The World Bank Social Development Strategy

1. Strategic Directions for the World Bank in Social DevelopmentSteen Lau JorgensenDirector of Social DevelopmentThe World Bank

2. The World Bank Social Development Strategy Background Why have a strategy? What is the demand? Who is it for? What is it – descriptive or prescriptive? What is the process?

3. What will the SD Strategy cover? Concepts and definitions Why attention to social development? The Bank and SD: history & commitments Strategic directions Business strategy

4. Concepts and Definitions What do we mean by social development? • Social development means development of society. • The goal of social development is a society that enables people, especially poor people, to take actions to help themselves. • The social dimensions of development -- • Empowerment • Inclusion • Security -- help make societies equitable, productive and sustainable.

5. Concepts and DefinitionsAn abstract definition of social development Social development refers to the relationships and institutional conditions within a society (social capital) and the historical, political, and institutional conditions that affect project and policy outcomes (the social context of development)

6. Concepts and DefinitionsWhat don’t we mean by social development? • Health • Education The World Bank calls these human development • Social welfare/security/protection The World Bank calls these social protection

7. Concepts and DefinitionsWhat is the work program of social development at the World Bank? • Social Analysis • Participation and Civic Engagement • Community Driven Development • Conflict Prevention and Reconstruction • Safeguard Policies

8. Why attention to social development? Economic Dimensions Social Dimensions Social development completes a virtuous circle…. Investment Climate + Growth Empowerment + Inclusion + Security Pro-poor Growth Participation + Inclusion … that leads to sustainable poverty reduction

9. Why attention to social development? Bank mission Poverty Reduction SD Objective Socially Sustainable Development • Poor and marginalized people have • capacities • assets • to help themselves • Enabling environment provides • responsive, reliable and resilient institutions • good governance • security from conflict SD Outcome • Development Interventions • SD as an end: CDD, Conflict, Targeted at Vulnerable Groups • SD as a means to sustainability in other sectors SD Outputs • SD Expertise • social analysis of opportunities, constraints, risks • participation and civic engagement as means and end • SD Perspective • Bottom-up: starts with poor people’s multidimensional needs • Formal and informal stakeholders SD Inputs

10. Inclusion Empowerment S F H P N Assets and Institutions for Sustainability Institutions: FAMILY COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT MARKETS Sustainable improvements in livelihoods

12. The Bank and SD: history & commitments

13. Safeguards Advocacy Policy Gender Conflict Prevention and Reconstruction Operations CDD Civic Engagement Social Analysis The Bank and SD: history & commitments

14. The Bank and SD: history & commitments • Public statements (President, Chief Economist) • Corporate strategy documents • Research (WDRs, DEC) • SD in IDA replenishments • Operational Policies • Recommendations from Internal Evaluations + A rhetoric-reality gap

15. Four Preliminary Strategic Directions From Project to Program and Policy SD Throughout the Project/Program Cycle, for Sustainability Replicate and Deepen Interventions Country Framework to Prioritize SD Interventions

16. Strategic Direction #1 Use social development approaches and methods beyond the project context. For example, at the macro level in country social analysis, poverty and social impact analysis (PSIA), poverty assessments and PRSPs. From Project to Program and Policy

17. Strategic Direction #2 SD Throughout the Project/Program Cycle for Sustainability Integrate social development approaches and tools throughout the project and program cycle – for example in early planning stages, in implementation, and in monitoring and evaluation.

18. Strategic Direction #3 Scale up and Deepen Interventions Scale up our efforts in social development by (a) building more social development interventions within a given community, project, program or country and (b) replicating successful interventions in other geographical areas or sectors, as appropriate.

19. Strategic Direction #4 Country Framework to Prioritize SD Interventions Prioritize social development interventions based on general country context. This would involve offering a different menu of SD services dependeing countries’ economic level, institutional health, state of governance, and other similar factors. Certain generic social development interventions would be applicable to each category.

20. Business Strategy Overview • Business lines/products and tools • Countries of emphasis • Sectors and themes of emphasis • Partnerships • Organizational issues • Strategic staffing and skills mix • Resource issues

21. SD Strategy Timetable • Issues Paper to Bank Management (March 2002) • Conceptual framework, background, stocktaking papers (underway) • Drafting of Regional strategy papers (ongoing) • Consultations on strategic directions (ongoing) • Drafting of Bank-wide strategy (just beginning) • First draft of strategy paper to Bank Board of Directors (early 2003) • Consultations on strategy paper (2003-2004) • Strategy with business plan to Bank Board of Directors (early 2004)

22. Questions • Do the strategic directions make sense to you? Do they outline an appropriate role for the World Bank? What do you see as the World Bank’s comparative advantage in social development? • How do the strategic directions and SD work program areas relate to your approach to development cooperation? • Do you have any advice from experience with mainstreaming social development into your institution (or others)? What obstacles do you foresee that we will face • Who/how do you envision the most fruitful partnerships with other development organizations?