Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
Organisation
Fondation pour L’enfance
Terre de Paix
Comments and Recommendations
1.
Comment on the situational analysis in connection with
civil society involvement
While the report canvasses quite extensively the various state-run
social services, it barely reports on the civil society inputs. This makes
it difficult to go for a systematic analysis in terms of services provided
and the cost of running those services by civil society organizations.
The MP should have addressed in a comprehensive way and sectorwise all the services provided by civil society organizations. This
would have allowed us to know with some accuracy the areas of
intervention where NGOs are predominant, the type of services they
are providing, whether the services are complementary or in
competition with state services or whether are they just overlapping.
It is moreover an object of concern that the MP report has not been
able to acknowledge examples of good practice in Mauritius,
particularly as regards the work of NGOs. Mention has been made
quite extensively, however, of experiences in other countries.
UNDP’s Comments
UNDP agrees with the comment regarding the scope of the Marshall
Plan analysis. A comprehensive analysis of services provided and
projects implemented by civil society organisations, NGOs and CSR
foundations requires would be much welcome and would enrich the
Marshall Plan, however, it requires additional time and resources.
UNDP also agrees with the observation that good practices from
Mauritius, particularly of projects managed by NGOs, have not been
reviewed. As per the comment here above, such an analysis would
enrich the Marshall Plan, however, it requires additional time and
resources and agreement on a set of criteria whereby a project can
be considered a good practice.
It is, here, also important to clarify that the state is the primary
provider of social services to the people. NGOs play a critical support
role in service provision, where there are gaps in state service
provision or the outreach capacity of the state is limited.
The MP. Vol. 2 notes the important contribution of the nongovernment actors (NGOs, CSR, etc.) to the provision of social
services in Mauritius and further notes the lack of coordination
between the various actors delivering the services. Nevertheless, it is
the government that has the primary responsibility to deliver the
services or coordinate and oversee service provision if it happens
outside of the government structure (e.g., by NGOs, CSR or PPPs) to
ensure that these efforts are complementary. It was thus outside of
the scope of the project to undertake an exhaustive review of the civil
society/NGOs engagement in the country, including the good
practices.
2.
Comment on State-run mainstream services
Addressing poverty and deprivation has to take into consideration
the systemic dysfunctional mainstream service delivery systems such
as health, education, and housing. While the MP report touches on
some of the issues, we still have to turn these services into pro poor
services. As a matter of transitional program, appropriate dedicated
desks could be set up at these ministries.
The proposals included in the Marshall Plan have been designed to
address poverty and social exclusion. Overall, the Marshall Plan
proposals aim at improving services delivery to the poor, by
strengthening public institutions to deliver social services, increasing
targeting of social protection programme, promoting a shift from
social assistance to social empowerment, and promoting a more
coordinated approach to community-based service delivery.
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
Proposals 8.1 (Introduce a citizens reporting mechanism and assess
impact on public service delivery in pockets of poverty), 8.2 (Analyse
telecom data for monitoring public service provision in pockets of
poverty) and 8.3 (Use big data analytics for tracking and addressing
school drop-outs) leverage innovation in the use of big data, to
identify and address capacity gaps in public service delivery. The
proposals also suggest to institutionalise short feed-back loops to
address identified capacity gaps in public service delivery.
The recommendation to establish dedicated desks within line
ministries requires further details and analysis and may be considered
for discussion by stakeholders as one of the solutions to address
identified gaps in public service delivery by applying the above. In
addition, the terms of reference of the dedicated desks needs to be
clarified. For example, would these desks play the function of a
recourse/complaint mechanism? What would be the different role of
the dedicated desks vis-à-vis the Citizens Advisory Bureau? What
would be the incentive mechanisms to ensure that complaints filed
with the dedicated desks are followed-up?
3.
Comment on representation of the civil society at national
decision level
There is need to better highlight the representation of civil society in
the decision-making process at national level. The choice of MACOSS
as the sole representative of civil society organization is quite
problematic.
4.
Comment on the funding issue
The mode of operation of funding would imply a complete change in
the relation between NGOs and the private sector. This is a cause of
concern for identification and setting up of innovative programs
which, it is widely accepted, are among the major benefits NGOs and
the private sector provides to society.
UNDP agrees with the suggestion of strengthening the participation
of civil society in decision making mechanisms and processes related
to the Marshall Plan. It would be, however, very useful to receive
concrete recommendations on alternative options to MACOSS
representative role.
The proposed Marshall Plan Community Scheme aims at promoting
competitiveness amongst non-government service providers and
effectiveness in the allocation of funds (i.e. to service providers that
have track records in delivering results). Against this, the most
effective NGOs, with longstanding experience in service delivery at
the community level and with high institutional capacity will be able
to successfully access funds for the implementation of communitybased projects and the delivery of services at the community level.
The proposed Marshall Plan Community Scheme would not entirely
alter the relationship between CSR foundations and NGOs, as the
former would still have the space to work with the latter for
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
5.
