Brief Report

Expert Group Meeting on the Identification of Major Issues in Eradicating Poverty and
Fostering Rapid and Equitable Development in NAM Member Countries,

Jakarta, Indonesia, 24-26 April, 2001

PROCEEDINGS

Many developing countries are still facing problem in achieving a lasting improvement in the standard of living of the majority of their population. Whereas a few countries have successfully implemented some innovative projects with community involvement, there is a considerable scope for sharing and refining people driven development schemes for effectively addressing the needs of the economically disadvantage and socially deprived sections of the population in developing countries.

Efforts at strengthening and organizing poor communities can only be successful if the broader political economic framework facilities is the same. As such, self-help activities are influenced by macro policies and the decision making structures at the local, regional and national levels. In the events that these policies and structures work as constraints, they can be suitably addressed and ameliorated by the people driven development schemes. These constraints can be local, such as land ownership system, government administration, availability/accessibility to resources/tenure. Further at the regional and national levels, there are constraints relating to limited participation in macro planning and resource distribution.

At the national level, there are also constraints relating to legal deficiencies pertaining to poor and socially deprived groups. At the international level, there are constraints relating to unfavorable terms of trade for products, protectionism policies and/or scarcity of resources. Other constraints stem from illegal forms of organization related to drug trafficking and organized crime.

In addressing the poverty issues, merely promoting self-help groups would not be sufficient. It is of vital importance to organize the poor and socially deprived communities into associations, cooperatives and guilds for strengthening their bargaining power. Through this process, of organization, poor groups can be suitably empowered.

For expediting and strengthening the empowerment process, framework conditions should be conducive to generating and improving the chances and opportunities for self-help groups to come together and flourish. The identification, analysis and restructuring of existing framework conditions are, therefore, crucial to poverty alleviation.

The experts coming from different 7 sub-regions, which comprise of 26 countries of Latin American, African, and Asian regions, participated in the expert  group meeting on the identification of major issues in eradicating poverty and fostering rapid and equitable development has productively shared on their national situations and identified both common and specific issues.

There are 7 groups reflecting their major issues identified in their respective sub-regions, as follows:

GROUP 1

(Madagascar, Tanzania, Mozambique)

Members: Andriamitandrina, Anna Arestina Joel, Abilio Armando Gune

MAJOR ISSUES :

Structure Economic (Economic instability)

• Pace and sector pattern of investment and growth 

• Initial social and regional inequalities

• Pace and patters of natural resources use and exploitation

• Labor market structure and

• Access to market and services

• Globalization Challenges

 Demographic Patterns

• Internal migration

• High Dependency ratio

• High mortality rates

Accessibility Failures

• Natural capital (land, water etc)

• Social capital

• Human capital (Health, education)

• Physical capital (infrastructure)

• Financial capital (Credit Schemes)

Conflict

• Political instability

• Social Instability

Institutional Failure/Governance

• Poor and in effective delivery of public goods and services

• Corruption and Exploitation

• Transparency (in Government, Donors)

Social Exclusion  

GROUP 2

(Ethiopia, Sudan, Tunisia)  
Members: Kebede Haile, Zakaria Abdalla, Abderrazak Azaiz

MAJOR ISSUES:

1. Conflict Resolution as a prerequisite for equitable and sustainable development.  

2. Redistribution of income and wealth to enhance poor people capacity to earn income.

3. HIV/AIDS task forces to address their adverse effects on social and economic development at regional and sub-regional levels.

4. Strengthening data bases for proper statistical description of poverty profiles at the country and regional levels.

5. Local perception of poverty should be reflected in poverty indexes.

6. Establishment of coherent efficient coordinating mechanisms.

7. Focus should be on local and communal participation in designing poverty alleviation programmes.

8. Strong political will and commitment is needed to implement the above mentioned policy issues effectively which requires good governance, transparency and accountability.

