Collaborative governance in social protection programs in developing countries: evidence from Ghana

ObjectivesThe study aimed to understand the impact of integrating a fee waiver for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) with Ghana’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) 1000 cash transfer programme...

Transportation barriers to formal healthcare utilisation and associated factors among poor older people under a social protection programme in Ghana

Purpose Although the last two decades have witnessed the implementation of several poverty reduction strategies in developing countries, many have failed to achieve their goal partly because of defective implementation strategies. This paper examines the implementation of one of Ghana’s flagship poverty reduction programs, the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), with a focus on how leadership at the sub-national level influences the implementation of the program.Design/methodology/approach Using qualitative research approach, the study selected research participants from two Municipal Assemblies in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Using a combination of Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews and Participant Observation, data were collected from a total of 44 respondents including beneficiaries, officials from the local government (district) and community level actors.Findings The paper shows that leaders at the sub-national level were more reactionary than proactive, thereby playing passive roles in the implementation of the LEAP program. It shows that the interaction between LEAP beneficiaries and district officials is rather low, which among others limits the effective utilization of the cash grant by the beneficiaries. It maintains that, for the LEAP program to achieve its overall goal of reducing poverty, leaders at the sub-national level ought to deploy more transformational leadership tendencies to incite beneficiaries to leap out of poverty through skill and human capital development.Originality/value The empirical literature is largely silent on the role of leadership in the implementation of cash transfer programs, such as Ghana’s LEAP program at the sub-national level. This study therefore explains the extent to which district level leaders contribute to the effective utilization of cash transfer grants and the human capital development of LEAP beneficiaries in Ghana.

This study draws evidence from 180 respondents who were beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme with the underpinning objective of whether the LEAP beneficiaries are able to acquire other productive livelihood assets. Descriptive research involving both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. The study used questionnaires and focus group discussions to obtain data from the respondents. Data were analysed using the descriptive statistics from the SPSS version 17.0 and presented by tables and percentage counts. The study found that the LEAP beneficiaries do not have other preferable productive livelihood assets needed to expand their livelihood options, largely due to the low amount paid coupled with irregularity of payment. The paper therefore recommends that there should be empowerment of beneficiaries with productive capacities through the incorporation of skills and capability development into the programme. This will enhance beneficiary households to initiate new or strengthen old livelihood sources to ensure livelihood sustainability. Moreover, enrolling the LEAP beneficiaries’ caregivers who are not working in a skilled training programme that exists in communities to equip them with livelihood skills which can be used for livelihood activities, such as, baking and soap making will reduce beneficiaries’ dependence on the LEAP cash.

The emergence of social cash transfers, including Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) scheme, in Ghana was due to the need to mitigate poverty. However, prior assessment studies focused on the entirety of the programmes, and not solely on assessing the utilisation of grants from such programmes. Consequently, this study examined the utilisation of the LEAP grant, by employing a cross-sectional study design. A sample of 302 LEAP beneficiaries was selected by means of stratified random sampling. Data from beneficiaries were gathered via a questionnaire, while an interview guide was used to collect supporting evidence from key informants. Analysis of data involved descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, chi-square test of independence and thematic analysis. The study found that beneficiaries spent their LEAP grant on both consumption and investments, with consumption appearing dominant. Overall, beneficiaries utilised the grant in meeting their basic needs. It is, therefore, recommended that in order to develop self-sufficiency, beneficiaries must be advised by the programme officials to invest part of their grant in income generating activities to earn extra income to supplement the LEAP grant, and eventually wean them of the programme.

The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program is a social protection initiative implemented in 2008 to provide cash transfers to extremely poor households to alleviate poverty and promote human development in Ghana. However, as an unconditional cash transfer program, beneficiaries are expected to perform co-responsibilities related to education, health, nutrition, and savings. In regions with water and sanitation challenges, poor access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) may be impacting LEAP beneficiaries’ livelihoods and the co-responsibilities mandated by the program. Therefore, using a descriptive case study, we explored the implications of WASH on beneficiaries’ livelihoods and their health and education co-responsibilities. Women (n = 25) and girls (n = 19) were interviewed in two communities (Wechiau and Kandeu) in the Wa West district, Ghana. Key themes that emerged included agricultural and trading livelihood impacts and the impact of WASH on educational and health co-responsibilities. Findings revealed that inadequate WASH facilities pose a threat to beneficiaries’ health, absenteeism from school, and frequently result in school dropouts which undermine the intended goals of LEAP. The study recommends urgent investment in infrastructure to provide safe water, improved sanitation, and hygiene for beneficiaries to promote sustainable development and better education and health outcomes among beneficiaries.

