CRCEES IV Annual Research Forum

1. CRCEESIV Annual Research Forum Evaluation of Participatory Mechanisms for Poverty Reduction in Russia Dr. Nina Ivashinenko Nina.Ivashinenko@glasgow.ac.uk nni@fsn.unn.ru 12-13 May 2011

2. Questions • Why we have chosen a participatory approach? • What does mean participatory mechanism (PRM) in Russia? • Is it possible to implement PRM in the practice of Russian social management?

3. Poverty investigation and establishing of a social security system in Russia

4. Participation is defined as… • the involvement of people in communication with social institutions and decision-making (Uphoffe, 1979; Fekade, 1994). • that all citizens are actively involved in all important decisions (Marshall, 1998). • the expectation that citizens have a voice in policy choices (Bishop, Davis 2002). • collective action for social change, based on social justice and sustainable world. (www.cdx.org.uk). “The active involvement of local communities in development initiatives, where specified groups, sharing the same interests or living in a defined geographic area, actively pursue the identification of their needs and establish mechanisms to make their choice effective. (Dulani, 2005).

5. Ladder of participation Initiation and control by stakeholders Paul, S (1987) “Community participation in development projects: the World Bank experience” Discussion paper №6 New York World Bank Joint decision-making Consultation Information-sharing The participatory mechanism of poverty reduction can be defined as a sustainable system of interaction between governmental organisations, NGOs, socially responsible businesses and representatives of the poor, in the course of the realisation of poverty reduction strategy.

6. Risks of implementation of participatory methods • the replacement of traditional forms of social protection of the population with new forms of providing social help on the basis of contracts. Large-scale applications of the practice in America has led to very little improvement of in families’ situations, and very many refusals of references to social welfare systems among the most vulnerable groups in society (Handler Babcock, 2006); • A formalistic approach to the implementation of the participatory practice covering the arbitrary nature of power (Kingfisher, 2001); • An exaggerated emphasis on received results, occurrence of new tyranny (Brock & McGee, 2002).

7. Methodology of research project The research project involved 30 interviews with welfare benefit recipients (single parents; pensioners and low wage earners receiving supplementary benefits) • 10 interviews with social work specialists and administrative officers working in each of the city’s district social security offices. • 5 interviews with large families and possible participatory methods for them. • 4 interviews with representatives of non-commercial organizations • 4 interviews with 4 representatives from large families experiencing in extreme poverty • visits to social services’ centres.

8. Nizhni Novgorod – the research location According to the classification of the Russian Federation regions by welfare and situation in the labour market, in 2010 Nizhegorodskaya Oblast was in a category of relatively well-off regions where both the proportion of poor people and also general unemployment levels were lower than the average Russian indices, whereas the employment rate, conversely, exceeded the similar country level index. The situation in the Oblast according to this typology deteriorated as regards the poverty index and it fell into the middle group. In 2010 the cash income in the region was 86% of the average Russian level. The total area of the region is 76,600 square kilometres, and its population density amounts to 43.6 people per square km. The population of the region is 3.3 million inhabitants. The basic sector of the regional economy is industry. Manufacturing output in the region is the 6th largest in Russia.

9. Demand for participatory ideology

10. Demand for participatory ideology

11. Client feedback Inadequately accessible channels Irregular communication Universal application forms for social security services. New type of information offices Information and consultation Social work specialists Social work specialist: There should be more openness and accessibility to information. There should be more clarification for customers and more advocacy work with clients. Periodically, we will send out information about new services or schemes, or the like. We will update information on subsidies using radio announcements. Interviewer: How do you think your customers evaluate your work? Do you take their opinion into account? Do you gather any information? Social work specialist: You know, we have reports at the end of the year, at the end of the half-year, we send it to the Ministry. How many complaints we had, how many customers we met, and also whether the complaints were justified or not – all these details. Clients of social services systems Barriers to accessing information Isolation when people fall into poverty Informal networks Positive experience in overcoming poverty Mother with a child: First of all, we were gathering documents for the prescription dairy facility, then we were sent to various departments. Everybody applies. If one can buy, but on the prescription you can get it for free. Male customer: my mother is a pensioner, she has been using it for quite some time, so we used her experience, and thus we got to know about this opportunity.

12. Involvement of specialists from the state governmental centres Integration platforms Information and consultation NGOs Narrow target groups Regular feedback is not used NGO Representative 1: We provide free of charge consultancy on issues related to medical law. NGO Representative 2: It has always been easier for me with NGO. As they solve real issues, they offer some real actions and get involved in them quickly. State organisations just because of their structure, inertia cannot give you concrete answers quickly. They need to submit something for somebody’s approval. NGO Representative 3: Of course! If customers come with questions, don’t know where to begin, where to go, we give advice, sometimes we can provide them with professional consultancy. We have solicitors providing advice for free. NGO Representative 4: the following is of principal importance: there are procedures, which should cover 80% of cases. 20% - are unique situations, where one needs a social intermediary. For example, a customer who cannot read or write.

13. A shortage of resources Participatory mechanismas additional resource Participatory Mechanism’s Activity Aspects Social work specialists The lack of balance between financial resources at federal level and responsibility for the resolution of poverty Demotivating effect Clients of social services systems Do not participate Do not believe that it is possible for them Considering the opinions of poor people Clients: One needs to listen to people’s opinion as each situation is different. NGOs Non-transparent Russian governmental decision making process Practices as writing letters NGO Representative: Possibly the level of the activists we have at the moment is not that high so that they come forward with initiatives. They have a certain range – they would like to do this, that and the other, but they would like somebody to starts the process and then they will support it. Not that they start ‘pulling this cart’ themselves. NGO Representative: We work not so much with the district social security departments, but mostly with the Family Policy Department. They are glad that we are there, they are very positive to us. It is quite a way to go: to prove that we do work. But we understand that we do actually part of their work…

14. Conclusion • All of the observed groups, including governmental bodies, organisations from the third sector and clients of welfare systems, require integrated efforts in order to achieve poverty reduction. • However, there is a lack of co-ordination to achieve this goal. If the regulation of poverty reduction was removed from federal control, the development of participatory mechanism would be slowed by an absence of clear regulations to constrain the initiatives of regional state authorities. • Modern Russian NGOs frequently reproduce the authorities in a model of interaction with their members, and often impose their own visions and belief systems on their members, as opposed to creating circumstances where people can realize their full potential. • The existing barriers to the implementation of the participatory mechanism in the practice of social management can be overcome.