Rapid Social Response Program

In response to the triple wave of food, fuel and financial crises (4.7mb pdf), the World Bank has established the Rapid Social Response (RSR) program.

The objectives of the RSR Program are to:

• Safeguard lives and livelihoods during the global crises by promoting social protection measures such as social safety nets and labor market programs and maintenance of access to basic health, education and other vital services for communities, especially poor and vulnerable groups;
• Coordinate, monitor and report on Bank’s response in thematic areas of safety nets, labor, access to basic social services across all Bank client countries;
• Channel additional donor grant contributions to leverage IDA resources;
• Prioritize response in lower income countries, especially fragile states.

The Rapid Social Response (RSR) Program is part of the World Bank’s Vulnerability Financing Facility (VFF) - its overall crisis response framework.  The RSR will be the second window under the VFF alongside the Global Food Crisis Response Program. 

The Bank’s response has been developed in close collaboration with donor partners, leading to the establishment of a Multi-Donor Trust Fund to facilitate increased lending and support capacity building in IDA countries.

Through its focus on supporting quick responses in low income settings, key activities will be designed to:

• Support diagnostics, capacity building, piloting of innovative approaches and knowledge sharing;
• Provide an  ample menu of programs for safety nets, labor markets, maintenance of access to basic services;
• Support IDA eligible countries.

Key Facts

During the last year, the World Bank greatly increased lending through regular channels for the themes covered by the RSR.  While FY08 lending under RSR themes was US$1.2 billion in 70 projects, it was US$4.3 billion in 68 projects in FY09.  Current projections for FY10 are US$3.2 billion in 80 projects.  This represents a sharp upswing in historical trends.

About two thirds of this was for safety nets, with the remainder for social risk mitigation, labor and nutrition.  Considering FY09-10, about 80% of the lending was for IBRD countries and about 20% was for IDA countries.

For more information, download the RSR Monitoring Report (179kb pdf).

The support of the following donors is gratefully recognized: Russian Federation, UK Department for International Development (DFID).