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Module 05: Identifying Constraints
5.3 Specific constraints that affect
the poor
Local governments have to be more honest about the constraints they
face in reaching the poor to the degree that is required.
Below a few of the most obvious and challenging barriers
are highlighted:
1. Political will
Perhaps the primary constraint to the development of a partnership
that addresses the needs of the poorer groups effectively
is lack of political will. Often the situation involving the poor is
complex and the proportion of the population that this disadvantaged
group comprises could be too low to provide sufficient political motivation – either
to take the poor into consideration in the first place, or to redesign
the contract later on.
2. Political and institutional constraints
Often political and institutional limitations exist on
the development of more pro-poor attitudes within urban governments.
These constraints include: the complex political struggles that often
take place between national and local government; overlapping responsibilities
between different authorities or agencies; and unrealistic
expectations about what local authorities can actually do with their
very limited technical and institutional capacity.
3. Economic policies 
The poor are never a homogeneous group: they differ markedly
by such factors as gender, age, ethnicity, race or location.
Occupational barriers, social barriers and gender-barriers, which
frequently overlap, can serve to prevent access to the service either
at the community or household level.
Thus, to be effective against poverty, economic policies
need to help break down the barriers of exclusion and discrimination
that prevent various social groups from taking part in
economic opportunities. Equity-sensitive economic policies can contribute
a great deal to achieving this objective. In many cases, measures
that are directly redistributive will also have to play a complementary
role. The objective is an equitable distribution of economic opportunities,
which then ensures everyone has the material means to sustain a universally
acceptable level of basic human development.
4. Connection fees
Some of the solutions to address the barriers that the poor
face in connecting to established utilities include:
◊ reducing the price that the poor must pay to have a connection installed;
◊ creating more favourable payment terms for the connection charge;
◊ in the case of water, facilitating more convenient access to water
at favourable payment terms through the installation of water kiosks;
◊ using pre-paid water or electricity meters or debit card type arrangements
for water from standpoints;
◊ offering the poor a “menu” of service options, beginning
with a low-cost ground tank, for example, but also including higher-cost
alternatives such as a household connection.
5. Time frame
The “time factor” may be a significant reason for the historic
under-representation of services to low-income communities in many contract
documents. However, time pressure should not become an obstacle to better
services for disadvantaged groups.
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