2008年-世界发展银行全球_Romania___Strengthening_Inclusion_and_Improving_Effectiveness_for_Social_Assistance_Benefits_4页_250kb

Romania: Strengthening Inclusion and Improving Effectiveness for Social Assistance Benefits

I. Core Content and Accomplishments

Romania has experienced sustained economic growth since 2000, leading to a significant decline in absolute poverty, from 35.9% in 2000 to 9.8% in 2007. However, poverty remains widespread, with about two million people living in absolute poverty and nearly four million below the relative poverty line in 2007. Poverty is particularly concentrated in rural areas, and vulnerable groups such as children, the Roma, the unemployed, and self-employed in agriculture continue to face higher risks.

Despite efforts to redistribute growth benefits, the per capita expenditure on social assistance in Romania remains among the lowest in the EU, and the share of GDP allocated to social protection is considered low given the extent of poverty. The social safety net covers 71% of the poor, but the adequacy of these benefits is low, typically ranging from 10-20% of the minimum wage, and they cover less than 30% of household consumption for the poorest beneficiaries. While the system has reduced the poverty gap by 24%, it does so at a high cost, with 13 RON spent for every 1 RON of poverty gap reduction.

II. Key Issues and Challenges

• Leakages in Social Assistance: The system has seen an increase in leakages, with only 17% of social assistance funds reaching the poorest quintile, while half go to wealthier groups.
• Low Coverage and Adequacy: About 29% of the poor are excluded from the system, and the coverage of the poorest is limited. The Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) and income-tested family benefits have both seen a decrease in funding relative to GDP, leading to reduced coverage and adequacy.
• Fragmented System: Romania has over 35 social assistance programs, including categorical, means-tested, and merit-based schemes. This fragmentation makes the system difficult to monitor and manage.
• Inadequate Support for Vulnerable Groups: Poor elderly, especially in rural areas, are not sufficiently covered by current programs. The system is expected to face increased pressure from aging populations and limited pension contributions from small farmers.
• Performance of Programs: The GMI, though well-targeted, has limited coverage (16%) due to insufficient funding. The child raising benefit, while generous in duration, may discourage labor market participation, especially among women.

III. Inter-Sectoral Linkages

• Education and Labor Policies: There are weak linkages between social assistance and education/labor policies. The removal of school participation conditionality for child allowances may reduce school enrollment among the poorest.
• Activation Measures: Both the GMI and child raising benefit include some activation measures, but these are not sufficient. Improved active labor policies are needed to enhance their effectiveness.
• Conditional Cash Transfers: Reintroducing or strengthening financial incentives for school participation could help improve educational outcomes and reduce poverty.

IV. Policy Recommendations

• Enhance Social Inclusion: Increase access to social assistance benefits by expanding well-performing programs like the GMI and adjusting poorly performing ones such as the heating allowance to ensure they target the poorest effectively.
• Improve System Effectiveness: Finalize the implementation of the Unique Payment Agency and expand its scope to include all social assistance benefits, including the GMI. This would improve monitoring, reduce errors, and save costs.
• Ensure Internal Coherence: Review and consolidate the benefits system to remove overlaps and improve internal coherence.
• Strengthen Social Assistance Services: Invest in long-term care and community services for vulnerable groups like the elderly and disabled to reduce reliance on cash transfers.
• Reinforce Linkages: Develop stronger links between social assistance, education, and labor policies. This includes considering conditional cash transfers and targeted scholarships to encourage school participation.
• Address the Needs of the Poor Elderly: Explore options such as introducing a social pension (zero-pillar) or adjusting the GMI to better serve the elderly, especially in rural areas, where they are most vulnerable.