| Project Detail |
Project Name Building Capacity for an Effective Social Welfare System Project Number 51387-001 Country Mongolia Project Status Active Project Type / Modality of Assistance Technical Assistance Source of Funding / Amount TA 9893-MON: Building Capacity for an Effective Social Welfare System Technical Assistance Special Fund US$ 600,000.00 Strategic Agendas Inclusive economic growth Drivers of Change Gender Equity and Mainstreaming Governance and capacity development Knowledge solutions Sector / Subsector Public sector management / Social protection initiatives Gender Equity and Mainstreaming Some gender elements Description The Government of Mongolia has requested knowledge and support technical assistance (TA) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to build capacity to improve delivery of social welfare benefits and services targeted to the poor and vulnerable. The TA will support improved capacity for social workers and social protection policymakers; better delivery and monitoring of community-based social welfare services; and more social welfare research, policy dialogue, and advocacy. The TA is included in ADBs country operations business plan for Mongolia, 2020-2021 and is very strongly aligned with the Strategy 2030 operational priority of addressing remaining poverty and reducing inequalities. Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy Mongolias social protection system, especially social welfare (social assistance), has played a central role in fostering and protecting the countrys gains in poverty reduction and human development, especially during periods of economic difficulties. From 2016 to 2018, the number of social welfare beneficiaries increased by 16.2%, while expenditure on social welfare benefits increased by 29% to MNT619.8 billion. Expenditure increased mainly because three of the largest programs expanded: child money, food stamps, and mothers benefits. Nevertheless, the poverty rate remained high at 28.4% in 2018, a decrease of just 1.2 percentage points from the 2016 estimate of 29.6%. Many more people living just above the national average poverty line are vulnerable to falling back into extreme poverty. Mongolias significant but fragile progress in social development underscores the need to further strengthen social protection. The Social Welfare Law of 2012 defines four basic types of benefits: pensions, allowances, assistance and discounts, and services. Some target certain population groups, while others use the national poverty targeting system, a proxy means test. With more than 60 distinct social welfare benefits and more than 120 service providers accredited by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (MLSP) to provide community-based social welfare services, several challenges emerge. The system is complex and fragmented. Duplication and overlap of often very low benefit levels lead to inefficient use of scarce resources. Some programs target certain population groups who are not necessarily all poor. Others use the proxy means test, but inclusion and exclusion errors a feature of any targeting system are a significant source of grievances and complaints. Contracted community-based social welfare services reach relatively few people, and the quality of service delivery can be inconsistent, depending on the service provider. The contracting, management, delivery, and monitoring of social welfare services all need strengthening. On balance, the delivery of social welfare benefits and services to Mongolias poor and vulnerable is less effective than it could be, which limits the impact on poverty and vulnerability. Impact Social welfare services provided to target populations in an equitable and inclusive manner Project Outcome Description of Outcome Delivery of social welfare benefits and services for Mongolias poor and vulnerable improved Progress Toward Outcome Implementation Progress Description of Project Outputs Capacity of social workers and social welfare policymakers improved Delivery and monitoring of community-based social welfare services strengthened Social welfare policy research, policy dialogue, and advocacy supported Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues) Geographical Location Nation-wide Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects Environmental Aspects Involuntary Resettlement Indigenous Peoples Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation During Project Design During Project Implementation Business Opportunities Consulting Services ADB will engage the consultants following the ADB Procurement Policy (2017, as amended from time to time) and its associated project administration instructions and/or staff instructions. ADB will recruit an international consulting firm or institution with social protection sector expertise using performance terms of reference and quality-based selection. Procurement The consulting firm will procure goods for office operations as needed. Goods will be procured by the consultants and will be turned over to the executing agency upon completion of the TA. Responsible ADB Officer Karin Schelzig Responsible ADB Department East Asia Department Responsible ADB Division Urban and Social Sectors Division, EARD Executing Agencies Ministry of Labor and Social Protection Government Building-2 United Nations Street-5 Ulaanbaatar-15160, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia |
