Rapid Social Response Program Hosts 1st Consultative Group Meetings

The Rapid Social Response (RSR) Program hosted its very first consultative group (CG) meetings during the World Bank Spring Meeting on April 23 & 26, 2010, with participation by representatives from Russia, Norway (both RSR-MDTF donors), United Kingdom (RSR-Catalytic Fund donor), Japan (JSDF-Emergency Window donor) and the Bank.  Following the briefing on recent progress, including the approval of 18 new activities under the MDTF and 24 under the Catalytic Fund, activity-specific presentations were given by Amparo Ballivian (LCSPP), Ufuk Guven (ECSH3), Menno Mulder-Sibanda (AFTHE), Iffath Sharif (SASSP) and Joana Silva (MNSSP).  Donor participants and the Bank team exchanged views in a highly constructive atmosphere.  The meetings confirmed the RSR’s critical role in promoting crisis preparedness among poorer countries, through providing an incentive to ex-ante investments in systems to safe-guard lives, livelihoods and the human capital of the poor and the vulnerable.

For more information on the RSR Program, please visit the World Bank Social Protection & Labor.