VIETNAM PRSP: A PARTICIPATORY PROCESS

1
VIETNAM PRSP A PARTICIPATORY PROCESS

• Nisha Agrawal
• Lead Economist, Vietnam
• September 6, 2000

2
Analytical Foundation built during 1999

• Vietnam Attacking Poverty
• 4 PPAs
• in Lao Cai in the North (by MRDP)
• in Ha Tinh in the Center (by Actionaid)
• in Tra Vinh in the South (by Oxfam GB)
• in Ho Chi Minh City (SCF, UK)
• Vietnam Voices of the Poor (Synthesis report)

3
What is different about the Vietnam Poverty Report

• It is not a World Bank report--even though it was
  the main report for the December 1999 CG
  Meeting--but a joint report of the Poverty
  Working Group--which is a coalition of
  Government-donor-NGO agencies
• Based on both quantitative data (from 6000
  households) and qualitative data (from 1000
  households)

4
Planning for the Collaborative, Participatory
Poverty Assessment

• Started more than a year before the actual work
  started--need for a new poverty assessment (PA)
  identified in the draft CAS prepared in early
  1998
• First PA for Vietnam was done in 1995 and was
  based on the 1992/93 Vietnam Living Standard
  Survey (VLSS)
• Next VLSS was to be done in 1997/98, and was to
  be available in early 1999

5
Commitment made in the 1998 Vietnam CAS

• That the work would be done in partnership with
  central and local governments, with donors and
  NGOs, and the aim would be to have one PA which
  could serve the need for all these groups
• That the PA would be based on both quantitative
  and qualitative information--as was becoming
  standard practice in the Bank

6
Getting the Donors on Board

• UNDP and SIDA had provided financial support to
  the Government Statistics Office (GSO) and the
  World Bank had provided technical support for the
  2 VLSS--all three agencies agreed to produce 1 PA
  jointly
• DFID was seeking to strengthen their own
  understanding of poverty and chose to do it in
  partnership with the World Bank rather than on a
  stand-alone basis

7
Finding the PPA Partners

• During 1998, search was for true partners, who
  had the interest and capacity to undertake
  quality participatory research and had strong
  relationships of trust with local communities and
  local governments
• Search was also for partners who would use this
  research for their own activities--rather than
  doing it for us as consultants--so that the
  research could have immediate impact

8
4 PPA Partners Identified

• Some PPA-related activities were already underway
  in Vietnam
• Actionaid had been approached by Ha Tinh province
  for support to provincial poverty strategy in
  summer 1998
• Save the Children (UK) ran a pilot PPA in HCMC,
  in part to refine a research plan for a larger
  PPA to inform their own program activities in
  HCMC

9
4 PPA Partners Identified (contd.)

• Oxfam GB expressed interest in undertaking a PPA,
  largely to be able to influence local poverty
  policies in Tra Vinh--where they had a
  program--and national poverty policies
• Vietnam Sweden MRDP (Mountain Rural Development
  Program) combined PPA for PA with a participatory
  program evaluation that they had been planning
  anyway

10
Government Involved through the Poverty Working
Group

• In February 1999, World Bank approached the
  Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI)
  outlining the intention to establish a joint
  Government-donor-NGO Poverty Working Group (PWG)
• 8 Government agencies --MPI, MOF, SBV, MARD,
  MOLISA, GSO, CEMMA, WU--were asked to nominate a
  representative

11
Planning Stage Completed by early 1999

• One year after discussing the need for a new PA,
  all the key players at the national level had
  been engaged
• Resources were available and a mechanism for
  collaboration was in place
• World Bank proposed that the PA be a report of
  the PWG--not just of the World Bank--and that it
  should be presented and debated at the December
  1999 CG Meeting

12
Design Linked to Global Reports and Processes

• Vietnam team set up a two-way learning process
  linked to the WDR 2000/2001 on Attacking Poverty
• Vietnam PPAs to be linked to the Consultations
  with the Poor exercise coordinated by the World
  Bank as background to the WDR 2000/2001