This study interrogated the resourcing component of social protection for the economic empowerment of the elderly in Koboko District; with critical attention to the sources of funding, factors determining the accessibility of the available schemes, and possible strategies for their access. The study employed a qualitative approach anchored on interpretive phenomenology as the main overriding design. A total of 18 participants were engaged in the study and they were selected using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data were collected using in-depth interviews, focused group discussion, and observation; and analyzed using ATLAS.ti Version 8 based on the thematic, narrative and content analysis. Findings indicated that those who benefited from the scheme perceived the social protection programme positively and those who did not perceived social protection as a political programme based on government and political interests. Accessibility of the programme was also marred by delays and limited funding as well as technical hiccups. It was recommended that the social protection programmes should be redesigned to favour all the vulnerable elderly. Government, under the Office of the Prime Minister, should strengthen coordination and implementation mechanisms of the social protection programmes to support the elderly, and also pursue a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement so as to support the existing government social protection programmes and boost the resourcing component.

Social protection programmes are designed to help vulnerable populations - including pastoralists - maintain a basic level of well-being, manage risk, and cope with negative shocks. Theory suggests that differential targeting according to poverty status can increase the reach and effectiveness of budgeted social protection programmes. Chronically poor households benefit most from social protection designed to help them meet their basic needs and make vital investments necessary to graduate from poverty. Vulnerable non-destitute households benefit from protection against costly temporary shocks, but do not necessarily need regular assistance. Welfare gains occur when a comprehensive social protection programme considers the needs of both types of households. The authors use evidence-based understanding of poverty dynamics in the pastoralist-based economy of northern Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands as a case study to discuss and compare the observed impacts of two different social protection schemes on heterogeneous pastoralist households: a targeted, unconditional, cash-transfer programme designed to support the poorest, and an index-based livestock insurance programme, which acts as a productive 'safety net' to help stem a descent into poverty and increase resilience. Both types of social protection scheme have been shown to decrease poverty, improve food security and protect child health. However, the behavioural response for asset accumulation varies with the type of protection and the household's unique situation. Poor households that receive cash transfers retain and accumulate assets quickly. Insured households, who are typically vulnerable yet not destitute, protect existing herds and invest more in the livestock they already own. The authors argue that differential targeting increases programme efficiency, and discuss Kenya's current approach to implementing differentially targeted social protection.