Comments on the assessment of government policies:
a. ECD (Care, protection, education and development (O-8))
It is an unchallenged view that ECD constitute the cornerstone of
child and human development. The MP does not appear to have
given due importance to this sector. The UN definition of Ecd would
encompass ages 0-8 years as a matter of properly conceptualizing the
overall developmental process of the child.
At institutional level, two ministries are responsible for ECD in
Mauritius (ministry of gender equality and ministry of education).
The bare fact remains that they have never been able to coordinate
their policies and actions. This is one of the most important flaws in
the operation of services in the ECD sector.
community-based projects and in the delivery of community-based
services.
The Marshall Plan attributes to early childhood care and education
(ECCE) great importance and covers it in both the situation analysis
(Marshall Plan Volume 2) as well as in proposal 5.3 - Implement
community-based early childhood care and education services in
pockets of poverty (Marshall Plan Volume 1).
A comprehensive assessment of ECCE in Mauritius falls outside the
scope of the Marshall Plan team’s assignment. Such an assessment,
albeit welcome, requires additional time and resources.
UNDP agrees that the Marshall Plan does address the issue of quality
of ECCE services, however, it includes a proposal (5.3) for communitybased early childhood care and education services in pockets of
poverty.
At service delivery level,
i)
Nursery services (0-3 yrs): no mention is made of any
assessment neither in terms of infrastructural capacity nor in
terms of pedagogy used. It is a fact that quality service at the
nursery is an important strategy in allowing mothers to be
empowered through income generating activities.
ii)
Preschool services: the mp does not mention specific actions in
view of raising the standard of care at existing preschool
facilities. This sector is dominantly privately owned with a
variety of practices, most of which are geared at preparing the
child for Standard I in contradiction with the needs and rights of
the child to expression and play and in line with overall
development. The issue of expression and play is moreover
crucial in the context of cognitive and language development at
an early age and has to be linked with a broad based mother
tongue language strategy to be meaningful for the Mauritian
child as per the concept of rights on the one hand and for the
country, on the other hand, in view of achieving the aims of
effective literacy and numeracy.
Primary schooling
b.
The Marshall Plan was developed while the Ministry of Education was
leading a major education sector reform, introducing the 9 year basic
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
In the wake of reforming the system thorough the 9-year schooling
program, the following would be crucial to effective learning:
i)
ii)
Deloading of the curriculum (already envisaged at the MIE)
The use of broad based mother tongue language strategy
using Creole as medium for teaching.
continued education. Given the ongoing reform process, the Marshall
Plan does not cover primary education, expecting that the ongoing
reform process addresses the capacity gaps and issues of the previous
education policy.
UNDP agrees with the recommendation regarding the use of Kreol
Morisien as a medium in primary education. In this regard, the
Marshall Plan, Volume 2, pages 49-50, notes the following:
‘One of the main reasons, cited by stakeholders, for the failure of
vulnerable children to complete their primary school cycle and attain
the CPE is language. While the main school’s medium is English,
children who come from pockets of poverty and vulnerable
households only speak Creole. Kreol Morisien (KM) is being used as a
support language in primary and secondary schools, and in 2012 was
introduced as an optional subject in all primary schools. While the
Ministry of Education, Human Resources, Tertiary Education and
Scientific Research carried out an impact assessment of the use of
Kreol Morisien, to inform the review of the new National Curriculum
Framework (in the context of the reform introducing the nine years
continuous basic schooling), the results of such assessment are not
known.’
6.
Comment on housing
Housing has, for long, been one of the major issues in Mauritius. It
still is. The statistics mentioned in the mp as regards ownership are
far from reflecting the reality. Not actually paying rent cannot be
construed as being owner of the house.
7.
Comment on alternative care and juvenile justice
One of the major consequences of poverty is indeed the dislocation
of families resulting in child abuse and abandonment and/or juvenile
delinquency. Violent behaviour in society as a whole finds its origin at
these breaking points in the life of the individual.
No assessment or acknowledgement of the situation is made in the
MP report.
UNDP agrees with the comment regarding the fact that the Marshall
Plan does not address the very critical issue of juvenile justice.
Proposal 2.3 (Apply social marketing tools to promote positive and
constructive social behaviour such as work ethics) was designed with
the aim of addressing some of the root causes of juvenile delinquency
and violence. Proposal 6.2 (Pilot a Youth Peer Education Network in
pockets of poverty to break social barriers) can also address some
issues related to juvenile delinquency and violence.
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
8.
Comment of mobilization of resources
A survey of the existing social services would surely reveal that social
welfare centres and youth centres are manned with trained
resources in social work. They could well be roped into the proposed
overall program.
9.
Comment on the cultural perspective
The MP report is actually lacking in acknowledging the importance of
culture in development and it ensures that no proposal is made
thereto.
PILS
LEAD (Leadership
Empowerment Action
Development)
3 Reports on Drug Policies in Mauritius – To take note and consider in
the final report
It is of utmost importance that poor people participate in the
decision making of the initiatives which are going to affect their lives.
A bottom top approach has proved to foster an environment of trust
and an enhanced engagement of the beneficiaries. The ownership is
essential to community development.