13
A Flavor of the Process of Producing the PA
during 1999

• PPA teams and PA team did the analysis and write
  up during 1999
• PWG met for one day a month to discuss
  methodology, findings, review early drafts
• PWG meetings co-chaired by Government and donor
  agencies (on a rotating basis)
• PWG traveled to all four PPA provinces for
  workshops held to discuss and debate PPA findings

14
December 1999 CG Meeting discusses and endorses PA

• Vietnam Attacking Poverty presented to CG
  Meeting held in Hanoi
• 20 local NGOs invited to participate in opening
  session that discussed PA
• 4 PPA partners invited to attend the full CG
• CG Meeting endorsed the PA and held it up as a
  model for doing business in Vietnam

15
Main Findings of Poverty Report

• Poverty--no matter how you measure it-- has
  declined in Vietnam during 1993-98
• Percentage of people below the poverty line
  declined from 58 in 1993 to 37 in 1998
• Gains in poverty reduction have been broad and
  widespread--poverty declined in rural and urban
  areas in all 7 geographic regions for ethnic
  minority and majority groups

16
Multi-Dimensional Nature of Poverty

• Poverty is a lack of adequate consumption,
  education, healthcare
• Poverty is lack of access and a sense of
  voicelessness
• Poverty is also a feeling of vulnerability and
  fear for the future

17
Three-Pronged Approach for Attacking Poverty

• Creating Opportunity--opportunities for
  employment and productivity growth must be
  created so that incomes rise
• Ensuring Equity--Measures must be put into place
  to ensure that growth and access to services is
  fair and equitable
• Reducing Vulnerability--Special care must be
  taken to reduce the vulnerability of the poor to
  unforeseen events

18
Examples of Contributions of the PPAs

• Nature of urban poverty (HCMC PPA)
• Fees and voluntary contributions (Ha Tinh)
• High indebtedness, growing landlessness need
  for off-farm employment (Tra Vinh)
• Gender issues (including domestic violence--all
  PPAs, but especially Lao Cai)
• Strong demand for information, voice and
  participation

19
Development of a Comprehensive Poverty Reduction
Strategy

• Following the Dec 1999 CG Meeting, the Prime
  Minister asked MOLISA--jointly with the PWG--to
  develop a Comprehensive PRS for Vietnam to feed
  into 5 Year plan and 10 Year Strategy
• PWG expanded to include ADB and JBIC 3
  international NGOs elected to participate 3
  local NGOs invited to participate more
  Government participants included

20
Development of a Comprehensive Poverty Reduction
Strategy (contd.)

• PWG reconstituted to become an expanded,
  information-sharing group including all donors
  and all NGOs (through NGO Resource Center)
  Poverty Task Force set up as smaller working
  group
• PWG organized a major 3 day workshop in July in
  Sapa, with about 100 participants, to provide
  technical inputs into the CPRS

21
Current Status of Comprehensive Poverty
Reduction Strategy

• MOLISA now taking the lead in drafting a CPRS
• Regional and national consultation workshops
  being held on draft CPRS during September and
  October to seek inputs from all ministries and
  all 61 provinces (funded by ADB and WB)
• CPRS to be discussed and adopted at 9th Party
  Congress to be held in Spring 2001

22
Development of an I-PRSP

• SAC-PRGF negotiations have been going on for last
  18 months
• Started preparations for I-PRSP
• PWG discussed macro, structural and PER issues in
  April 2000 meeting
• Bank-Fund inform Vietnam authorities about I-PRSP
  requirements in May 2000
• Government appoints Ministry of Planning and
  Investment as lead agency for I-PRSP

23
Current Status of I-PRSP

• MPI taking the lead in drafting the I-PRSP
• Consultations to happen in September and October
  on I-PRSP
• UNDP providing financial support to MPI for
  drafting and finalizing I-PRSP and for
  consultation process
• Timing of I-PRSP uncertain since timing of
  SACII/PRGF uncertain

24
Challenge How to bring the two Processes Together

• Main drafters from both MPI and MOLISA have been
  members of PWG
• Both using same inputs--PA, PPAs, output of Sapa
  workshop, etc.
• MPI--stronger on macro, structural, sectoral
  policies
• MOLISA--stronger in targeted approach to poverty
  reduction
• Hope two processes will merge over time