GROUP 3

(Burkina Faso, Ghana, Jordan)  
Members: Isabelle Diallo, Angela Brown Farhat, Fayiz Suyyagh

MAJOR ISSUES:

Policy

1. Satisfaction of Basic Needs Physical/Social

• Food/Nutrition

• Clothing

• Housing

• Transport

• Education

• Health / HIV / TB

• Water Resources

2. Stability (political, economic), Good Governance & Good Management

3. Local/Regional Conflict

Funding

• Identification of funding sources (Government, Private sector/NGO, Donors)

• Ensure consistency and compatibility of Policies objectives between Government & Donors

Program Concept and Design

• Consistency of concepts & field practice

• Ensure complimentary coordination & integration of the input/output of all activities to serve the same objective

Implementation/Organization/Operation

• Synergies the funding/timing/achievement of all activities in an integrated manner

• De-bureaucratize

• Decentralize

• Ensure linkages between sectors

• Ensure efficient delivery to end-users (target groups)

Evaluation and Monitoring

• Participation in monitoring/evaluation/assessment

• Feedback results

Group 4

(South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe)  
Susan Parnell, Jonathan Chileshe, Muriel Mafico,

MAJOR ISSUES:

Key Issues

• Challenges of globalization

• Employment creation

• HIV/AIDS

• Food security through ensuring adequate access to productive assets/land

• Urbanization of poverty

  Challenges of Globalization

• There is need to address the areas of:

• Trade regime

• Trade barriers

• Aid conditionality

• Skills flight

HIV/AIDS

• AIDS prevalence has had an adverse impact on the regions fragile economies and social fabric. 

• The highest prevalence of HIV are found in Sub-Saharan Africa.

• HIV/AIDS has had an adverse impact on economic performance.

Employment Creation

• South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe have experience jobless growth.

• Expanding opportunities for productive employment is a priority given the rise in unemployment in the region.

Food Insecurity

• Food insecurity coupled with lack of access to land, water and other natural resources are the major challenges confronting the region.

Urbanization of Poverty

There has been a rapid influx of people from rural to urban areas.  The result of this influx is growing poverty in urban areas.

Prerequisites for Effective Poverty Reduction

• Political will to reduce poverty.

• Good governance is a prerequisite for human development and sustainable human development.

• There is  need for structures and processes that can facilitate bottom-up development which is people driven.

Group 5

(Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia)

Members: Singkham Khongsavanh, Myint Thein, Nguyen Thi Hien, Arif Abu Bakar, Nordin Normi, Chitti Chuenyong,, Kamilah Hanifah, Saedah Yussof, Jacobson, Firmansyah Kustiawan, A. Fanggidae

MAJOR ISSUES:

1. National vision and mission to combat poverty.

2. Commitment of leadership, political and social, at all levels, especially at the national level.

Regional Consultation Forum

3. Reinforcing the enabling environment - capacity building administrative machinery for implementation, coordination and monitoring.

• also at the local level

• community participation enhancement

4. Clear identification of target groups.

5. Systematic and integrated approach.

• policies, strategies, programmes

6. Donor dependency syndrome.

Group 6

(Panama, Guatemala, Suriname)

Members: Rosa Elena Silvera, Vivian Mack, Soeratno Setroredjo

Statement I

The less income, more poverty. More poverty, the more unsatisfied basic needs. The more unsatisfied basic needs, less quality of life, less education and information on health, and more children. The less quality of life, less possibilities of a full citizenship. Less citizenship, less effective democracy.

Statement II

1. Democracy - social participation.

2. Education and basic social services.

3. Economic productivity and competitiveness.

4. Structural reform data collection, monitoring system, implementation system, international sectoral coordination, budgeting process.

5. Social exclusion.

• Access to productive assets, land.

• Gender issue, children, indigenous, etc.

Need Information about:

1. Solidarity fund.

2. Program for Malaysia and Thailand.

3. Indonesia.

Group7

(Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan)

Members: Prabha K. Gunawardena, Mohan Man Sainju, Ali Akbar, Marfua Tokhtakhodjaeva

MAJOR ISSUES:

1. Harmonization of the measurement of poverty

A unique measurement system acceptable by the sub-region should be developed. This is felt necessary because at present poverty situation is measured by various institutions and nations in their own way which is confusing.

2.  Implementation system has to be rationalized

SAARC countries have already pledged to give priority to eradicate poverty in their continues. This political will has to be put into implementation.

3.  Social participation, mobilization development

This is critical for poverty alleviation. The people should feel that they are live actors in the development process of the country.

4. Micro-credit

Micro-credit system is very important. It is an important entry point for the poor to have access to resources. Micro-credit can be used for the implementation of development programmes too. 

5. Decentralization

Decentralization allows to local institutions, local resources and local leadership to take leadership and this will also facilitate grassroots level democracy to strengthen.

