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Looking Back, Moving Forward
After supporting about 120 projects throughout the Asia and Pacific region over the past 5 years, two of ADB’s poverty reduction trust funds—the NPRS and the PRF—are now being closed. In our spotlight, we look back at those years and take stock of how these funds have contributed to ADB and its poverty reduction work. And in our features section, we take a closer look at lessons on regional cooperation and integration—one of the major themes supported by the two funds—that ADB can use to further enhance its poverty reduction work. Seven additional case studies are also included in this edition.
This is the last issue of Poverty Matters from the NPRS and PRF team, but as matters concerning poverty truly matter, the newsletter on poverty will continue on next year under the Poverty Unit of ADB’s Regional and Sustainable Development Department. Thank you for reading.
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Spotlight
Looking Back: the NPRS-PRF story |
 With the NPRS-PRF funds now closed, we talked to two people who have served as coordinators-Sonomi Tanaka for the NPRS and PRF-Regional Window and Christopher Spohr for the PRF-PRC portfolio-to find out their views on what these funds initially sought to do, what they have achieved thus far, and how lessons learned can further improve poverty reduction work in Asia and the Pacific. Read the full article
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Features
Moving Forward: Lessons on Regional Cooperation and Integration |
ADB has argued strongly in favor of Regional Cooperation and Integration (RCI) suggesting that if properly designed and managed, it offers benefits for everyone-for all member countries and for the rich and poor. In this section, we look at NPRS-PRF financed projects that provide lessons for better RCI among countries in the Asia and Pacific region.
 Research to Enhance Remittance Efficiency and Impact in Central Asia
Research on remittances in other parts of the globe, such as Latin America and Southeast Asia, has led to the development of improved policies, new financial products, and both business and bilateral partnerships among sending and receiving countries. In Central Asia and South Caucasus, however, information on remittances remains scant. Read how ADB’s work with think tanks throughout Central Asia and South Caucasus is helping us learn more about the impact of these remittances on families, communities, and countries.
 Regional Economic Integration (REI) in the Mekong
A regional TA showed that REI has mixed outcomes for the poor and vulnerable groups—while it leads to cross border employment, cross border informal trade, and improved access to education, health services, and information, there are significant costs involved as well. The process of REI has to be managed to ensure that the poor share in the gains.
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| Case Studies |
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 Development Communications for Ethnic Groups
Development in the Greater Mekong Subregion is facilitating the flow of people, capital, and goods across borders, along with infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS. This regional TA project showed that radio dramas are an effective method of raising awareness among ethnic groups if these are based on research by a multi-disciplinary team, produced in their own languages, and grounded in their own context. In addition, a pilot-based satellite broadcasting program provided an alternative method for bringing the radio dramas in remotest areas in Lao PDR where FM and shortwave radio broadcasting are limited.
 Involving the Urban Poor in Municipal Governance in Bangladesh
The rapid urbanization in Bangladesh is a huge challenge to sustaining essential urban services such as health, water, sanitation, housing, and security. One of the proven strategies in poverty reduction and responsive governance is the involvement of key stakeholders in shaping the policies and programs that affect their lives. This TA helped apply a social accountability mechanism and process developed under a previous project, thereby ensuring the participation of poor men and women in municipal governance.
 Meeting Risk Management Demands of the Poor in Sri Lanka
Risks such as loss of employment, natural calamities, disease or death affect everyone, but the poor suffer more from the impact. This TA helped improve access to affordable life and general insurance products of the poor and low-income households in Sri Lanka, especially those in conflict- and tsunami-affected areas.
 Strengthening Public Expenditure Management in the Lao PDR
Public expenditure management has become both an important task and a tool in deciding how to spend, balance, and allocate public funds, and how these resources will be managed and accounted for. If properly implemented, it guides governments in directing resources to activities that support the poor and pro-poor growth. This TA helped realize the Government of Lao PDR’s Public Expenditure Management Strengthening Program, in support of its National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy.
 Developing a Results-Oriented 7th National Development Plan for the Republic of Maldives
Despite the Maldives’ vibrant tourism and fisheries sectors, a large number of Maldivians remain poor. To help the Government achieve its vision of an economically prosperous, socially advanced, and politically mature country by 2020, this TA helped prepare a results-oriented 7th National Development Plan through an extensive consultation process that involved government offices, civil society, the private sector, and international development partners.
Improving the Living Standards of the Poor in Uzbekistan
This TA, which began in 2002, has provided the Government of Uzbekistan with capacity building support to prepare a medium-term poverty reduction strategy with special focus on the low-income, vulnerable, and socially excluded groups.
 Improving Heating Supply for the Urban Poor: A PRC Experience
Urban heating demand in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has grown rapidly because of rising incomes, privatization of housing, and rapid urban development, and this is particularly evident in Liaoning Province. This TA helped provide adequate and affordable heating for the urban poor in Liaoning by assisting the Government to implement national heating tariff guidelines, improve tariff collection, design heating assistance programs for the poor, and develop an effective monitoring and evaluation system.
