Costa Rica : Social Spending and the Poor, Volume 2. Social Sector Performance in the 90's - Facing the Challenges

Costa Rica : Social Spending and the Poor, Volume 2. Social Sector Performance in the 90's - Facing the Challenges

The report reviews the substantial progress Costa Rica made over the past decade in reducing poverty and improving social indicators. However, while economic growth certainly reduced poverty rates, the country's recent experience shows that re...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	World Bank
Format:	Other Social Protection Study
Language:	English en_US
Published:	Washington, DC 2013
Subjects:	ADOLESCENTS ADVERSE SELECTION AGE GROUPS BASIC EDUCATION CHILD DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION CURRENCY UNIT CURRICULUM DATA AVAILABILITY DATA QUALITY DECENTRALIZATION DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS DISEASES DISTANCE EDUCATION DROPOUT RATES EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC GROWTH EDUCATION EDUCATION EXPENDITURES EDUCATION LEVEL EDUCATION POLICIES EDUCATION PROGRAMS EDUCATION SECTOR ENROLLMENT EXCHANGE RATE EXCLUSION ERRORS EXPENDITURE REVIEW EXPENDITURES FAMILY PLANNING FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY FIRST GRADE GENDER GENERAL PRACTITIONERS GROSS ENROLLMENT GROSS ENROLLMENT RATES HEALTH CARE HEALTH EDUCATION HEALTH EXPENDITURES HEALTH INSURANCE HEALTH NEEDS HEALTH PROGRAMS HEALTH PROVIDERS HEALTH SECTOR HEALTH SERVICE HEALTH SERVICES HEALTH STATUS HEALTH STATUS INDICATORS HOSPITALS HOUSEHOLD SURVEY HOUSING HUMAN CAPITAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ILLITERACY IMPROVED ACCESS INCOME INCOME COUNTRIES INCOME DISTRIBUTION INCOME LEVEL INCOME QUINTILES INFANT MORTALITY INFANT NUTRITION INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSURANCE LABOR MARKET LEARNING LIFE EXPECTANCY LIVING CONDITIONS LONG TERM MACROECONOMIC STABILITY MEDICAL CARE MEDICAL SERVICES MONITORING SYSTEM MORBIDITY MORTALITY NATIONAL LEVEL NUTRITION NUTRITION PROGRAMS PATIENTS PENSION SYSTEM PHYSICIANS POLICY INSTRUMENTS POLICY MEASURES POLICY OPTIONS POOR PEOPLE POVERTY LEVEL POVERTY LEVELS POVERTY PROFILE PREGNANCY PRIMARY EDUCATION PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PRIMARY SCHOOL PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION PRIORITY AREAS PRIVATE SECTOR PRIVATE SECTORS PROGRESS PUBLIC EDUCATION PUBLIC EXPENDITURE PUBLIC EXPENDITURES PUBLIC HEALTH PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS PUBLIC POLICIES PUBLIC SECTOR PUBLIC SERVICES REAL TERMS REDUCING POVERTY REGULATORY FRAMEWORK RESOURCE ALLOCATION RISK GROUPS RURAL AREAS SCHOOL DROPOUTS SCHOOL GRADUATES SCHOOLS SERVICE QUALITY SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS SOCIAL CONTEXT SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL EXPENDITURES SOCIAL INDICATORS SOCIAL POLICY SOCIAL PROTECTION SOCIAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS SOCIAL SECTORS SOCIAL SECURITY SOCIAL SERVICES STRUCTURAL REFORMS TEACHER TRAINING TEACHERS TEACHING TECHNICAL SUPPORT TIME FRAME VULNERABLE GROUPS WASTE WORKERS YOUTH SOCIAL SECTOR INVESTMENT PUBLIC SPENDING EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY POVERTY INCIDENCE FISCAL PRESSURES TARGETED ASSISTANCE SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT WELFARE ECONOMICS POVERTY ANALYSIS POLICY FRAMEWORK INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2002/10/2074103/costa-rica-social-spending-poor-vol-2-2-social-sector-performance-90s-facing-challenges http://hdl.handle.net/10986/15329

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Summary:	The report reviews the substantial progress Costa Rica made over the past decade in reducing poverty and improving social indicators. However, while economic growth certainly reduced poverty rates, the country's recent experience shows that relying on economic growth and increased public spending alone will not necessarily yield sufficient reductions in poverty. Moreover, the rising concern that fiscal pressure will limit possibilities of increasing social spending suggests further efficiency in the sector. Even though coverage of education and health remains almost universal in basic education, and so is access to healthcare services, worrying signs in social sector indicators suggest a decline in the efficiency of social spending. The report addresses three key issues, namely, a) Who are the poor and vulnerable groups in Costa Rica? b) What has been the impact of social spending on programs that aim to improve the welfare of the poor? and c) Which are the improvements required, and how can government spending be used more effectively to reach the poor and reduce poverty? In response to these questions, the report presents an in-depth, multi-dimensional analysis of poverty, examines the effectiveness of government policies, and social sector spending on the poor, and, uses the empirical findings to identify options and priorities for improving social sector spending and reducing poverty in the future. Recommendations emphasize improving the institutional framework, coordinating the implementation of social programs, as well as increasing flexibility in programs so as to be more responsive to the needs of the poor.