ملخص البحث تمثل الحماية الاجتماعية استثمار في رأس المال البشرى فى التنمية الاجتماعية والاقتصادية على حد سواء،وبالنسبة إلى الدول وشعوبها لا تمثل الحماية الاجتماعية مسألة استحقاق ومسؤولية فحسب وإنما مسألة حقوق حيث أصبحت الحماية الاجتماعية واحدة من المکونات الأساسية لسياسة اجتماعية متکاملة وشاملة,حيث ترکز الاتجاهات الحديثة للحماية الاجتماعية على توسيع نطاق الحماية لتشمل کافة شرائح المجتمع بصفة عامة والفقراء بصفة خاصة، وفى کافة مجالات الحياة المختلفة. وبالرغم من تزايد الوحدات الاجتماعية فى مصر،وما تبذله من جهود فى مجالات مختلفة لتحقيق الحماية الاجتماعية إلا أنه مازال متوقعا من الوحدات الاجتماعية أن تقوم بدور أکثر فعالية فى قضية الحماية الاجتماعية للفقراء والضعفاءوالمهمشين,إلا أنها تواجه العديد من الصعوبات فى تطبيقها لبرامج الحماية الاجتماعية,من هنا جاءت الدراسة الراهنة بعنوان:تصور تخطيطى مقترح للحد من معوقات تطبيق برامج الحماية الاجتماعية بالوحدات الاجتماعية الحضرية. حيث إستهدفت تحديد المعوقات التى تواجه الوحدات الاجتماعية الحضرية فى تطبيقها لبرامج الحماية الاجتماعية والتوصل إلى تصور تخطيطى مقترح للحد من هذه المعوقات.وقد تم تطبيق الدراسة على جميع العاملين بالوحدات الاجتماعية الحضرية ببندر الفيوم,حيث بلغت العينة(74) مفردة. وتوصلت الدراسة فى نتائجها الى وجود مجموعة من المعوقات التشريعية والتنظيمية وکذا المعوقات ذات الصلة بالمستفيدين والتى تحد من تطبيق برامج الحماية الاجتماعية بالوحدات الاجتماعية الحضرية. کما توصلت الدراسة الحالية إلى تصور تخطيطى مقترح للحد من معوقات تطبيق برامج الحماية الاجتماعية بالوحدات الاجتماعية الحضرية. الکلمات المفتاحية الدالة: المعوقات , الحماية الاجتماعية , الوحدات الاجتماعية Search Summary Social protection represents an investment in human capital in both social and economic development, and for states and their peoples, social protection is not only a matter of entitlement and responsibility, but also a question of rights, where social protection has become one of the basic components of an integrated and comprehensive social policy. Despite the increase of social units in Egypt, and their efforts in various areas to achieve social protection, social units are still expected to play a more active role in the issue of social protection for the poor, vulnerable and marginalized, but they face many difficulties in applying social protection programs, hence the current study entitled: A proposed planning vision to reduce the obstacles to the application of social protection programs in urban social units. The study was aimed at identifying the obstacles facing urban social units in their application of social protection programs and reaching a proposed planning vision to reduce these obstacles. In its findings, the study found a range of legislative and regulatory constraints as well as barriers related to beneficiaries that limit the application of social protection programs in urban social units The current study also found a proposed planning scenario to reduce the constraints of the application of social protection programs in urban social units. Keywords: Handicaps, Social Protection, Social Units

Social protection (SP) has been demonstrated as an effective tool against poverty and severe hunger. In Ghana, SP interventions have been employed to address vulnerability to poverty since 1965. Nevertheless, its potential for enhancing nutrition has hardly been explored. To harness the cross-sectoral benefits of scaling up nutrition-sensitive actions in Ghana, the national development planning commission requested an assessment of nutrition linkages across existing SP policies and programmes. The present paper presents gaps and opportunities for improving nutrition-sensitivity of existing SP programming in Ghana. The evidence draws heavily on desk review of available published and grey literature. The data show that SP provides an entry point for mainstreaming nutrition into other programmes. However, designing and coupling SP programmes with nutrition programmes remain a challenge in Ghana. Local SP interventions are predominantly designed as standalone services and therefore are implemented independent of each other. To increase synergy between SP and nutrition, including nutrition as an explicit objective of SP policies/strategies is recommended.

The global forum on nutrition-sensitive social protection programs, convened by securenutrition and the Russian Federation, brought together 150 donors, implementers, and country leaders to identify practical ways to link the nutrition and social protection agendas. This paper served as a springboard for discussion at the global forum, and represents a synthesis of evidence from nearly 120 references with a heavy focus on program evaluations. The reach of social protection programs has grown extensively since the 1980s. Recent World Bank estimates show 64 countries running conditional cash transfers as opposed to only two in 1997 and the rapid doubling of countries in Africa implementing unconditional cash transfers - from 20 to 40 in just the last five years. This paper finds that social protection transfers tend to increase household budget devoted to food - often more than other income sources - and highlights evidence that transfers can change diet composition and quality. At the same time, the overall effects of income on nutrition outcomes are not clear and vary by country experience and across studies. Evidence indicates that knowledge of proper hygiene and feeding practices does not necessarily increase alongside purchasing power, hence the rationale to specifically encourage or program behavioral change communication.

