Costa Rica : Social Spending and the Poor, Volume 1. Summary of Issues and Recommendations with Executive Summary

Costa Rica : Social Spending and the Poor, Volume 1. Summary of Issues and Recommendations with Executive 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 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:	BENEFIT ANALYSIS BUDGET ALLOCATIONS CASH TRANSFERS CURRENCY UNIT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS DISABILITIES ECONOMIC CONTEXT ECONOMIC GROWTH EXCHANGE RATE EXPENDITURE REVIEW EXTREME POVERTY FAMILIES FOOD SUBSIDIES HEALTH CENTERS HEALTH EDUCATION HEALTH OUTCOMES HEALTH PROGRAMS HEALTH STATUS HOSPITALIZATION HOSPITALS HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS HOUSEHOLD SURVEY HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS HOUSING HOUSING SUBSIDIES HUMAN CAPITAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ILLITERACY INCOME INCOME DISTRIBUTION INCOME QUINTILES INCOME SUPPORT INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK LABOR FORCE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION LABOR MARKET LAWS LIFE EXPECTANCY LIVING STANDARDS MALNUTRITION MENTAL ILLNESS MORTALITY MOTHERS NON-POOR CHILDREN NUTRITION OLD AGE OPPORTUNITY COSTS PARENTS PATIENTS PENSION SYSTEM POLICY MAKING POLICY OPTIONS POOR POOR CHILDREN POOR GROUP POOR HOUSEHOLDS POOR PEOPLE POPULATION GROUPS POVERTY ASSESSMENT POVERTY LEVEL POVERTY PROFILE POVERTY REDUCTION PRIMARY EDUCATION PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PRIMARY SCHOOL PRIORITY ACTIONS PRIVATE SECTOR PUBLIC EXPENDITURE PUBLIC HEALTH PUBLIC POLICIES PUBLIC SECTOR PUBLIC SERVICES PUBLIC SPENDING REAL TERMS RECURRENT EXPENDITURES REDUCING POVERTY RESOURCE ALLOCATION RURAL AREAS SAFETY SAFETY NET SAFETY NET PROGRAMS SAVINGS SCHOOL FEEDING SCHOOL SYSTEM SCHOOLS SERVICE DELIVERY SIBLINGS SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS SOCIAL CONTEXT SOCIAL INDICATORS SOCIAL POLICIES SOCIAL POLICY SOCIAL PROGRAMS SOCIAL PROTECTION SOCIAL SECTORS SOCIAL SECURITY SOCIAL SERVICES SOCIAL SKILLS SOCIAL SPENDING SURGERY TARGETING TAXATION UNEMPLOYMENT URBAN AREA URBAN AREAS URBAN RESIDENTS VOCATIONAL TRAINING VULNERABLE GROUPS WASTE WORKERS SOCIAL SECTOR INVESTMENT EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY BASIC EDUCATION HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY POVERTY INCIDENCE FISCAL PRESSURES TARGETED ASSISTANCE SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT WELFARE ECONOMICS POVERTY ANALYSIS POLICY FRAMEWORK
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2002/10/2074102/costa-rica-social-spending-poor-vol-1-4-summary-issues-recommendations-executive-summary http://hdl.handle.net/10986/15330

Description
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.

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