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PARPA/PRSP and poverty reduction in Mozambique: Challenges to national and international agents
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6. How is PARPA delivering?
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The overall goal set by PARPA is of reducing absolute poverty from estimated 70% in 1997 to less than 60% by 2005 and less than 50% by 2010. It has specific targets by sector and relevant action. All are defined as minimal national (aggregate) rate of coverage or figure.
As plan of priority for the government with emphasis on education, health and infrastructure building it has been implemented basically over the existing state apparatus aiming at extended coverage.
There are indications that this sector wide approach is being producing some results. These are related to vaccinations and pre-natal consultations whose rates have increased (Foster Mick, 2001).
Since this increased coverage rate involves rural population and poverty assessment had shown that such actions largely benefited the poor so their well-being can be said to have received a contribution.
The strategy in PARPA over the sectors, macroeconomic stabilisation and good governance may thus produce results. Evidence from recent years shows improved population living conditions including those of the rural citizen with economic growth (NegrРіo, 2002). However, the same author sustains that poverty in that time period has not lessened.
It derives from the multidimensionality of poverty so linear actions though conceived to be implementing in co-ordination does not yield expected results if the context is not taken into account and other social and political dimensions, deprivation and exclusion not acted upon (UNCDF, 2002). Alleviation of elements impinging on poverty status does not necessarily imply reduction of poverty.
Going back to our recent UN meeting where experiences from African countries in dealing with poverty reduction in the context of their efforts in local governance were exchanged we had the opportunity to follow the Mozambican government stance that help sustain this position.
It acknowledged the importance of the extension of administration and or local power in the territory with clear mandates and duly capacity building, to provide the legal framework to larger population participation, commitment to the reform of the public sector and adoption of methodologies for the exercise of "administration of proximity" so that local governance improves and meet the challenges of poverty reduction (Country Paper, AGF V, 2002).
These issues as discussed in the meeting were considered critical to ensure delivery of services in a local organisation setting that is legitimate, adequate, and capable evolving in phases towards a sustainable mode of functioning. The further we get local level organisation addressed the more encompassing and hopefully more adequate become the delivery of pro-poor policies.
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