Trainings to be provided to village councillors on their roles and
processes involved.
CSR foundation, NGOs are also consulted to develop initiatives. A
unified effort to alleviate poverty will be a better, faster, cheaper and
more efficient approach.
NEF staff to hold meetings outside of office hours. At community
level, most of our meetings are held as from 6pm.
UNDP agrees on the need to build on the work of the Youth
Centers/Clubs, under the Ministry of Youth and Sport. For example,
proposal 2.1 (Community-based Service Delivery for Social Inclusion)
suggests that Community Service Centers can be established in Youth
Centers; the proposal also recommends that youth centres and youth
field officers play an active role in supporting community platforms.
The Marshall Plan also recommends that the Youth Clubs/Centers
play a critical and active role in supporting the Community Schools
(see proposal 5.3 – Establish Community Schools to promote
emotional, physical and creative learning), seeing the same as the
main implementers of such initiative. The Ministry of Youth and
Sports and its Youth Centers/Clubs will also drive the implementation
of Marshall Plan’s proposal 6.2 (Pilot a Youth Peer Education Network
in pockets of poverty to break social barriers).
UNDP agrees with the observation that the Marshall Plan does not
cover extensively issues related to culture, however, it opens the
space, in the context of proposal 5.3 (Establish Community Schools to
promote emotional, physical and creative learning) to leverage the
potential of culture for addressing issues of poverty and social
exclusion in pockets of poverty and communities in Mauritius.
UNDP agrees very much with this comment and the Marshall Plan’s
overall approach is anchored on community participation. Proposal
2.1 introduces the community-based service delivery, which is
grounded on a bottom-up approach to development and community
participation.
The Marshall Plan promotes the active involvement and participation
of village councils, particularly in community-based service delivery
initiatives and as part of community platforms, and to work in a
coordinated and synergetic manner with other stakeholders,
including government agencies, NGOs, CSO, CSR foundations and
others. For details see proposal 2.1, which introduces the communitybased service delivery for social inclusion.
UNDP agrees with this multi-stakeholder approach and promotes it
for the implementation of the Marshall Plan, particularly in proposal
2.1. on community-based service delivery.
The Marshall Plan suggests flexibility in office hours to ensure greater
access of vulnerable groups to social workers and government
services. See. e.g., MP, Vol. 1, proposal 1.5 and 1.6. Proposal 2.1.
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
(community-based service delivery for social inclusion) encourages
the establishment of community service centers, as per extract here
below (see MP Volume 1, page24, proposal 2.1):
‘[…] the community service centre should be established where there is
an already vibrant community associative life. For example, these
centres could be established in youth centres, village councils,
community recreation centres, and other, depending on how dynamic
these centres are and the extent to which they attract community
members.
The community service centre will be the community neuralgic point,
where community can receive information on social programmes,
receive training, hold community meetings, organize activities, receive
services (i.e., family planning, early childhood care and education
services) and other. The community service centre will be managed by
NEF or by other organizations sub-contracted by NEF on the basis of a
competitive bidding process.’
Le Morne Village to be given priority to be on the list of shortlisted
regions to benefit from Marshall plan. (Last on Relative Development
Index and not benefiting from private CSR funds.)
Local social and field worker should be provided with the appropriate
training and stipend for the work conducted at ground level.
Special Educational Needs
Society (SENS)
Social Issues
A paradigm shift must be achieved by all actors, state non-state
corporate and professional, in view of empowering populations
marginalised because of:
Exclusion from successful education, effective employment and
suitable housing.
The Marshall Plan suggests to prioritise communities on the basis of
their respective MWVC RDI ranking (communities in MWVC with the
lowest RDI rank will be prioritised). Data in the SRM will guide the
identification and prioritization of the poorest communities within
selected MWVC.
The Marshall Plan encourages the professionalization of social
workers working for different organisations across Mauritius, see MP
Volume 1, proposal 11.2 (NEF Reorganisation):
‘Social workers would need to have a minimum standard of
qualification in social work. There is the need to professionalize the
industry through introduction of certifications, recognition of prior
learning and additional training.’
This is a relevant observation. Marshall Plan promotes a ‘paradigm
shift’ from assistance to empowerment and promotes social inclusion
through a number of proposals that aim at addressing
multidimensional poverty in Mauritius and at strengthening state-led
and community-based service delivery.
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
Involvement in abuse of illegal substances and alcohol, violence,
criminal activities and prostitution.
Broken homes and unstable family situations.
Multigenerational poverty trap and cultural stigmatisation.
Inadequate services for children presenting with particular
impairments that exclude them from full and effective
participation in mainstream education.
Children are in a position to escape these dismal realities and flee the
poverty trap in adulthood if their special educational needs are met.
Behavioural problems are the plight of many children from poverty
stricken communities.
Prevalence
Based on international prevalence of special educational needs, in
Mauritius occurrence of children at primary level who require
particular services and support for their families may be estimated to
be between 12,000 (conservative) and 36,000 (generous). No more
than 10 % of the conservative figure is being satisfied at present in
Mauritius.
