A study by the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) says there is an alarming disconnect between the implementation of social protection programmes at the district level and coordination at the national level.
The study which was conducted in 2019 and copied to Graphic Online on Monday (May 18, 2020) said the gap between the Ministry and agencies that implement Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) programmes could significantly affect the impact of the programmes as a response to difficulties faced by Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) on the ground might be delayed.
The report also stated that quality of GESI actions might suffer if MMDAs did not have the appropriate capacity.
ARHR has therefore advised the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to increase the responsibility and build the capacity of District Coordinating Planning Units to coordinate GESI programmes at the local government level.
The Ministry of Gender was set up to ensure effective coordination and implementation of GESI programmes, however, the study noted that it now has very little control over MMDAs that are largely responsible for implementing well-known GESI programmes in the country.
Guidelines
The report also urged the Ministries of Gender as well as Local Government and Rural Development to develop guidelines for the District Coordinating Planning Units (DCPUs) at the MMDAs for Social Protection and GESI coordination.
Such guidelines, it explained, would support the capacity of the MMDAs to handle the coordination of GESI programmes and activities at the local level.
It also called on the Gender Ministry to work with the National Development Planning Commission to require coordinated Social Protection and GESI plans in the medium-term development plans of the MMDAs, adding that, it could be facilitated with a uniformed template to be used by the MMDAs.
The group further urged the Ministry to provide technical assistance and lend training support to MMDAs in the implementation of Social Protection and GESI plans.
