DOMINICA SOCIAL SAFETY NET REFORM:
EXPERIENCE AND CHALLENGES
COUNTRY PROFILE
COUNTRY PROFILE:

Largest Windward Island

Situated between Guadeloupe and Martinique

Total land area of 750.6 km2 (290 sq. miles)

Population (CSO Census 2001): 71,079

Least populated Windward Island

Susceptible to landslides and vulnerable to hurricanes

Very rugged and steep terrain

Agriculture & tourism based economy
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
OF CBR AND MIS
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The Management Information System (MIS) is
guided by the World Bank Growth and Social
Protection Technical Assistance Project.

Origin of Component:
 Poverty Assessment Report
 Social Protection Review, 2003
 Growth and Social Protection Strategy – Policy
Document
 Public
Sector Reform Strategy
COMPONENTS OF THE GENERAL PROJECT

Making the public sector more effective Customs modernization, Registry
modernization, Audit General and Accountant
General office, Procurement Legislation

Improving the investment climate –
Investment strategy and Action plan for Invest
Dominica Authority (IDA)
COMPONENTS OF THE GENERAL PROJECT

Reforming the Regulatory framework for the
energy sector – Independent Regulatory
Commission (IRC), Legislation for Alternative
Energy

Improving Social Protection – Beneficiary
Identification System, Central Beneficiary
System, Management Information System,
Public Information Campaign
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
According to the Social Protection Review :
“The social protection system will assist
individuals, households and communities to
better manage risk factors and expand
coverage to vulnerable groups”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Critical issues articulated by the GSPS

non-transparent targeting of beneficiaries

weak capacity to monitor and evaluate programs

lack of established policies and procedures
implementation of social safety net programs….

The systems needed to be strengthened
for
OVERVIEW OF THE REFORM
OVERVIEW OF REFORM:
The objective of the reform is to:

improve the efficiency and effectiveness of existing
social safety net programs.

design and implement an efficient and transparent
targeting mechanism that would be used for a
number of safety net programs.

establish and document all operating procedure for
Public Assistance and the Education Trust Fund.

develop a central beneficiary registry.
RATIONALE OF THE PROGRAMME
RATIONALE:

To address constraints in the delivery of social safety
net programs as identified in the 2003 Dominica
Social Protection Review and the Government’s Growth
and Social Protection Strategy.

Weak capacity to monitor and evaluate programs.

Overlap of established policies and procedures for
implementation of social safety net programs.

Duplication of skills training and community based
programs.
RATIONALE:
CONT’D

To reassess beneficiaries of
programmes.
safety net

To develop a uniform proxy means test,
which will be used to identify beneficiaries
for all major programmes under the social
safety net.
MAIN OBJECTIVE
OF
THE SOCIAL PROTECTION COMPONENT
To strengthen the Government’s capacity
to better target, plan and administer social
assistance programs for poor and
vulnerable persons.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
To enhance the Government’s effectiveness to deliver
public goods and services by strengthening
the institutional capacity to key agencies.
To provide targeted social
assistance to reduce poverty.
OTHER EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

Improved distribution of benefits to the
poor.

Strengthen delivery of programmes and
increased benefit levels.

Reduction in time costs for the poor
through the merging of programmes with
the same objectives and target groups.
OTHER EXPECTED OUTCOMES:
CONT’D

A technical, objective, equitable and uniform mechanism for
selecting beneficiaries of targeted social programs.

Programme databases to track beneficiaries and
expenditures for Public Assistance Programme, Education
Trust Fund and the School Feeding Programme.

The development of a Central Beneficiary Registry.

The Establishment and documentation of policies and
procedures for the Public Assistance Programme and
Education Trust Fund.
PROCESS TAKEN:

Develop and Pilot the Proxy-Means Test for the
Beneficiary Identification System

Plan for the Beneficiary Identification System
and Central Beneficiary Registry
PROCESS TAKEN:
CONT’D

Development of a Growth and Social Strategy White Paper in keeping
with the Millennium Development Goals.

Establishment of a Project Coordinating Unit

A Committee was put in place to develop the ToRs for the MIS

The ToRs were advertised locally and internationally through
newspaper, and internet requesting consultants

A subcommittee was established and convened to reviews the
proposals submitted by the consultants

Consultant was chosen.
HIGHS:

Establishment of committees

Development of a Proxy Means Test

Approved by the Cabinet of the Government of
Dominica and launched in February 2011

Funding made possible by EU, World Bank and the
Government of Dominica

Full support of the ICTU
LOWS:

Consultants did not stick to design specification

Double payments per household due to Smart Stream (Financial
Management System) not linked to NBIS.

Approved allowances goes in the name of Head of Household
who may be employed and not in the name of the applicant.

Assessments sometimes result in the cancelation
disqualification of elderly persons who are generally in need.

A Unit is needed to manage the activities of the MIS (Monitoring
and Evaluation)
or
ISSUES SURROUNDING CBR & MIS ESTABLISHMENT :

Lack of understanding of CBR and MIS objectives by
stakeholders (Government) and consultant.

The Committee should have comprised of persons from the
private and public sectors.

Lack of consultation with the general public on the reform
initiatives especially with regards to the CBR and the MIS.

There was no stakeholder consultant on the system design of the
MIS.

