Including Inclusion in Europe and Central Asia’s Social Policy: Closing Themes
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Transcript of Including Inclusion in Europe and Central Asia’s Social Policy: Closing Themes
Human Development Economics, Europe and Central Asia Region
The World Bank
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Including InclusionIncluding Inclusionin Europe and Central in Europe and Central
Asia’sAsia’sSocial Policy:Social Policy:
Closing ThemesClosing ThemesArup BanerjiArup BanerjiBudapestBudapest
September 26 2007September 26 2007
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Six Themes to Take Away
1. Social inclusion is especially important for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
2. Many of the approaches work best when applied across sectors/ministries
3. In parallel, new approaches are “not panaceas”, and are most effective when used as part of broad social policy (mainstreaming)
4. Many of the approaches to social inclusion has to be inter-generational, and education is key
5. Some policy initiatives are costly, but the money is there in most countries
6. Good quality evaluations are still lacking
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1. The particular importance of social inclusion for ECA
The challenge of convergence is still large, even at today’s rapid growth rates Increasing both labor force participation and productivity are the only solutionsIncluding those in the current populations who are excluded, into jobs, and good (higher productivity) jobs is a fairer and more sustainable solution
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2. Cross-sectoral approaches
The quality of delivered services (e.g., education quality) is central for attaining CCT goalsIncreasing labor demand is a prerequisite for the most successful activation policiesCommunity-based approaches are inherently cross-ministerial Child care needs to involve education and healthMobility requires action on housing markets
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3. Mainstreaming approaches
There are many successful experiences, but they need to be embedded within a broader social policy – Employment– De-institutionalization– CCTs (and their relationship to
existing transfers)
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4. Inter-generational focus
Addressing exclusion in a generation is difficult, but for the next generation it is affordable (long-term unemployed hardest to reach, to move).Better educating kids (CCTs, REF approaches for Roma, skills-building for most marginalized groups, better social care for children) a necessary approach
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5. Available resources
For many ECA countries, the marginal resources to make costly program changes exist:– EU funds (ESF/structural funds for
member states, IPA for candidates, or neighborhood funds)
– Oil/mineral revenue– Savings from increasing efficiency
(e.g., from better targeting transfers)
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6. Evaluation is essential
Social inclusion, by its very complexity, needs experimental/pilot approachesScientific, well-designed evaluations are critical:– For understanding results/successes– For not wasting time and resources
on falures– For building political support