Symptoms and remedies
1.
Educational services
Inadequate educational services are made available to all categories
of special needs in State schools, although substantial funds are
poured in to this end. Training is not adequate and civil servants not
dedicated to the required sensitive interventions in this field.
Dissatisfied parents flock to NGO’s with horrendous stories of abuse
and inefficiency. A meagre grant in aid is paid to NGOs offering such
services. Whereas the required teacher/ pupil ratio in special needs
schools is 1:7 only about 25% of the amount spent per capita in state
schools is paid out as grant in aid to SENS for example. An equal
educational opportunity for all children is a fundamental right that has
been flouted for too long in Mauritius. Lack of communication and
jealous despicable attitudes of the special educational needs unit
(S.E.N.U.) are the fate of NGOs more dedicated than their civil servant
rivals.
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
Proposals:
Until the state shoulders its responsibility towards each and every
Mauritian child within the mainstream in an inclusive manner, special
education services in mainstream schools should become more userfriendly for children with special needs and their families.
In the process of identification of children at risk, the importance of
early screening should be highlighted to favour appropriate and
prompt intervention from an early age, before irreparable damage is
done. Basic professional competencies should be incorporated into
early childhood teacher training programs so as to enhance
evaluation, promotion and referral of such pupils and their families to
appropriate services.
2.
Social Interventions
Inappropriate state interventions in cases of child neglect, abuse or
dysfunctional families increase the suffering and desperate plight of
these underprivileged families.
Proposal:
A systemic approach on the part of family support services should be
adopted and community based action encouraged so as to reduce
stigmatisation and racist attitudes upsetting and generating violence
or disheartenment amongst recipients. Children should not be
separated from their families in a brutal and irreversible way,
depriving their already desperate parents of their basic human rights.
Empowerment of parents for better child-rearing skills should be the
method and strong confident families and communities, the outcome.
3.
Channelling of funds
Social security payouts and free access to housing have had little or no
effect on the empowerment of marginal groups over the last decades.
Routing of funds directly and at great cost to beneficiaries when the
latter are not able to manage a budget independently is not a feasible
way of saving their children from the same fate. Ministries apply
The Marshall Plan proposes to transition from Social Aid to the Social
Contract as a strategy to empower people. The Social Contract will
include a combination of conditional cash transfers. Conditionalities
will cover two main domain: i) education, including the child
allowance and the school completion premium and ii) employment
and technical and vocational training programmes. The introduction
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
lengthy bureaucratic procedures in a non-transparent to distribute
funds.
of the Social Contract aims at addressing the issue of ‘dependency’ on
social aid.
Proposal:
Proposals, such as 8.1 introducing a citizens reporting mechanism and
assessing impact on public service delivery in pockets of poverty, 8.2
on the analysis of telecom data for monitoring public service
provision in pockets of poverty, 8.3 on the use of big data analytics
for tracking and addressing school drop-outs, all aim at strengthening
performance of public service providers, including in the area of
education services.
The teacher pupil ratio in mainstream schools should be improved in
the short term so as to include pupils with special needs into the
classroom. The gap between money spent per capita on children with
special needs and those in the mainstream should be reduced. Grant
in aid from Ministry of Education for NGOs should be replaced by a
simple per capita voucher system applying a 1:7 teacher-pupil ratio
instead of the formula that adapts payment to the level of services
provided.
Moreover, family emancipation workshops could be set up with the
help of experienced professionals in this field. Management of funds
through a simple voucher system redeemable through registered
service providers is a simple and effective solution that could be
immediately implemented. Syphoning of funds to other less
constructive purposes could be curtailed by the voucher system as
parents would be in control of the choice of providers and thus of the
quality of service.
4.
Self-belief
Lack of communication skills and disbelief in their own ability to
achieve success are the characteristics of marginalised groups. This
ideology is inherited over generations and willingly reproduced by
different dominant classes. Children inherit negative social and
cultural attitudes, which are nurtured by despising and racist public
officers in schools and social security offices.
Proposal:
Provision of services by professionals and grass root organisations with
adequate training should be organised in order to foster empowering
attitudes and mechanisms within marginal populations. This may in
turn hep the younger generations achieve higher levels of inclusion.
Therapists familiar with local and cultural realities are best suited to
this type of community-based intervention. Official recognition and
The MP proposes a highly tailored approach to each family of
beneficiaries. Social workers will be able to establish individual needs
of each participating family and create a specific ‘empowerment’ plan
for the household. This might include measures to address low selfesteem of marginalized youth.
The NEF, through its network of social workers will need to ensure
coherence and coordination of non-government provision (NGOs/civil
society/CSR) and bear overall supervisory and reporting responsibility
on the progress of participants of the SRM (Marshall Plan Social
Contract scheme) clients (notably, the mentoring function) as well as,
in case of non-government provision, oversee the quality of services
such provision according to agreed standards. See proposal MP, Vol.
1., proposal 1.4.
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
adequate financial support of professional service providers in this
field is long overdue.