It is necessary to have someone with Information Technology
background on the committee from the inception.
THE NBIS
ADVISE TO OECS PARTNERS

Ensure the “buy in” of political directorates

Have the support of all stakeholders

Have a champion

Ensure that design specification is properly
outlined

Establish a Management Unit for further support
THANK YOU.
Third Caribbean Workshop on
Social Protection and International Cooperation
Program Registration Form
COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA
TITLE OF THE EXPERIENCE (POLICY, PROGRAM
OR PROJECT)
Adopt a Family
BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Governments in developing countries have
experimented with a wide range of social
protection programs, including those that
protect poor people from financial crises. The
2009 Country Poverty Assessment report found
an overall reduction in poverty at a national
level from 39 per cent in 2003 to 28 per cent
in 2009
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Whereas this is a positive indication, the next
logical step is to develop programmes to reduce
the severity of poverty in some cases and
improve the quality of life for persons falling
within the 28 per cent bracket. It is also
extremely necessary to address the 3.1 per cent
deemed indigent, and the 11 per cent identified
as being vulnerable.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The parishes needing almost immediate
attention because of the severity of poverty
experienced by its inhabitants were identified.
These parishes are St Joseph, St George, St
Andrew and St Patrick.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Social Welfare Division has been mandated
to coordinate government’s main Cash Transfer
programme through its Public Assistance
programme from its inception which caters for
vulnerable individuals and groups in an effort to
enhance their quality of life. Much emphasis is
placed on working with families as varied
services are extended to both adults and children
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Adopt a Family project is aimed at reaching
beneficiaries of the Division’s Public Assistance
programme in selected urban poor communities
within the parish of St. George. The poverty
ranking categories of those who fall in the lower
quintile (poor & indigent) will be given prime
consideration. Due observations have been made
as it relates to the status of the urban poor as
compared to the rural poor.
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
1.
2.
3.
The objective of the project is to establish a link between the
private sector and the poor and indigent beneficiaries on
Public Assistance Programme coordinated by the Social
Welfare Division.
It is intended to promote the sustainable educational
development of children within the poor and indigent
households who are in the formal education system, through
improved financial and kind support for assisting in breaking
the cycle of poverty among this populace.
To ensure that children within these households who enters
the formal school system attain graduate status and do not
have to dropout for lack of support during their educational
tenure
PROGRAM/PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION TIMEFRAME
Starting date: January 2014 (Spring Semester)
(Estimated) ending date: Summer 2019: It must
also be borne in mind the form the student is at
the time of enrolment in the project will
determine their duration in the project.
PROGRAM/PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION STATUS
The project is in its planning stage building on the
findings of the Ministry of Finance report on
Community Meetings exploring poverty reduction
and improvement in the quality of life as a result
of the Country Poverty Assessment report.
TOPICS











Conditional cash transfers
Solidarity pensions
Food security √
Financial inclusion
Income generation
Social housing
Economy of care √
Gender equity
Comprehensive child care
Differential attention (minorities, ethnic groups, vulnerable
groups) √
Other (please specify) – Educational Assistance
IMPACT AREAS
National
√
 Name of the Institution: Ministry of Social
Services
 Departmental (S/S;EDU. HEALTH & Finance)
 Department(s) Social Welfare Division
 Municipality(ies)
 Community/county/sector 3: Gutter, Taris Pit,
Yam Piece

TARGET POPULATION
Child
√
2. Women √
3. Youth
√
4. Ethnic Groups √
5. Adults
√
6. Others)
7. Older Persons √
(Please specify) While the programme will seek to target
the education pursuit of the Children of school age in the
home, the entire family is expected to benefit. Health,
psychosocial skills, Income generation
1.
EXPERIENCE COMPONENTS
Targeting tools Beneficiaries registration
systems
 Monitoring and evaluation practices
 Interagency and/or intersectoral coordination
 Community participation methodologies
 Poverty measurements √
 Other?

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS
1. The concretized information obtained
through needs assessment during Ministry of
Finance community meetings
 2. The initial commitment of the management
of Small Business department in collaborating
with the Social Welfare Division

III. PROGRAM/PROJECT DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION

The Ministry of Community Development,
Social Service and Gender Affairs through the
Social Welfare Division is the implementing
agency. The Ministry of Finance
FOLLOW UP AND MONITORING






This project will be monitored through key indicators in
keeping with aims and objectives of the project:
1. A reduction in the number people in the said area
requesting Public Assistance
2. Education: Possible increase in students graduating
out of High schools
3. Nutrition: Improvement in the dietary intake
4. Employment: An increase in the percentage of people
who are now more employable
5. Housing: Improving in the living conditions of these
households
IV. OUTCOMES, IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY
Indicator
Target
Attained Goal
Increase in School
attendance
All students from
50% decrease in school drop out
grade k (primary) –
4th Formers of all
Secondary schools
Improved diet
All members of the More focus students during lessons
household with
particular focus on
the children
Improved Health
All member of the
household
Reduction in communicable and
non‐communicable diseases
REPLICABILITY AND EXCHANGE POTENTIAL

The Government of the Commonwealth of
Dominica has been sharing a partial concept of
this project for decades through it scholarships
and bursary programmes to successful
students upon sitting the National Assessment
for entry into Secondary schools. The
difference with the Adopt-A-Family Project and
the one operated by Government will be on
‘performance level.’
REPLICABILITY AND EXCHANGE POTENTIAL

Whereas Government’s continuous
sponsorship is conditioned greatly on of the
receipient’s performance level, meaning if the
beneficiary repeated any given class, the
sponsorship would be automatically
terminated. The Adopt-A-Family project is
aimed at sponsoring a child in bringing them to
the point of completing a secondary education
and where possible, tertiary. This is whether or
not they repeated any of their classes.
REPLICABILITY AND EXCHANGE POTENTIAL

This is not in any way to suggest mediocrity, but
that all should strive towards excellence.
Through the Government’s scholarship and
bursary programme many families with low
socioeconomic statuses were able to see their
children succeed. It is on this backdrop that
that the Adopt-A-Family is being developed. The
advantages of being qualified educationally, it
is hope will break the trend of generational
poverty.