6. Social exclusion

The social exclusion problem of the marginalized and  vulnerable groups within the society must be brought into the mainstream of development. They must be put then into equity consideration and provide income generation action.

7. Health and education

Investment in social sector  and social capital is critical to alleviating  poverty. Hence education and health  as basic social services must be given high priority.

8. Leader issue

About 51% of the population in the South Asian region are women. Gender equity issue must be given high priority in order to bring half of the population to the mainstream of development. Tradition against women exists in the region in varied degrees. This is gender discrimination   The countries should take steps to clear this situation, to get the women out of poverty in the region.

9. Measures to facilitate providing increased access to the poor for productive assets and land, must be a policy concern for poverty alleviation.  
   

10. Development scheme

Poverty alleviation process must be people centred and people driven.  Bottom-up process must be encouraged and articulated.

11. Organization of poverty

Urban poverty is going to be a major problem in the region. As the region is growing towards organization process, urban poverty must be examined, analyzed and dealt with, with more seriousness if this problem is allowed to go. If not, it will lead to increase the number of street children, trafficking of girls, unemployment, etc.

12. Good governance

In the form of better transparency, accountability and increased participation, will also help alleviation of corruption and accelerate poverty alleviation efforts. Making the law accessible to the poor is also necessary.

13. Quality of human resources has to be improved, creation of job opportunities has to be looked into. More investments should be allocated for human development.  
     

14. Challenges of globalization

Globalization has implications to the poor. The process of globalization must not be allowed to create obstacles to poverty alleviation. Instead it must be geared to help creation of new opportunities for poverty alleviation.

15. Social harmonization

Almost every country in the sub-region, faces some civil disturbances in varying magnitude. This is a major obstacle in achieving social and economic growth in the region. Therefore the sub-region concerned feels that special measures should be taken to overcome the differences and have peace and harmony in the area in order to reduce or alleviate poverty.

16. Special issues

The countries in the region requires financial assistance to implement the development programmes as well as improve the infrastructure. Since it is experienced that obtaining loans from the IMF and donor countries has become a problem there is a suggestion that a Poverty Fund should be established in the national, regional and international levels in the NAM Centre in order to facilitate and finance poverty alleviation initiatives.

Major issues as identified above will be critically elaborated into programme formulation through a joint meeting of experts and decision makers as its concrete follow-up in the nearest future.

LIST OF RESOURCE PERSONS AND PARTICIPANTS

Resource Persons:

1. Angela Brown Farhat, Ms.
   Principal Analyst
   Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy
   National Development Planning Commission
   Address  : P.O. Box CT633, Accra, Ghana  
   Telephone : +233 (21) 771-779
   Facsimile : +233 (21) 764-906
   E-mail  : abfarhat@hotmail.com / abfarhat@ghana.com
    

2. Anna Arestina Joel Mwasha, Ms.
   Assistant/Acting Director
   Poverty Eradication Division
   Vice President’s Office
   Address : Vice President’s Office, P.O. Box 5380, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
   Telephone : +255 (22) 215-1688/2465
   Facsimile : +255 (22) 215-2276/2298
   E-mail : self@afsat.com / asmwasha@hotmail.com
    

3. Chitti Chuenyong, Mr.
   Senior Policy and Plan Analyst
   Rural Development Coordination Division
   National Economic and Social Development Board
   Address  : 962 Krung Road, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
   Telephone  : +66 (2) 282-4111
   Facsimile  : +66 (2) 280-1420/1421
   E-mail  : kasetchai-u@nesdb.go.th
    

4. Fayiz H. Suyyagh, Mr.
   Director
   Social Productivity Program/ Restructuring National Aid Fund
   Ministry of Social Development
   Address : P.O. Box 141363, Amman 11810, Jordan
   Telephone : +962 (6) 567-6612
   Facsimile : +962 (6) 567-6612
   Mobile  : +962 79-552669
   E-mail : fsuyyagh@yahoo.com or fsuyyagh@excite.com  
    

5. Jonathan Hannock Chileshe, Mr.
   Chairman
   National Economic Advisory Council (NEAC)
   Address : P/B E777, Lusaka, Zambia 10101    
   Telephone  : +260 (1) 221-928
   Facsimile   : +260 (1) 238-295
   E-mail : neac@zamnet.zm  
    

