Transforming Cash Transfers: Citizens’ Perspectives on the Politics of Programme Implementation

Social accountability, citizenship and social protection in the MENA region: exploring the linkages

“…As for social accountability features in CT programmes in the MENA region, the evidence is limited to a few case studies. Jones et al (2016) analyse the Palestinian National Cash Transfer Programme (PNCTP), launched in 2010 in the West Bank and in 2011 in Gaza (see Jones, Samuels and Malachowska, 2013:14) and Yemen's Social Welfare Fund (SWF), launched in 1996. A key constraint to social accountability in the SWF is the lack of information about the fund's key principles and formal complaint mechanisms.…”

“…frequently suffer from limited information about important programme details and linkages to other social protection interventions. These information deficits effectively constrain the accountability of implementing agencies and national government to citizens, and are in turn compounded by citizens' lack of information about how the programme operates or its selection criteria" (Jones et al, 2016(Jones et al, :1218. A further constraint to exercising SA is the "concern among beneficiaries that they might be sanctioned or taken off the list of beneficiaries if they complain" (ibid.…”

“…Similarly, in the Palestinian context, opportunities for information exchange and feedback between citizens and programme implementers are limited to interactions (between beneficiaries) on payment days at the banks and to very short home visits by social workers (Jones et al, 2016(Jones et al, :1219. In Gaza, complaint boxes are absent, and there are concerns that written or verbal complaints about PNCTP are not reaching senior ministry officials (due to social workers intercepting and/or manipulating the information, and because of the fact that the complaints data management system is not fully computerized).…”

Recognizing and Leveraging Politics to Expand and Sustain Social Safety Nets

“…Positive impacts on psychosocial well-being lead to positive impacts on educational performance, participation in social life, and empowerment for decision making. In Kenya, Mozambique, and Zambia, orphans, other vulnerable children, and disabled benefi ciaries report that the cash transfers have boosted their self-confi dence, sense of dignity, ability to be more assertive, and expectation of future well-being (Attah et al 2016;Handa et al 2014aHanda et al , 2014bHaushofer and Shapiro 2013;Jones et al 2016;Seidenfeld, Handa, and Tembo 2013). However, social safety net programs can also be associated with stereotype threat or stigma because their benefi ciaries are labeled as extremely poor (Molyneux 2016).…”

“…Social safety net programs can bring governments closer to benefi ciaries by showing how governments can eff ectively respond to needs. New programs can off er important entry points for shift ing interactions between governments and individuals (Jones et al 2016). In South Africa, social safety net programs reportedly made citizens proud of their country (Plagerson, Harpham, and Kielmann 2012).…”