Social Dimensions of Sustainable Development Part 1

1. Lecture # 12 ENVR: E115 12/11/07 Social Dimensions of Sustainable Development Part 1 Dr. Kazi F. Jalal Faculty Harvard Extension School

2. Social Dimensions of Sustainable Development • Introduction • Poverty Reduction • Participatory Development • Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) • Gender and Development

3. 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)

5. Six qualities of SEs 1.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

6. 2. Poverty Reduction

7. 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, 2000

9. Framework for Poverty Reduction Economic x Distributional Growth Effectiveness Poverty Reduction  Population Growth Source: ADB, 1999

10. Elements for Effective Poverty Reduction:Economic Growth • Institutional Factors • Free of political distortions • Efficient • Accountable • Eliminate corruption • Performance-rewarding • Demand-based • Transparent • Program Focus • Sustainable Development • Basic infrastructure • Financial sector stability • National development program • Policy Environment • Growth stimulation in poverty areas • Market Friendly • Sound fiscal management • Unsound public enterprise divested • Sound use of subsidies • Effective public investments • Environmental sustainability Source: ADB, 1999

11. Elements for Effective Poverty Reduction:Distributional Effectiveness • Policy Environment • Labor-intensive growth • Minimum labor standards • Universal education • Pro-poor government subsidies • Needs-based resource allocation • Efficient/equitable social safety nets • Land tenancy • Accessible courts • Institutional Factors • Effective participation of poorer communities • Effective participation of women • Minimum political distortion • Mobile labor force • Client-focused government agencies • Program transparency • Pro-poor judicial system • Social capital strengthened • Program Focus • Targeted programs for impoverished areas/sectors/groups • Basic health care & education • Basic water supply & sanitation • Basic infrastructure Source: ADB, 1999

12. Elements for Effective Poverty Reduction:Population Growth • Policy Environment • Reproductive health access for men and women • Universal education for girls • Effective family and population planning • Institutional Factors • Gender-sensitive institutions/staff • Effective mother/child health centers • Significant number of female teachers and health workers • Program Focus • Targeted economic growth in areas of high population growth • Female education and empowerment Source: ADB, 1999

13. 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 inputs Source: ADB, 1992

14. Reducing Poverty in Asia TARGETTED INTERVENTION • Identify the poor • Identify their needs and aspirations • Design and implement programs and projects, accordingly Source: ADB, 1992

15. The poor dependent on fragile land

16. The poor enclaved in areas of good agricultural potential

17. The urban poor

18. The coastal poor

19. 3. Participatory Development

20. 20 Participatory Development ... a process through which stakeholders participate and influence development initiatives, decisions, and their outcomes.

21. 21 Why Support Participation • better quality • enhances sustainability • enhances implementation • more demand-responsive • strengthens local ownership and commitment • increases cost-sharing • enhances social capital

22. Risks of Participation • Time and resource consuming • Logistically/organizationally troublesome • Groups may not be representative • Conflicts may be aggravated • Expectations may be raised

23. 23 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

24. 24 Mechanisms to Facilitate Participation • Mechanisms for Sharing Information • translation into local languages and dissemination of written materials • informational seminars, presentations and public meetings

25. 25 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

26. 26 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

27. 27 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

28. 28 4. NGOs

29. 29 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

30. 30 Typology of NGOs • Thematic: Environment, Rural Development, Health, Women’s Empowerment • Nature of Operation: Advocacy, Research, Training • Level of Operation: Local, Regional, National

31. 31 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.

32. 32 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.

33. 33 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

34. ADB’s Policy on Cooperation with NGOs • 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.

35. 5. Gender & Development

36. 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, 1995

37. Women as percentage of total labor force 1970-1995 1970 1980 1990 1995 1. East Asia 33.6 38.4 39.9 39.9 2. Southeast Asia 39.1 40.6 42.0 42.7 3. South Asia 21.6 33.3 34.6 35.8 Source: World Bank, 1997

38. 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

39. World Conference on Women 1995:Areas of Critical Concern • National and International Machineries • Human Rights • Mass Media • Environment and Development • The Girl Child • Poverty • Education • Health • Violence • Armed and Other Conflicts • Economic Participation • Power Sharing and Decision Making Source: ADB, 1998

40. 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.