Empowerment Newsletter Oct/Nov 2004

Feature Article:

Does School-Based Management Empower Communities?*

Introduction
Until two years ago, many children of the Honduran hamlet of El Guásimo did not go to school. The nearest school was several miles away, forcing the children to walk along a dangerous path to reach it. Now El Guásimo has its own primary school, and community members meet once a month to discuss school-related matters, such as raising funds to build an additional classroom.   Full Article

 More events

Asia Learning Video Series
The aim of the "Listening to Our Clients" video series is to hear our clients and learn from their perspectives on sustainable development and fighting poverty. This series will include interviews with diverse clients and provide a platform for staff members in SAR and EAR to share good practices and lessons learned relating to development (using videos, etc.)
Please see: video interview with Reema Nanavaty, General Secretary, SEWA.
Contact Narendra Sharma for more information.

Microfinance Helpdesk for Donor Staff
The Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest (CGAP) has launched a new helpdesk service designed exclusively for donor staff with specific questions on microfinance. The helpdesk is now available online at http://www.cgapdirect.org. It is reserved uniquely for CGAP member donor staff as a one-stop place to ask questions and seek specific guidance on microfinance issues.
To obtain rapid expert advice:
Email the CGAP operational team with your query and receive a response within 72 hours http://www.cgapdirect.org/form.asp.

From Governance, WBI: e-discussion on 'Myths"
Governance Mythology-WBI has just launched an e-discussion series on "myths" in order to question and generate debate about popular notions in this field, including the myth that only poor countries are corrupt.
For access to the new work, entitled "Corruption, Governance and Security: Challenges for the Rich Countries and the World" and for reactions and feedback to be posted: http://www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/pubs/gcr2004.html

Social Safety Nets Webpage
Social Safety Nets has updated their website with a number of new sources such as trainings, publications, papers, events, and a new book: Targeting of Transfers in Developing Countries: Review of Lessons and Experience by David Coady, Margaret Grosh, and John Hoddinott.
Visit website at: http://www.worldbank.org/safetynets

World Development Report (WDR) 2006
The World Development Report (WDR) 2006 explores the role of equity in development. Inequalities in incomes, in health and in educational outcomes have long been a stark fact of life in many developing countries. These are often accompanied by profound differences in influence, power and social status, whether at the level of individuals or groups. High inequalities matter for development and need to be addressed by domestic and international policies and institutions.
Comments can be sent to wdr2006@worldbank.org.
To see WDR 2006 visit: http://www.dgroups.org/groups/worldbank/WDR2006/index.cfm?CookieTested=TRUE

The Human Rights Responsibilities of the World Bank
A Business Paradigm
JOEL E. OESTREICH, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA, proposes a model for understanding the appropriate role of intergovernmental organizations in the promotion of human rights, using the World Bank as an example. Most critiques of the Bank’s record on human rights fail because they implicitly treat the institution as a pseudo-governmental agency, with the authority to choose among competing social goals. Oestreich argues that it is more accurate and instructive to see it as similar to a large corporation, with clear but limited responsibilities to society. As such, it is obligated to consider human rights only when they are directly impacted by projects. The article then examines the Bank’s human rights policies. Both in its direct policies and its emphasis on ‘governance’ reform, the institution is acting as we would expect from a corporation in the same situation. Its failures to live up to even its stated guidelines reinforce the need to understand its organizational nature.
See article at: http://gsp.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/4/1/55

Post-Conflict Performance Indicators (PCPIs)
The World Bank Conflict Prevention and Reconstruction Unit made available to the public the Post-Conflict Performance Indicators (PCPIs.) The PCPIs apply to the nine countries currently eligible to receive special post-conflict IDA allocations: Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Cote d'Ivoire, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste. The PCPIs are modeled on the Bank's broader Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA), but adapted to the particular circumstances faced by post-conflict countries.
For more information, visit
http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/ESSD/sdvext.nsf/67ByDocName/ConflictPreventionandReconstruction

Development Gateway in Armenia Raises Awareness about e-Governance
The Armenia Development Gateway is conducting a community education campaign aimed at raising public awareness about e-governance - highlighting regional web resources in particular. The campaign includes a series of workshop discussions from August to December with local representatives of civil society, academic institutions, businesses, and other interested communities. Manuals and promotional materials are being distributed via regional websites and in paper form, and a public awareness campaign is being implemented through local media outlets.
Visit the Armenia Country Gateway at: http://www.gateway.am/index.jsp

Education for All Global Monitoring Report
On November, 8th the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and UNESCO's Director-General launched the 2005 edition of the Education for All Global Monitoring Report in Brasilia. This report, which monitors progress towards the six Education for All goals set by over 160 countries at the World Education Forum in Dakar (2000), finds that significant efforts are being made to increase resources, broaden access to school and improve gender parity. However, exhaustive analysis of research data shows that the quality of education systems is failing children in many parts of the world, and could prevent many countries from achieving Education for All by the target date of 2015. Find out more and download the full report at http://topics.developmentgateway.org/poverty?intcmp=923.

An article from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) describes "How Mexico’s Antipoverty Program Helps Millions While Avoiding Corruption and Keeping Overhead Costs to a Minimum
By Peter Bate, Tlicalco, Veracruz, Mexico
Oportunidades, is a conditioned cash transfer program that is empowering the people of Mexico, particularly women. Launched in 1997, the program provides aid to indigent families to improve their nutrition and keep their children healthy and in school. Its quick and encouraging results led the IDB to grant the program a US$1 billion loan—so far the largest investment loan in the Bank’s history. The Mexican program has grown from 300 thousand families in 1997 to 5 million in 2004, covering virtually all the population threatened by hunger.
To see the article visit: http://www.iadb.org/idbamerica/index.cfm?thisid=3037

The following comments were received from CARE, UK:

I just wanted to let you know that we found the article on "The Dangers, Risks and Unintended Consequences of Empowerment" very interesting - and indeed, one of the key issues CARE has found ourselves facing in applying a rights based approach to development is the need to be very much aware of risks and potential negative impacts.

One way of trying to deal with this is seeking to see power as a positive sum game, so that those who are disempowered can step into a level of empowerment in a way that does not, at the same time, drive those with power into a reactive, and perhaps even violent, mode. This was one of the main focuses of a global CARE meeting exploring Gender, Equity and Diversity in Ethiopia in April this year.

It is also why one of the main ways in which CARE is seeking to mainstream a rights based approach, through the application of its new Programming Principles, includes something specifically focusing on the issue of conflict ("Principle 5. Promote the non-violent resolution of conflicts: We promote just and non-violent means for preventing and resolving conflicts at all levels, noting that such conflicts contribute to poverty and the denial of rights").

We have also developed a draft risk assessment filter tool, to help CARE staff better understand and be able to assess risks associated with the rights based approach. The idea of this tool is to try and move away from a formal risk assessment checklist, or lengthy questionnaire and to use guided group discussion instead to filter out and consider the most significant risks in applying RBAs within a particular context.

We'd be very interested in hearing about other experiences of other organisations in assessing risks in the areas of rights and empowerment, or getting any feedback on this draft tool from those willing to try it out and adapt it to their context.

It is on our Rights Based Approach Resource Centre (under tools, then CARE) -  http://www.careinternational.org.uk/resource_centre/rba_index.php

Thanks for stimulating this debate.

We are happy to receive your suggestions and/or contributions. If you would like to make a submission, please send an email to empowerment@worldbank.org or call 202-458-4949.