sectors/groups

• Basic health care & Basic health care & educationeducation

• Basic water supply & Basic water supply & sanitationsanitation

• Basic infrastructureBasic infrastructure

Source: ADB, 1999Source: ADB, 1999

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Elements for Effective Poverty Reduction:

Population GrowthPolicy EnvironmentPolicy Environment

• Reproductive health Reproductive health access for men and womenaccess for men and women

• Universal education for Universal education for girlsgirls

• Effective family and Effective family and population planningpopulation planning

Institutional FactorsInstitutional Factors

• Gender-sensitive Gender-sensitive institutions/staffinstitutions/staff

• Effective mother/child health Effective mother/child health centerscenters

• Significant number of female Significant number of female teachers and health workersteachers and health workers

Program FocusProgram Focus

• Targeted economic Targeted economic growth in areas of high growth in areas of high population growthpopulation growth

• Female education and Female education and empowermentempowerment

Source: ADB, 1999Source: ADB, 1999

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Reducing Poverty in Asia

• Investment in social infrastructures

• Special credit programs to reduce the dependence

of the poor on the natural resource base

• Improvement of physical linkage between rural

communities and market centers

• Removal or reduction of institutional constraints

to enhance access of the rural poor to productive

natural resources & agricultural inputsSource: ADB, 1992

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Reducing Poverty in Asia

TARGETTED INTERVENTION

- Identify the poor

- Identify their needs and aspirations

- Design and implement programs and projects, accordingly

Source: ADB, 1992

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The poor dependent on fragile landThe poor dependent on fragile land

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The poor enclaved in areas of good The poor enclaved in areas of good

agricultural potentialagricultural potential

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The urban poorThe urban poor

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The coastal poorThe coastal poor

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33. . Participatory DevelopmentParticipatory Development

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Participatory Development

... a process through which stakeholders participate and influence development initiatives, decisions, and their outcomes.

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Why Support Participation

better quality

enhances sustainability

enhances implementation

more demand-responsive

strengthens local ownership and commitment

increases cost-sharing

enhances social capital

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Risks of Participation

• Time and resource consuming

• Logistically/organizationally troublesome

• Groups may not be representative

• Conflicts may be aggravated

• Expectations may be raised

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Who Should Participate Primary Stakeholders: those expected to benefit

from or be adversely affected by the project

Secondary Stakeholders: those with expertise and public interest and those with linkages to primary stakeholders (NGOs, intermediary organizations, private sector business and technical and professional bodies)

Borrowing Stakeholders: governments of borrowing member countries

Financing Stakeholders: the Bank and other funding agencies

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Mechanisms to Facilitate Participation

Mechanisms for Sharing Information

• translation into local languages and dissemination of written materials

• informational seminars, presentations and public meetings

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Mechanisms to Facilitate Participation

Mechanisms for Consultation

• consultative meetings

• field visits and interviews (at various stages of work)

• “town hall” meetings

• radio call-in shows

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Mechanisms to Facilitate Participation

Mechanisms for Collaborative Decision-Making

• participatory assessment and evaluations

• beneficiary assessments

• workshops and retreats to discuss and determine positions, priorities, roles

• meetings to help resolve conflicts, seek agreements, engender ownership

• (public) reviews of draft documents and subsequent revisions

• joint committees or working groups with stakeholder representatives

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Mechanisms to Facilitate Participation

Mechanisms to Facilitate Empowerment

• decentralizing authority to local organizations

• capacity building of stakeholder organizations

• strengthening the financial and legal status of stakeholder organizations

• supervised transfer of responsibility for maintenance and management to stakeholders

• creating an enabling policy environment

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4. NGOs4. NGOs

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What is an NGO?

