The Role of Governance in the Performance of Non-State Social Protection Services in Senegal

Abstract

The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP, 2010) that Senegal created outlines social protection as being pivotal, both in terms of creating sustainable growth in the economy as well as leading to the alleviation of poverty. A major concern is the prevalence of social protection programmes that are not designed well. Many are plagued by accountability issues and are therefore not serving beneficiaries to their fullest capacities. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used for data collection for this report. Key informant interviews have been provided. 2 municipalities of Dakar were mapped, Guinaw Rail Nord and Guinaw Rail Sud, along with Kahi, an underserved rural area in Kaffrine. Individuals in these areas were surveyed on their experiences with non-state actors (NSAs). The results of the research indicate that both fundraising and administrative management are the 2 main factors leading to the success of an NSA. Governance issues and lack of transparency are two of the biggest obstacles. Most NSAs are membershipbased development associations. There is a need to increase the financial capacity of NSAs; however, due to prevalent governance issues this is not enough. In the end, more transparency and accountability within these organisations is needed This report was produced as part of a study on the ‘Features, Governance Characteristics and Policy Implications of Non‐State Social Protection in Africa’, supported by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) through the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR)