PROGRAMA REGIONAL DE COOPERACIÓN CON MESOAMÉRICA

“Internship in Best Practices and Lessons Learned in Interagency Coordination

Strategies for Overcoming Extreme Poverty"

ANNA WILLIAMS, AG. DEPUTY DIRECTOR, HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT

DIANA POOK, CIVIC EDUCATION COORDINATOR, HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT

Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation -

BELIZE

National Poverty Elimination Strategy Ministry of Human Development

◦ Pro-poor programmes Public Assistance CCT: BOOST

Action and Results Strengths and Weaknesses Challenges Expectations

Overview

Population Size: 0.3 Million 80,000 HH

◦ 31% Poor [2009, CPA] HH which cannot meet basic food and non-food

needs; poverty line: US$ 1,715.00 p.a.◦ 10% Extreme Poor [2009 CPA]

HH cannot meet basic food needs[cost of national food basket; indigent line: US$ 1,003.00 p.a

Context I: Belize

ContextII : HH Poverty

1995 2002 20090

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

25.324.5

31

9.67.5

10.4

Source: Living Standards and Measurement Surveys, Statistical Institute of Belize

Poor HH Indigent HH

% o

f H

H

Context III: HH Poverty by DistrictPoorIndigent

National Poverty

Elimination Strategy

1. Economic Policies for

Enabled Growth

2. Transparency and

Accountability for Good

Governance

3. Investment for Human

Capital Development

4. Infrastructure for Growth and Sustainability

5. Strategic Support for

Equity and Social Development

Framework

NHDAC

MHDSTPA

Pro-poor Programmes

MOE MOH … …

MFED

Institutional Arrangements

Inter-Ministerial Social Sector

Caucus[Social Cabinet]

VISIONMHDSTPA is the lead entity of the Government of

Belize in the development of people, enabling them to realize their full potential and play a meaningful role

in their communities

MISSIONIn collaboration with all relevant partners, to facilitate policy

development and to implement programmes that promote social justice and equity, enabling people to be self-sufficient,

responsible and productive citizens

Portfolio ResponsibilitiesChildren and Families

Child Protection

Juvenile Justice

Gender Affairs

Aging/Care  of the Elderly

Portfolio ResponsibilitiesHomeless

Disabilities

Poverty Alleviation

Community Development

Anti - Trafficking in Person

Basic Social Services: Child Protection; Gender-base Violence

Public Assistance◦ Food◦ Rent◦ Medical◦ Education◦ Fire◦ Burial

Parenting and Early Childhood Stimulation Subsidized Food Programme: Pantry CCT Programme: BOOST

MHDSTPA: Pro-Poor Programmes

Pre-2010:◦ Only able to quantify levels of poverty; ◦ Rising and deepening levels of poverty◦ Counting the poor for > 3 decades◦ Interventions targeted at the district level

Post 2010:◦ BOOST Programme introduced

PMT endorsed by Cabinet Identify and target poor and indigent HH Shift from “counting the poor” to “making the poor

count”

Context: “From Counting the Poor” to “Making the Poor Count”

CCT Scheme: differentiated benefit payment scheme

◦ Education: 85% attendance◦ Health:

complete course of immunization Early ante-natal visits [first 12 weeks] Annual health checks for the elderly [60+]

Coverage:◦ 8300 beneficiaries in 3200 HH

12.5% of poor HH; 6.1% of the poor 17% of extremely poor HH [indigent]

81% ‘bankarization’ rate

Building Opportunities for Our Social Transformation

BOOST

Benefit Payment Elderly/persons with Disabilities:

BZ$44.00/month Children Age 0 – Std II: BZ$44.00/month Std III – Form 4: Based on table below

Case Management:◦ Families at risk of dropping out of the scheme◦ OVC [HIV and AIDS]◦ Support services:

birth registration Social security cards

Case Management

Programme is manage cross-unit◦ FSS: Programme Management◦ COMPAR: Compliance Monitoring◦ PPU: Targeting, MIS/M&E Support◦ Finance: Benefit payments/reconciliation

Intra-Ministerial Coordination

Ministry of Education◦ MOU◦ Compliance Monitoring: School Attendance

286 Schools◦ Case Management Support

Beneficiaries dropped-out/at-risk of dropping out of school

◦ Access to System Tools and use Common Protocols BOWA; BOOST Handbooks

Inter-Ministerial Coordination

Ministry of Health◦ MOU: OVC Component of CCT Scheme◦ Access to system tools and complete HH intakes◦ HH Status Verification: affected/infected

Data exchange protocol Basic excel password protected file

◦ Compliance Verification: Immunization; early ante-natal care and health checks Via BHIS [under development]

Inter-Ministerial Coordination

Strengths National PRS exists and coordination entity identified Achieved considerable gains in programme coverage

and quality in short course BOOST as a wider system leverage[reform]:

◦ intra- ministerial: cross units and departments◦ inter-ministerial: MOH; MOE; MEDF

Fostering wider collaboration across SP agencies; early indications of convergence towards formalized social sector+ ministerial caucus[social cabinet]

Forging stronger programme linkages by design; integrated SSN with early discussions on “promotion” strategies

Contributing to a culture of M&E and evidence base practice

High degree of ‘goodwill’ among actors

NHDAC collapses under its own volume and weight

Inadequately resourced mechanisms◦ Lack of focus and follow-up

Communication Issues: inter-ministerial Early days…left to be seen

Weaknesses

Territorialism Coordination in principle, progress is slow in practice Paradigm shift: from counting the poor to making the

poor count; counter-culture Traditionally, low administrative capacity in social

service agencies now required to manage complex programmes [CCT]

Shift from the silo approach to an effective SSN requiring integrated family services and intensive case management

Weak data systems and protocols for data sharing ICT applications in SP: ground breaking, limited

capacities/experience

Challenges

Explore opportunities for policy learning and transfer based on the experiences of countries with advance/mature social services networks:

EXPECTATIVAS FRENTE AL TALLER

GRACIAS