Soroptimist International
Rose-Hill
5.3 Implement community-based early childhood care and education
services in pockets of poverty
Included in 2.1 + CSR
5.4 Establish community schools to promote emotional, physical and
creative learning
Included in 2.1 + CSR
Cases of multiple vulnerabilities and cumulative disadvantages of
individual households (e.g., unemployment compounded by sickness,
lack of education and skills, language barrier, lack of decent housing,
etc.) make it difficult for a person or a household to break free from
the cycle of poverty even across generations. Such contexts require
tailored approaches that combine financial assistance with mentoring,
counselling, couching, job placements and other measures delivered
by a network of social workers through holistic case management.
Letter from a group of civil
society including private
sector representatives,
working at grassroots level
which constituted a platform
on 22nd March 2016. The aim
was to discuss the World
Bank Report on Poverty in
Mauritius as well as the
Marshall Plan report
submitted to Government of
the Republic of Mauritius.
Situational context
Signed by:
This meeting took place to understand the lack of the inclusion of
Poverty cuts across all social issues. Alleviation of poverty is not a
once size fits all. Each region of Mauritius has its own specificity and
its own needs. A few gaps in the report need to be addressed
urgently. Given that poverty has multi-dimensional aspects, there is
need for a holistic approach with grassroots NGOs, beneficiaries and
people dwelling in poverty, to work together with CSR /Foundations.
This is in line with the SDGs, that is, leaving no one lagging behind by
2030.
Purpose of the platform
The management arrangements underpinning this proposal will be
the same as in the community-based service delivery proposal 2.1,
which foresees the active participation and contribution of NGOs and
CSR foundations.
This initiative will be implemented through the Youth Centers/Clubs,
under the overall leadership of the Ministry of Youth and Sport and in
coordination with the designated coordination organisation, and
other organisations working at the community level. These
organisations include NGOs and CSR foundations.
The Council of Religions is also well-placed to take the lead for the
implementation of this proposal and/or to partner with the Ministry
of Youth and Sport/Youth Clubs.
Professional social workers, from NEF and other institutions, will play
a critical and coordinated role in supporting SRM beneficiaries to
access conditional cash transfers and fulfil their respective
conditionalities. Professional social workers will also play a critical
role in the context of community-based service delivery.
UNDP agrees with the remarks made here and would like to ensure
that the Marshall Plan promotes a holistic approach to addressing
poverty in Mauritius and is grounded on community participation.
Proposal 2.1 promotes community-based service delivery, whereby
communities decide on their own priorities and drive their own
development with the support of different stakeholders, including the
government, CSOs, NGOs, CSR foundations and others.
UNDP welcomes the platform’s support to the Marshall Plan and its
commitment to support its implementation under the leadership and
coordination of the government of Mauritius. The implementation of
a number of proposals included in the Marshall Plan calls for the
support of grass-roots organisaitons, such as NGOs, CSR foundations
and others, with longstanding experience with working with
communities and able to deliver results.
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
• Danny Philippe –LEAD (
Focal point –
[email protected])
• Isabelle David-Philippe LEAD
• Francoise Lamusse - Institut
Cardinal Jean Margeot
• Anielle Ducray –Le Pont du
Tamarinier
• Virginie-Anne Andrieux-Le
Pont du Tamarinier
• Alain Fanchon & Gilbert
Descombes-ATD Quart
Monde Maurice
• Kunal Naik- Collectif
Urgence Toxida
• Nicolas Ritter-PILS
• Genevieve Tyack- Kolektif
Rivier Nwar
• Clency Magon- GML
Fondation Joseph Lagesse
• Violetta Poon- GML
Fondation Joseph Lagesse
• Michel Vieillesse- Kinouete
• Loga VirahsawmyGenderlinks
• Mario Radegonde - ENL
Foundation
• Sabrina Puddoo Psychologist
• Chantal Fanchette Quartier Lumiere- la Valette• Cassam Uteem - President
ATD Quart Monde
Internationale
• Patricia Adèle-Félicité Caritas
• Viken Vadeevalloo - ANFEN
• Jonathan Ravat - Institut
stakeholders who know the situation on the ground; the needs of the
vulnerable groups and to look at a holistic and global approach.
The Platform does understand the restraining parameters of the
contractual agreement but nevertheless raised great concern of the
lack of consultations with civil society. Civil society working at
grassroots level will likely be the main actor in the implementation of
the Marshall Plan.
The Platform is prepared to be a result driven partner of Government
and the Marshall Plan Unit in collaboration with the private sector in
the alleviation of poverty and other issues related to poverty.
The Platform wants to be involved in all the process and stages of the
Marshall Plan, from implementation and being involved throughout
the whole different programs with concrete results including
monitoring and evaluation.
The Platform supports the general direction of the proposed Plan but
would like to make the following recommendations, inter alia:
1.
In order to implement such an ambitious plan, we
recommend the setting up of a multisectorial body that should
include, among others, NGOs working with the community in
different social sectors, Representative of Ministries/CSRS/ CBOs /
Academia/Journalists/Private Sector/UN Bodies / Beneficiaries. The
Mauritius Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) that oversights
the programmatic and financial aspects of the Global Fund to Fight
AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria local grant could be used as a model.
