Europe & CIS

Regional Human Development Report on Social Inclusion 2010

Date of issue: Forthcoming in 2010

The Regional Human Development Report on Social Inclusion for the Europe and CIS countries will examine social exclusion, both as processes and outcomes, in the region around four different types of exclusions that people in the region can experience: Exclusion from economic, social, cultural and political life of the society where they live.

In the new HDR, we envisage developing a conceptual and methodological framework for better linking poverty and exclusion, which will be applied in Kazakhstan, FYROM Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. The report should be an original effort to expand, or bridge, the measurement of poverty and social inclusion with our capabilities based human development paradigm. 

The project

The methodology and outline

Stakeholder consultation process

Events

Team

The Project

The overall objective of the project "Regional Human Development Report on Social Inclusion" in Europe and CIS (hereinafter "RHDR") is to operationalise the powerfull social exclusion concept into a practical policy-making tool for addressing social exclusion that can be applied throughout the region.

The RHDR will consist of a regional report and 7 individual country studies that are being drafted by regional and country teams. The country studies cover Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia and FYROM Macedonia. A quantitative survey will be designed to provide necessary input data for the proposed social exclusion indicators (outcomes and drivers). These will complement existing data as evidence for formulating answers to the regional report’s key research questions:

1. Who are the excluded in terms of economic, social, cultural and political exclusion in the different countries or types of countries of the region? What patterns emerge in terms of typology of groups and countries?
2. How are they excluded? What are the levels and dynamics of exclusion and multiplying effect from one domain on to another?
3. Why are they excluded? Which barriers do groups and individuals face? What role do institutions and policies play in generating exclusion? In post-socialist countries specifically, how is social exclusion related to the dynamic interaction between legacies and transition policies?
4. What are the implications of these exclusions in terms of outcomes in other domains, for human development, for social cohesion, etc.?
5. What needs to be done? What strategies are needed to overcome these barriers?

More information about the project can be found in the Project document.

The methodology and outline

The RHDR will provide countries with an analytical and monitoring indicators framework that will illustrate typologies of exclusion patterns and practices (the status/outcome and magnitude of social exclusion) and related drivers (multi-dimensional factors contributing to the status of being excluded). This framework will help understand the specific patterns of exclusion in countries with transition experience, will shed light on their pre-transitional roots and will offer a basis for future evidence-based inclusive policy design and monitoring.

The survey's objective is to fill current data gaps and provide quantitative and comparable data on social exclusion in the participating countries. It will address social exclusion as a phenomenon resulting from inequalities in terms of access to economic resources, education and employment opportunities, access to and quality of social services, social networks, and political, cultural and civic participation. Instead of defining “excluded groups” and sampling them individually during the survey, larger representative samples will be interviewed (2,700 individuals per country) to identify various types and magnitude of exclusion drivers. A polling agency carries out the survey in all participating countries using a common questionnaire and the same sampling methodology. 

More details about the methodology can be found in the Outline and methodological note.

Stakeholder consultation process

These consultations have five aims: (a) hear stakeholders’ perspectives and experiences relating to the theme, (b) consider the broad contours identified, sharpen and guide the direction and scope on specific issues, (c) provide validation for the particular position that the RHDR is to take, (d) promote buy-in and capacity building among the stakeholders, and, (e) initiate early advocacy.

Consultation with stakeholders takes place at various levels:

• National consultations related to the country studies and regional report in participating countries

Participants include government officials, researchers, academicians, CSOs, the media and UN country offices. These will be organised by the national research teams in the participating countries.

• National consultations related to the regional report in non-participating countries

All countries of the Europe and CIS region are regularly informed and consulted on the progress of the report elaboration. The RHDR progress will be presented at regional meetings, such as RRs/DRRs meetings. Substantive consultations will be carried out via the regional Human Development Community of Practice (HD CoP) in a facilitated way.

• Regional and international consultations related to the regional report

Regional stakeholder consultations help in sharpening the focus of the regional report. Participants include regional think tanks, universities, regional CSOs, regional agencies and organisations. Substantive regional stakeholder consultations will be carried out in a facilitated way by sub-themes at various stages of the report elaboration. 

Events

PAST EVENTS

• Inception workshop for the Regional team, 06-07 May 2009, UNDP Bratislava Regional Center

Brief summary of the key results

RHDR powerpoint presentation (prepared by the Team leader Ms. Shahrbanou Tadjbakhsh)

• Inception workshop for the country teams, 09-10 June 2009, Istanbul

Brief summary of the key results

Template for country studies

TEAM
                          

Project Coordination             

Regional Team          Advisory Board

Country Teams         Project Board  

PROJECT COORDINATION

Susanne Milcher, Project Manager and Social Inclusion Specialist

Jaroslav Kling, Project Coordinator

Andrey Ivanov, Human Development Advisor

Michaela Matichova, Project Assistant

ADVISORY BOARD

FYR Macedonia - Methodology for measuring the Index of Responsibility, Transparency and Accountability (RTA) at local level

Skopje, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 19 January 2009-Addressing corruption is a key priority  for Western Balkan countries hoping to join the European Union. However, one of the shortcomings in the fight against corruption is the lack of precise tools to identify the potential sources of corruption in institutions. In response to this shortcoming, a methodology for measurement of the level of responsibility, transparency and accountability in the local government has been developed in the framework of the UNDP"S Good Governance & Decentralization programmes. The framework identifies the most vulnerable points to corruption in FYR Macedonia and provides mechanisms on how to address these vulnerabilities.

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The purpose of the Environmental Policy in South-Eastern Europe report is to provide an overview of the progress towards the development and implementation of environmental and sustainability policy in South-Eastern Europe. It has been prepared for the Belgrade Ministerial Conference in 2007. Its scope is to help the Environment Ministers and other decision makers in South-Eastern Europe, the EU, donor countries, international organisations and other interested parties in their decision making about their future work in the areas covered by the Report.

The Report tries to provide a picture of progress achieved in recent years across this broad range of issues. The selection of topics covered by the Report was made by representatives of UNDP Country Offices in consultation with country focal points at the Regional Workshop on September 14 and 15, 2006. It is based on the scope of the reference framework as well as the policy development and implementation situation in the region. The Report does not include individual country profiles, as they have already been presented in the report “Environmental Snapshot of South-Eastern Europe: REReP Country Profiles” published by the REC in 2006.

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