19/08/2014
The Social Protection European Union Expertise in Development Cooperation facility (SOCIEUX), in which the FIIAPP collaborates, conducted an institutional assessment of the Liberian National Social Cash Transfer Secretariat for the purpose of determining areas for improvement before expansion of the social cash transfer project from the counties of Bomi and Maryland to other counties with weak food security. The assessment enabled the SOCIEUX experts to provide recommendations for the institution, which were presented to the National Social Protection Committee, chaired by the Minister of Gender and Development.
Liberia ampliará la transferencia de fondos sociales a condados con escasa seguridad alimentaria.Liberia expands social cash transfers to counties with weak food security.
During the institutional assessment, the SOCIEUX experts analyzed the processes of the National Social Cash Transfer Secretariat, covering everything from beneficiary selection methods,registration, payments, statistics, supervision, assessment and claims systems, to raising awareness among beneficiaries of the entire cash transfer process. The conclusions revealed that the programme, which is fragmented, is still not institutionalized and depends exclusively on the technical assistance of the donors.
The experts met with representatives of the main institutions in the area of social protection, such as the ministries of Education, Agriculture, Health and Social Welfare, as well as the National Social Security Institution, other international donors, civil society, including the Liberian Social Protection Platform, and other participants in the implementation of the social cash transfer pilot programme. They also visited the pilot programme in Bomi, noting the positive impact of the programme.
The SOCIEUX experts’ recommendations regarding the aspects needed to guarantee the quality and impartiality of the programme include the institutionalization and reorganization of current social protection structures, the definition of job profiles and positions, and the development of a preparation and training plan for staff. With regards to the selection of the counties to be made by the Liberian government, the experts propose that the programme be expanded preferably to two of Bomi’s neighbouring counties and to two others near Maryland. These zones will become “regional hubs” for the programme, with trained and strengthened staff resources.
The presentation of the recommendations by the experts before the National Social Protection Committee, chaired by the Minister of Gender and Development, represents the close of this first SOCIEUX mission in Liberia.
As one of the technical assistance actions agreed upon between the National Social Cash Transfer Secretariat and SOCIEUX, a plan will be developed for training the staff of the institution and regional administrators to prepare them to implement the expansion.