The Platform will meet regularly and urgently during six months with
a proper Agenda.
The First Meetings of the Platform will aim at an audit and mapping
of NGOs/stakeholders at community level to know the Where, the
Who and the Why (Where the NGOs are working? Who are the
beneficiaries? and the root cause of the problems, and how to tackle
the problem on a sustainable manner with proper monitoring and
evaluation)
2.
Contributing to the restructuring of the NEF and CSRs to
allow NGOs to give their views and help in bringing concrete and long
term solutions.
UNDP has taken on board the recommendation of CSOs/NGOs and
CSR foundations to ensure that CSOs/NGOS and CSR foundations play
a role, with the government, in guiding and monitoring the
implementation of the Marshall Plan, as well as in the management
of the Marshall Plan Community Scheme. However, UNDP has also
recommended that CSO/NGOs and CSR foundations indicate the
platform/s that are best suited to represent them in the context of
the Marshall Plan Steering Committee and for the management of
the Marshall Plan Community Scheme.
UNDP agrees with the recommendations and has revised the
Marshall Plan accordingly (see proposal 11.2 – NEF Reorientation)
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
Cardinal Jean Margeot
• Sophie Le Chartier -Kolektif
Rivier Nwar
3.
For the planned recruitment of social workers at the NEF a
revamped and new structure must be looked into to ensure that the
caseworker has multi-purposes skills in order to respond to the needs
of the beneficiaries. The platform should ensure that local field
workers, working in their respective localities, be consulted and are
encouraged to work in collaboration with NEF caseworkers. It is
noted that they will have to work odd hours and be remunerated.
4.
We are in favor of the MP community development fund,
we should ascertainat least 15 regions to 30 regions be considered as
per proposed by the Marshall Plan Report; a mapping is done with
the listed areas; the support needed and provision of the support.
LEAD; Kolektif Rivier Nwar; Platform Kominoter Le Morne; BoisMarchand; Cite Sainte-Catherine, St Pierre; Village de La Valette;
Pointe aux Piments; Mouvement pour le Progrès de Roche Bois;
GenderLinks; Anoshka; la Valette; PSUP;
some of MACOSS PEN Network; ATD Quart Monde; CARITAS and
others can be added).
5.
All stakeholders in the process must work with the Marshall
Plan Unit for the implementation of the MP and regular reporting.
6.
Profits/Funds that small and medium size private
enterprises sent to MRA should not be used in the consolidated fund,
but sent to the Marshall Plan Community Development Fund in order
for NGOs to have access. The Platform is in favour of amending the
Finance Act if necessary. The Platform noted, with great concern,
that it is difficult to have access funds as enterprises have their own
focus on what kind of projects they want to fund.
7.
Civil Society and the business sectors must form part of the
Poverty Observatory (including representatives of direct
Beneficiaries/ Civil Societies and CSRs)
8.
Social Contracts are not looking at the root causes of
poverty. ‘Accompagnement Social’ is essential. This
‘accompangnement social’ intends to foster the appropriate
relationship with the poor and the poorest of the poor and to
enhance trust and confidence within themselves so that they can
better fight for their own destiny; ’accompagnement social‘ is
therefore essential but must not install additional pressure on the
poor.
Please see Marshall Plan Vol. 1, proposal 1.4.
The Marshall Plan suggests to prioritise communities on the basis of
their respective MWVC RDI ranking (communities in MWVC with the
lowest RDI rank will be prioritised). Data in the SRM will guide the
identification and prioritization of the poorest communities within
selected MWVC.
UNDP welcomes this recommendation and has revised the Marshall
Plan accordingly (see proposal 11.1 Set up a coordination mechanism
for Marshall Plan implementation)
UNDP welcomes this recommendation and has revised the Marshall
Plan accordingly (see proposal 10.1 Channel CSR funds into the
Marshall Plan Community Scheme)
UNDP welcomes this recommendation and has revised the Marshall
Plan accordingly (see proposal 11.1 Set up a coordination mechanism
for Marshall Plan implementation)
See response to comment 4 from the Special Educational Needs
Society (SENS) above.
Also, the Marshall Plan proposes to transition from Social Aid to the
Social Contract as a strategy to empower people and transitioning
from social assistance to social empowerment. The Social Contract
will include a combination of conditional cash transfers.
Conditionalities will cover two main domain: i) education, including
the child allowance and the school completion premium and ii)
employment and technical and vocational training programmes. The
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
introduction of the Social Contract aims at addressing the issue of
‘dependency’ on social aid.
9.
Illiteracy, nine year school, ZEP schools must be looked into
and specific criteria must be looked into with proper resources.
10.
While the World Bank Report has addressed the issue of
feminisation of poverty, this is not mentioned in the Marshall Plan.
Violence against women must urgently be addressed together with
the other linked social problems. Another problem identifies is the
lack of support (financial, legal, proper training and coaching) for
social entrepreneurship.
11.
