les cahiers du mecas
Volume 1, Numéro 1, Pages 1-28
2005-04-30
Performance Of Poverty Alleviation Policies In Algeria: The Social Safetynets, The Participatory Community Services Schemes And Pilot Communitarian Projects
Authors : Benhabib Abderrezak . Ziani Tahar .
Abstract
Among the costs incurred during the transition period (from 1994 to 2002) is increasing poverty and inequality in spite of optimistic reverse tendency that began in 2003. Poverty policy has so far focused on a system of social protection consisting mainly of subsidies and special assistance to the elderly, women and the handicapped. In addition, a safety net targeting has been implemented but, despite its contribution to alleviating poverty, has shown some drawbacks. The system has proved costly and targeting has become a source of corruption and cumbersome bureaucratically. There is now a shift in thinking to more decentralization and participation of the poor, hence consolidating the role of civil society, i-e the institutional dimension of social capital, as far as poverty alleviation is concerned. In the respect a trading strategy based on participatory community service schemes has been launched in targeted areas to combat poverty. Community schemes which are endowed with a stock of networks, but in its high bonding and lesser bridging dimensions, may strengthen social ties but engage the poor in a process of dependency that reduces its performances. The community schemes are comprised into modules: health and hygiene, education and social right assistance. The national strategy to reduce poverty for the period 2001-2005 stems mainly from a synergy approach that covers communitarian, network and institutional dimensions that allows for strengthening the bridging relations. In addition, a better understanding can be reached on the functioning of the different service pilot projects that appear to be more performing in the way that they may help the poor manage risk and vulnerability in this paper, an attempt is made to evaluate the performance of the schemes. Evidence from our examination suggests that this strategy based on effective decentralization can achieve some poverty reduction and lessen inequality gaps. Our finding, moreover, stresses the importance of civil society that triggers for the springing up of voluntary associations and fosters empowerment among the poor and, finally, lobbies central government to pursue pro-poor policies efficiently. It is in this context that the new strategy, especially the pilot projects can transform the poor into an active agent by agent by teaching him how to cope with poverty.
Keywords
PERFORMANCE,ALLEVIATION POLICIES ,SOCIAL SAFETYNETS
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