Consultancy In Evaluation And Reform Of Disability And Child Social Assistance Benefits

Project description

This project aims to provide analytical and advisory support for the reform of the disability and child social assistance benefits in Moldova, in order to reduce their fragmentation and enhance their effectiveness in the context of social assistance reform in country. The project evaluates existing cash benefits for the disabled and children, provides recommendations for reforms, and supports and promotes priority reform options, including through workshops, conferences, support to mass media events, and legislative changes.

General Objectives of the Project

The overall objective of this project is to provide analytical and advisory support for the reform of the disability and child social assistance benefits in Moldova by increasing transparency of the system, by strengthening its effectiveness and by achieving better targeting of social transfers.
Despite recent reforms undertaken by the Government, the social assistance system remains fragmented through different sectors and levels of decision making and finance and it needs revisiting for its potential redesign that will eventually lead to its improvement. The main subject of this assignment is the current system of disability and child social assistance benefits and their outcomes related to poverty alleviation, social exclusion and unemployment, as well as potential mismatch between the demand for assistance from vulnerable groups and supply side of social benefits and care services.

Project Structure and Involvement of CASE

As the consortium leader, CASE will be involved in all aspects of the project. In addition, the team leader from CASE will participate in and oversee work in the 3 tasks:

1. Evaluation (data collection, assessment and analysis) of the existing cash benefits for the disabled and children and their overall impact on poverty, inequality, etc.;
2. Provision of recommendations for reforms, including reform options and modelling of their impact; and
3. Activities to support and promote priority reform options, including through workshops, conferences, support to mass media events, and legislative changes.

Project Output

The project’s expected output is evidence-based recommendations for disability and child benefits redesign for more efficient use of resources allocated to these programmes and to achieve better poverty reduction outcomes in Moldova.

Sponsor: World Bank

Partner: CASE Moldova