Village Councils and municipalities in Mauritius need
proper training before being a partner of the Marshall Plan. The local
authorities should be provided with appropriate budget from the
Government, not from the funds of MP, to cater for poverty pockets
infrastructural needs. They too must work with NGOs.
12.
The importance of creating the necessary conditions to
enable the participation of the poorest on issues and decisions
concerning their lives.
13.
In parallel with the above-mentioned recommendations,
the Platform considers it relevant to address issues pertaining to
economic inequalities: hence, it recommends the urgency of setting
up a minimum salary per hour for each member of the workforce,
without any sex discrimination, in Mauritius. This minimum salary per
hour should be mandatory, as
established and enforced by the law.
Professional social workers, from NEF and other institutions, will play
a critical and coordinated role in supporting SRM beneficiaries to
access conditional cash transfers and fulfil their respective
conditionalities. Professional social workers will also play a critical
role in the context of community-based service delivery.
While an analysis of the education sector is included in Volume 2 of
the Marshall plan, the Marshall Plan was developed while the
Ministry of Education was leading a major education sector reform,
introducing the 9 year basic continued education. Given the ongoing
reform process, the Marshall Plan does not cover comprehensively
cover the education sector, expecting that the ongoing reform
process addresses the capacity gaps and issues of the previous
education policy.
With regard to social entrepreneurship, please see MP, Vol. 1,
proposal 3.2, which includes support services to social enterprises.
The Marshall Plan promotes the active involvement and participation
of village councils, particularly in community-based service delivery
initiatives and as part of community platforms, and to work in a
coordinated and synergetic manner with other stakeholders,
including government agencies, NGOs, CSO, CSR foundations and
others. For details see proposal 2.1, which introduces the communitybased service delivery for social inclusion.
The Marshall Plan promotes social integration and a shift ‘from
assistance to empowerment’ of the poor.
The Ministry of Labour has been working on the minimum wage law
reform for Mauritius.
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
ENL Foundation and Partners
Gender Links
A presentation on a Proposal for the implementation of a Community
Development Programme with a Holistic approach over a period of 3
years
A document on Pilot Project: Common approach and vision to bring
near Alleviation of Poverty in 3 POPs; EDC Riviere Noire/ Cite Ste
Catherine at St Pierre & Cite Anoska at Curepipe
To take note and consider in the final report
Gender Links is very concerned with the growing gender gap. We
work at grassroots level and have noticed that organisations do not
investigate into the root-cause of issues nor do in-depth analysis with
personal testimonies of beneficiaries before finding sustainable
solutions; but rather look for quick fixes with no long term
goals. Social aid helps as a short term strategy; but if we want long
term and sustainable solutions this must be accompanied with
concrete and sustainable programmes. Social aid as such does not
help in the reduction of poverty; it can have a contrary effect as
people tend to think it is their due and do not make any effort to
break the cycle of poverty. It is worrying to see that in the report of
the World Bank “the incidence of poverty was higher among people
living in female headed households” and most of them are not
educated. It is quite alarming to see that relative poverty has
increased over time from 8.5% to 9.8%.
Gender Links agrees with the Marshall Plan Approach as detailed in
the report but would like to highlight on a more holistic and global
approach by looking at all the problems of beneficiaries, do a house
hold survey with a set of questions; an in-depth analysis of the
regions, write personal testimonies of the beneficiaries, before
connecting the dots so that proper, long term and sustainable
solutions are found. We would like to highlight the following:
1.
Page 5 – Rights based approach should include Results
based approach; the policy component should including gender
equality; institutions should include NGO working at grassroots level;
the programmes in place should be evaluated to know if they are
working; it is difficult to build on the existing community
development initiatives since the public has not been informed on
the monitoring, evaluation, results, indicators and the impact on the
community.
One of the key proposals of the Marshall Plan (proposal 2.1) is
grounded on community-based service delivery (see Volume 1,
proposal 2.1).
This comment is not very clear.
The Marshall Plan promotes the shifts from assistance to
empowerment and proposes to transition from Social Aid to the
Social Contract, as a strategy to empower people. The Social Contract
will include a combination of conditional cash transfers.
Conditionalities will cover two main domain: i) education, including
the child allowance and the school completion premium and ii)
employment and technical and vocational training programmes. The
introduction of the Social Contract aims at addressing the issue of
‘dependency’ on social aid.
The Marshall Plan will be implemented, monitored and evaluated on
the basis of a Results Based Framework, or Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework, which will form integral part of the plan.
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
2.
Page 8 – Mauritius has a long history of social protection
but it has not been tested if the social protection is working
especially in the field of education, poverty and violence.
3.
Page 9 – Social contract does not look at the root and
causes of the problems to put proper infrastructure, programmes
and projects before asking people to sign a contract.
4.
Page 9 – GL already has gender-sensitive monitoring tools
and indicators
5.
Page 12 – To shift from social assistance to social
empowerment proper training, projects must be put in place and
making sure that they are sustained with proper monitoring and
evaluation. NGOs working with the community must be included in
the list of proposed interventions.
6.
