Presentation to Civil Society Organizations World Bank – IMF Annual Meetings 2011

1. World Bank Support for Social Safety NetsEvaluation Findings of the Independent Evaluation Group Presentation to Civil Society Organizations World Bank – IMF Annual Meetings 2011 September 21, 2011

2. IEG: Independent Evaluation • We report to the World Bank Group’s boards directors • We evaluate for accountability, learning and to contribute to better operational and developmental results

3. Overview Main messages Definitions and context Evaluation questions and methodology Findings

4. Main messages SSN built during stable times can respond to shocks SSNs need good institutions and systems There is more potential for SSNs in LICs Results frameworks need improvement

5. Social Safety Nets are … “Non-contributory transfers, targeted, in some way, to the poor and vulnerable.” Such as: • Cash transfer programs • Food and in-kind transfers • Energy, water and housing subsidies • Education and health subsidies programs • Public works programs

6. Social Safety Nets can… • Reduce chronic poverty and inequality by increasing consumption by the poorest • Improve investments in human capital by the poor • Protect the poor and vulnerable from: • individual or systemic shocks • the negative effects that can accompany macro-reforms

7. Context • Recent crises underscore a need for SSNs • Food, fuel, and financial crises increased hardship: 65m more people were pushed into extreme poverty • Bank-supported SSN programs were growing • US$11.5 billion for 244 projects in 83 countries from 2000-2010; but half in the last 2 years of the decade IEG had never evaluated SSN support

8. Evaluation questions • How effective and relevant has the Bank been in helping countries establish sound SSNs? • What lessons were learned?

9. Methodology • Portfolio reviews of 244 lending projects, trust funds, and analytical work • Case studies of 30 countries • Staff survey • Thematic background studies (8) • Impact evaluations of safety nets • 149 IEs, sub-sample of 36 Bank-supported programs, 2 new IEs

10. Findings

11. 1. Greatest focus on chronic poor… SSN support focused was on chronic poverty and human development, less on shocks SSN Functions (percent of projects)

12. … but, support increased with recent crises

13. 2. Bank’s approach shifted to greater support for systems & institutions Involves developing: • data, targeting, payment, and M&E systems • coordinated SSN programs appropriate for different groups of poor and vulnerable

14. 3. MICs got more attention than LICs Support for SSNs in MICs was higher than in LICs

15. 4. Short-term results were generally positive… • Project outcomes rated satisfactory or higher On average, SSN lending performs better than the rest of the Bank’s portfolio

16. …but results frameworks need improvement • Greater clarity in project design: • Just over 50% of projects supporting SSNs mention poverty reduction in their objectives • Less than 50% of projects have an indicator to measure change in poverty • Greater planning for long term objectives needed.

17. Main messages SSN built during stable times can respond to shocks SSNs need good institutions and systems There is more potential for SSNs in LICs Results frameworks need improvement

18. World Bank Support to Social Safety Nets http://ieg.worldbankgroup.org/