Targeting Social Assistance in a Transition Economy: the Mahallas in Uzbekistan

Abstract

Falling output and living standards have pushed countries in transition from the socialist system to re-consider how best to target public resources on those in need. The paper investigates the workings of a new social assistance benefit in Uzbekistan, the largest of the former Soviet Central Asian republics, administered by community organisations, the Falling output and living standards have pushed countries in transition from the socialist system to re-consider how best to target public resources on those in need. The paper investigates the workings of a new social assistance benefit in Uzbekistan, the largest of the former Soviet Central Asian republics, administered by community organisations, the Mahallas. Household survey data are used to assess the scheme's success in targeting to the most vulnerable households, using a variety of indicators including income, durable goods ownership, agricultural assets, employment status, and anthropometric status of children.

The Uzbek puzzle revisited: an analysis of economic performance in Uzbekistan since 1991

“…39 Although the scheme turned out to be effective in targeting economically vulnerable households, it nevertheless became less generous over time. 40 It is also noteworthy that, despite economic difficulties, the government has not decreased expenditure on health and education since independence. Maintained at about 10 per cent of GDP, the country's expenditure on education is higher than that in any other country in the region-indeed, higher than that in any OECD country.…”

Social protection and poverty in Azerbaijan, a low‐income country in transition: Implications of a household survey

“…An al ter na tive ap proach is com mu nity tar get ing, as for in stance the Mahalla pro gramme in Uzbekistan im ple mented since the mid-1990s (Micklewright et al, 2004;Micklewright and Marnie, 2005). The Mahalla is a neighbourhood com mit tee comprising the most re spected cit i zens of the com munity.…”

The Emergence and Development of Social Assistance in Beijing

“…As a 'program of last resort' to tackle poverty, it has been conceived more as a residual source of income to fill the gaps between universal social insurance-based programs. Social assistance programmes have received growing attention from governments and social policy analysts in recent years in developed welfare states (Atkinson, 1995;Ditch, 1999;Gough, et al, 1997;Ditch, et al, 1997;Ditch & Oldfields, 1999;OECD, 1998aOECD, , 1998bOECD, , 1999Saraceno, 2002;Dahl & Lorentzen, 2003;Andren & Gustafsson, 2004;Lorentzen & Dahl, 2005), in developing countries (Lustig & Inter-American Development Bank, 2001;Subbarao et al, 1997;Wilson, et al, 2001;Oritz, 2000Oritz, , 2001Oritz, , 2002 and in transition countries (Braithwaite, et al, 2000;Hutton & Redmond, 2000;Mikhalev, 2001;Milanović, 1998;Micklewright & Marnie, 2005). Overall, social assistance programmes vary across countries in terms of eligibility, application procedures, administration, payment rates and adjustment over time, the conditions of benefit receipt, and the intensity of public support for re-integration in the labour market (Adema, 2006).…”