Page 14 – NEF social workers as mentors are not enough;
they must work in collaboration with mentors who have already
been trained in the different localities/wards and making sure that
there is a psychologist working with them. Our experience has shown
that most of women who have known violence (including rape,
incest, physical, emotional and psychological) violence need experts
to work with them.
The Marshall Plan promotes the shifts from assistance to
empowerment and proposes to transition from Social Aid to the
Social Contract, as a strategy to empower people. The Social Contract
will include a combination of conditional cash transfers.
Conditionalities will cover two main domain: i) education, including
the child allowance and the school completion premium and ii)
employment and technical and vocational training programmes. The
introduction of the Social Contract aims at addressing the issue of
‘dependency’ on social aid.
The Marshall Plan has identified social exclusion as one of the main
root causes of poverty in Mauritius. The Marshall Plan includes a
series of proposals, including the transition to social aid to the social
contract, which aim at addressing poverty and social exclusion.
UNDP encourages Gender Links to share such tools, to explore their
possible applicability to the Marshall Plan monitoring and evaluation.
The Marshall Plan will be implemented, monitored and evaluated on
the basis of a Results Based Framework, or Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework, which will form integral part of the plan.
Social workers will play a critical role in the implementation of the
Marshall Plan. The plan calls for an increase in the number of social
workers (the ratio of households to social worker will need to be
decreased to 200/150:1). The Marshall Plan also envisions that social
workers working for organisations other than NEF will play a role in
the implementation of the plan and encourages their
professionalization as well as coordination (see MP Volume 1,
proposal 11.2 - NEF Reorganisation and proposal 1.5 – Recruit social
workers at NEF to limit the number of families per social worker to
150 families maximum).
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
7.
Page 18 – All localities must have a desk to take complaints
and guide complainants to appropriate authorities/the social
workers/mentors in the regions.
‘[…] should any function of social work described in this proposal
[Proposal 1.5 – Recruit social workers at NEF to limit the number of
families per social worker to 150 families maximum] be performed by
non-government providers (e.g., CSR, NGOs, volunteers), the NEF,
through its network of social workers, will need to ensure coherence
and coordination of such actions as well as oversee their quality
according to agreed standards. A prior assessment of the needs and
resources available (‘inventory of social workers’) as well as means of
coordination could help streamline social work provision in the
country.’
See also comment to recommendation shared by Fondation pour
L’enfance Terre de Paix here above.
The recommendation to establish desks in all localities requires
further details and analysis and may be considered for discussion by
stakeholders as one of the solutions to address identified gaps in
public service delivery by applying:
Proposals 8.1 (Introduce a citizens reporting mechanism and
assess impact on public service delivery in pockets of poverty)
8.2 (Analyse telecom data for monitoring public service provision
in pockets of poverty) and
8.3 (Use big data analytics for tracking and addressing school
drop-outs) leverage innovation in the use of big data, to identify
and address capacity gaps in public service delivery.
In addition, the terms of reference of these desks needs to be
clarified. For example, would these desks play the function of a
recourse/complaint mechanism? What would be the different role of
the dedicated desks vis-à-vis the Citizens Advisory Bureau? What
would be the incentive mechanisms to ensure that complaints filed
with the dedicated desks are followed-up? Why would such desks be
more effective than the Citizens Advisory Bureau?
8.
Page 23 – Municipal Wards and Village Councils to work
with NGOs, social workers/mentors
The Marshall Plan promotes the active involvement and participation
of village councils, particularly in community-based service delivery
initiatives and as part of community platforms, and to work in a
coordinated and synergetic manner with other stakeholders,
including government agencies, NGOs, CSO, CSR foundations and
Comments received from CSOs, NGOs and CSR Foundations on the Marshall Plan
others. For details see proposal 2.1, which introduces the communitybased service delivery for social inclusion.
9.
All councillors to get proper training on all social issues
which cut across poverty
10.
Page 49 – the whole programme on education must be
looked into including adult literacy in the mother tongue.
The Marshall Plan was developed while the Ministry of Education was
leading a major education sector reform, introducing the 9 year basic
continued education. Given the ongoing reform process, the Marshall
Plan does not cover primary education, expecting that the ongoing
reform process addresses the capacity gaps and issues of the previous
education policy.
UNDP agrees with the recommendation regarding the use of Kreol
Morisien as a medium in primary education. In this regard, the
Marshall Plan, Volume 2, pages 49-50, notes the following:
‘One of the main reasons, cited by stakeholders, for the failure of
vulnerable children to complete their primary school cycle and attain
the CPE is language. While the main school’s medium is English,
children who come from pockets of poverty and vulnerable
households only speak Creole. Kreol Morisien (KM) is being used as a
support language in primary and secondary schools, and in 2012 was
introduced as an optional subject in all primary schools. While the
Ministry of Education, Human Resources, Tertiary Education and
Scientific Research carried out an impact assessment of the use of
Kreol Morisien, to inform the review of the new National Curriculum
Framework (in the context of the reform introducing the nine years
continuous basic schooling), the results of such assessment are not
known.’