 Rural Finance Reforms and Development of Microfinance Institutions in the PRC
The provision of credit to support the development of local, rural enterprises is a major thrust of the Government of the PRC to address rural poverty and reduce inequalities. This TA helped to expand sustainable financial services to the rural poor in underdeveloped areas in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Guizhou Province, both among the poorest areas in the PRC, through detailed research, support for the establishment of commercial microcredit institutions, and mapping of future reforms—the first steps in the long-term process of rural finance reform.
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| News and Events |
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RETA 6243: Strengthening Malaria Control for Ethnic Minorities in the Greater Mekong Region Final Workshop
The final workshop for the RETA was held in Simao, Yunnan, People's Republic of China (PRC), from 26-29 November 2007. The workshop brought together representatives of the national and/or provincial malaria institutes from Cambodia, PRC, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thailand, and Viet Nam, while the World Health Organization was represented by senior officials to discuss and agree on country strategies to scale-up malaria prevention and control among ethnic minority groups. As a result of the final workshop, a draft framework for regional collaboration for malaria control among vulnerable populations in Greater Mekong Subregion has been prepared.
Pacific Capacity Development Study Seminar for ADB Staff
The summary of overall study findings and recommendations of the Pacific island consultants' case studies under the regional TA 6245 on Strengthening Pro-Poor Policy in the Pacific cofinanced by the PRF were presented during this seminar held on 5 December 2007 at ADB Manila. ADB Consultant Mike Heppell discussed the government’s operating environment in which capacity development is implemented, related key success factors for interventions, and suggested an overall framework for enabling Pacific nations to take over the development and management of capacity development in their countries.
Results of Pilot Projects under RETA 6296: Developing Pro-Poor Governance Capability and Knowledge
The results of the citizen report cards and continuous improvement and benchmarking pilot projects under a PRF-financed regional TA was presented during the Network of Asia-Pacific Schools and Institutes of Public Administration and Governance Annual Conference on 5-7 December in Manila, marking the final stage of the RETA.
HIV/AIDS Vulnerability and Risk Reduction among Ethnic Minority Groups through Communication Strategies in the GMS
The last regional meeting for this ADB-UNESCO project was held on 28 November in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Representatives from Thailand, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Cambodia, and People’s Republic of China (Yunnan) participated. The results of the different components of the project were presented, including: radio dramas for ethnic minorities in cross border areas, clearinghouse on preventive HIV/AIDS education for the GMS border region, and geographic information systems development.
Participation of the Urban Poor in Municipal Governance National Workshop
The national workshop, held on 18 December in Bangladesh, presented the findings of the project, including (i) a strategic framework for participatory pro-poor planning and monitoring in urban infrastructure service delivery, (ii) findings from the pilot on citizen report cards, and (iii) recommendations related to the proposed action plan for participatory pro-poor municipal governance. Chairpersons, commissioners, and representatives of the poor from the municipalities covered by the project attended.
Social Protection of Poor Female Garment Workers in the Garment Sector in the Context of Changing Trade Environment, Final Workshop
The final workshop was held on 10 December in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Findings, experience, lessons, and recommendations from the project were presented with the discussion focusing on the next steps. Participants included representatives from the Government (Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and the Department of Women Affairs), Bangladesh Apparel Workers Federation, development partners (GTZ, UNICEF, USAID), representatives from Adam Smith International (ASI-implementing technical agency of the project), and journalists from the Press Information Department and Bangladesh Observer. Ms. Geeteara Safiya Choudhury, Honorable Advisor, MoWCA, and Begum Rokeya Sultana, Secretary, MoWCA, graced the event.
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| Resources |
South Asia Country Papers on Managing for Development Results (MfDR)
Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka presented cases that demonstrate their progress in managing for development results at the South Asia Regional Forum on Mainstreaming MfDR held on 13-14 November 2007. These were produced under PRF-financed RETA Mainstreaming Managing for Development Results in Support of Poverty Reduction in South Asia.
Other websites related to the RETA are:
Final Report: Scaling Up of the Social Protection Index for Committed Poverty Reduction
This report provides a synthesis and analysis of social protection index (SPI) and summary indicators for 23 countries in Asia and the Pacific. It also includes discussions and issues related to the definition of social protection and the formulation of the social protection index. The study was conducted under a PRF-financed RETA 6308 which has built upon an earlier pilot regional technical assistance in six countries.
Final Report: Social Protection for Poor Female Garment Workers in the Context of Changing Trade Environment
Read the final report which includes recommendations on the possible institutional framework for implementing social protection measures for the female garment workers at risk in Bangladesh. It also includes a proposal for future activities to strengthen social protection in the garment sector. This project is financed by the PRF.
Technical Assistance Completion Reports available online:
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The Asian Development Bank provides the information contained in this newsletter and links to its web site solely as a resource. While ADB tries to provide high-quality content on its web site, it does not guarantee the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of this information; and therefore, will not be liable in any capacity for damages or losses to the user that may result from the use of this information. ADB and its affiliate offices, likewise, will not be responsible for any errors, omissions, or inadvertent alterations that may occur in the disclosure of content in this newsletter or on its web site.
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