“Non-Governmental Organization” refers to organizations

not based in government

not created to earn profit

This broad definition of NGOs is characterized more by what they are not than what they are

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Typology of NGOs

Thematic: Environment, Rural Development, Health, Women’s Empowerment

Nature of Operation: Advocacy, Research, Training

Level of Operation: Local, Regional, National

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NGO Contributions to Sustainable Development

Innovation: with their close knowledge of local communities and local knowledge, NGOs can identify new approaches and new models for specific development activities.

Local Accountability: NGO involvement in projects can help ensure that project components are implemented as planned.

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NGO Contributions to Sustainable Development

Responsiveness: NGOs can help that projects are implemented in ways that respond to local needs.

Participation: NGOs can serve as bridges between project authorities and affected communities, as well as providing structures for participation.

Sustainability: NGOs can help provide continuity in project work, especially when implementing agencies lack capacity or when staffing changes.

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Why Cooperate with NGOs?

NGOs are becoming key actors in the development process

NGOs often possess capabilities and comparative advantages, particularly at grassroots levels,

NGOs play an important role in the participatory process

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ADB’s Policy on Cooperation with ADB’s Policy on Cooperation with NGOsNGOs

• ADB will continue to recognize priorities and concerns of its member governments and some private sector entities as its client.

• The main purpose of ADB’s cooperation with NGOs will be to strengthen the effectiveness, sustainability and quality of development services the ADB will provide to its clients. Cooperation with NGOs at the country level would involve a tripartite relationship among the governments, NGOs and the ADB.

• ADB will seek to cooperate with competent NGOs having substantial knowledge in their areas of focus and accountability.

• To facilitate and support enhanced cooperation with the NGOs, ADB will strengthen its internal capacity as well as external dialogue with NGOs on a continuing basis.

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55. . Gender & DevelopmentGender & Development

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Advances in Gender Inequalities

• In 1990, 86 girls were enrolled in primary school for every 100 boys, compared with 67 girls for every 100 boys in 1960; 75 females per 100 males were enrolled in secondary schools in 1990 compared with 53 in 1960.

• The average 6-year-old girl now goes to school for 8.4 years, compared with 7.3 years in 1980. .

• Since the 1950s the official female labor force rate has grown at twice the rate of the male labor force, so that today 30 percent of women over 15 years are in the formal labor force in developing countries.

Source: World Bank, 1995Source: World Bank, 1995

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Women as percentage of total Women as percentage of total labor force 1970-1995labor force 1970-1995

19701970 19801980 19901990 19951995

1. East Asia 1. East Asia 33.633.6 38.438.4 39.939.9 39.939.9

2. Southeast Asia2. Southeast Asia 39.139.1 40.640.6 42.042.0 42.742.7

3. South Asia3. South Asia 21.621.6 33.333.3 34.634.6 35.835.8

Source: World Bank, 1997Source: World Bank, 1997

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Persistent Gender Inequalities

• Of the 900 million illiterate people in this world, women outnumber men two to one.

• Of the 1.3 billion people living in poverty, 70 percent are women.

• At least half a million women die each year from complications due to pregnancy.

• In developing countries, women’s wages are 30-40 percent less than those of men for comparable work.

Source: UNDP, 1995

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World Conference on Women 1995:Areas of Critical Concern

• Poverty• Education• Health• Violence• Armed and Other

Conflicts• Economic Participation• Power Sharing and

Decision Making

• National and National and International International MachineriesMachineries

• Human RightsHuman Rights

• Mass MediaMass Media

• Environment and Environment and DevelopmentDevelopment

• The Girl ChildThe Girl Child

Source: ADB, 1998Source: ADB, 1998

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World Bank’s Policy on Gender and Development

• No longer treat women as a special target group of beneficiaries. • Integrate gender issues in mainstream activities.• Recognize that investing in women is central to sustainable

development.• Expand enrollment of girls in school.• Expand women’s participation in the labor force, especially in

the soft sectors.• Provide special financial services such as microcredit to women.• Improve women’s health by increasing allocation in health and

family planning.• Build institutional and legal capacity to deal with gender issues.