6. Marfua Saidumarovna Tokhtakhodjaeva, Ms.
   Director
   Women’s Resource Centre
   Address  : 6 Abai Str., P.O. Box 7195, Tashkent 700011, Uzbekistan       
   Telephone  : +998 (712) 418-939/417-234
   Facsimile  : +998 (712) 418-939
   E-mail : atin@silk.org   
    

7. Mohan Man Sainju, Mr.
   Executive Chairman
   Institute of Integrated Development Studies (IIDS)
   Address : P.O. Box 2254, Purano Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
   Telephone : +977 (1) 478-930/494-519
   Facsimile : +977 (1) 470-831 
   E-mail : iids@wlink.com.np  
    

8. Mohd. Arif bin Abu Bakar, Mr.
   Deputy Secretary General (Economy)
   Ministry of Rural Development 
   Address : Block E, 2^nd Floor, Kompleks Pejabat Kerajaan 
                     Jln. Dato’ Onn, Bukit Perdana, 50606 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia         
   Telephone : +60 (3) 206-9302  
   Facsimile  : +60 (3) 206-9192  
   E-mail        : mariff@kplb.gov.my / mariff_50@hotmail.com  
    

9. Muriel Unondida Mafico, Ms.
   Coordinator
   Poverty Reduction Forum
   Address  : P.O. Box 880, Harare, Zimbabwe
   Telephone  : +263 (4) 870-978/307-900
   Facsimile : +263 (4) 333-345/333-345
   E-mail : mmafico@yahoo.com  
    

10. Mustafa Zakeria Abdalla, Mr.
    Director
    Development Studies and Research Centre, University of Karthoum
    Address :  DSRC, Karthoum University, P.O. Box 321, Sudan
    Telephone : +249 (11) 774-029
    Facsimile  : +249 (11) 775-018  
    E-mail : mzakeria2000@yahoo.com  
     

11. Naivosoa Voninjaka Andriamitandrina, Mr.
    Deputy Director
    Department for the Development of the Church of Jesus Christ (SAF/FJKM) 
    Address  : B.P. 623 Immeuble IFANOMEZANTSOA 11, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
    Telephone : +261 (20) 22-227-78  
    Facsimile : +261 (20) 22-270-33
    E-mail : saf@dts.mg 
      

12. Nguyen Thi Hien, Ms.
    Senior Researcher of Development Policy
    Central Institute for Economic Management, Ministry of Planning & Investment  
    Address : 68 Phan Dinh  Phung, Hanoi, Vietnam           
    Telephone  : +84 (4) 804-4944
    Facsimile  : +84 (4) 845-6795/832-8812  
    E-mail : Bannn-CIEM@org.vn / letrang@netnam.org.vn  
     

13. Prabha Kumarihamy Gunawardena, Ms.
    Additional Secretary
    Ministry of Women’s Affairs
    Address : 177, Nawala Road, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka  
    Telephone : +94 (1) 503-766  
    Facsimile : +94 (1) 591-294
    E-mail  : ____
     

14. Rosa Elena de De La Cruz Silvera, Ms.
    Deputy Director
    Social Politics Office, Ministry of Economy and Finance  
    Address : Main Street, La Locería Bldg, Concordia A-14, Panamá City, Panamá                    
    Telephone  : +507 263-9633 
    Facsimile  : +507 269-5519 
    E-mail : rosa_elenad@hotmail.com  
      

15. Singkham Khongsavanh, Ms.
    Deputy Director General  
    State Planning Committee, Department of Planning    
    Address : Lovanprabang Road, Vientiane,  Lao PDR                     
    Telephone  : +856 (21) 216-752 
    Facsimile   : +856 (21) 216-564 
    E-mail : -  
      

16. Susan Parnell, Ms.
    Associate Professor
    Social Politics Office, Environmental & Geographical Sciences, University of Cape Town  
    Address : MPrivate Bag X, Rondebosch 7700, Cape Town, South Africa                   
    Telephone  : +27 (21) 650-2873 
    Facsimile  : +27 (21) 650-3791 
    E-mail : parnell@enviro.uct.ac.za  
       

17. Vivian Haydee Mack Chang, Ms.
    Gerente Unidad Technica  
    Secretaria de Planification y Programacion de la Presidencia, SEGEPLAN  
    Address : 9a. calle 10-44, zona 1, Ciudad de Guatemala                    
    Telephone  : +(502) 220-4468 
    Facsimile  : +502) 251-3922, Ext. 435
    E-mail : vmack@seeplan.gob.gt