Background: Stunting is a strategic issue in human resource development with a multidimensional nature. In South Konawe Regency, the prevalence of stunting reached 36.6% in 2023, representing a significant increase compared to the previous year. This condition indicates the limited effectiveness of single-sector approaches in efforts to reduce stunting. Objectives: This study aims to explore the effectiveness of a multisectoral and collaborative approach in the management of stunting, particularly through the implementation of social assistance and social protection programs. Methods: This study employed a qualitative approach with a case study design conducted in 13 stunting locus villages across eight sub-districts. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 39 informants, including village heads, posyandu cadres, midwives, and parents of stunted children, complemented by field observations and document review. Data analysis was carried out through thematic reduction, narrative data presentation, and verification using source and method triangulation. Results: The findings indicate that social assistance and social protection interventions contribute positively to improving household access to nutrition, health services, and family capacity building. However, the effectiveness of program implementation remains constrained by weak intersectoral coordination, inaccuracies in beneficiary data, and low levels of program integration at the village level. Conversely, collaborative practices among local stakeholders particularly community health cadres, village governments, and beneficiary families were identified as key factors in strengthening the stunting management ecosystem. Conclusion: Addressing stunting requires the strengthening of integrated and collaborative governance across sectors, supported by accurate data systems and active community engagement. A sustainable multisectoral approach is a critical prerequisite for enhancing the effectiveness of stunting management at the local level.

The paper presents an overview of the situation of women in informal employment in Latin America and their access to social protection, and examines key public policy issues in extending social protection to this group. Informal employment has risen in Latin America in the last two decades. This is a product of economic crises, labour market liberalisation, and welfare reforms. There is an important gender dimension to informality. Women are over-represented in informal employment, and they are also over-represented in lower paid and precarious occupational groups within informal employment. As social protection entitlements in the region are largely dependent on employment status, women in informal employment are often excluded from formal social protection programmes. Reform of labour market institutions and social protection programmes is needed to extend social protection to this group. Integrated policy interventions aimed at supporting women's life course decisions could have an important effect in reducing their over-representation in informal employment.

Conventional social protection programmes that fail to intentionally consider climate change effects in their design and delivery are criticised for not addressing the root causes of vulnerability to climate change, particularly for rural livelihoods. Increasingly, we see a shift to adaptive social protection programming to address climate vulnerability, which incorporates transformative objectives. However, there is a dearth of research into the transformative effects of adaptive approaches. Addressing this gap, we employ a “rights-based approach” to assess how adaptive social protection affords greater transformative resilience and wellbeing outcomes over conventional social protection programming. Taking Bangladesh as our case, empirical data show that although social protection programming incorporates some transformative elements, their impacts in terms of subjective resilience and wellbeing outcomes are limited. These limited outcomes result from prevailing clientelism, inadequate benefits paid to participants, lack of beneficiary participation in decision-making, and failure to address unequal gender norms and power relations. These failures are intentionally obscured through the performative practice of corrupted reporting. We conclude by proposing social protection features that are expected to promote more equitable, inclusive and just pathways to sustainably reduce climate induced vulnerability of subsistence farmers.

Given the necessity of distributed decision-making and robust coordination among diverse actors for effective maritime operations, collaborative governance has gained increasing prominence as a key strategy in port management, particularly for island nations like Indonesia. This literature review seeks to clarify the degree to which collaborative governance frameworks have been adopted in Indonesian ports, while simultaneously pinpointing the existing difficulties and potential advantages related to putting policies into practice. By thoroughly examining scholarly articles, government publications, and illustrative examples, this study investigates the theoretical foundations of collaborative governance, its specific application within Indonesia's port industry, and the ongoing shortcomings that prevent its complete and successful implementation. The review's findings indicate that although Indonesia has made headway in incorporating public-private partnerships and promoting the involvement of local stakeholders, persistent systemic obstacles—such as fragmented regulations, inherent disparities in power among stakeholders, and limitations in institutional capabilities at various levels—continue to impede the achievement of effective collaborative governance. Ultimately, this review proposes a set of evidence-based recommendations intended to enhance collaborative governance structures within Indonesia's port management system.