The Institute for Economic Justice has submitted initial comments to the Presidency’s draft anti-poverty strategy.
Ambitious Goals and Modalities:
The submission welcomes the ambitious goals, such as the elimination of poverty by 2030 and the rapid eradication of hunger, particularly child hunger, set in the strategy. However, it argues that some of the goals could be more ambitious, and questions the appropriateness and clarity of the proposed modalities to achieve these targets.
Lack of Viable Resource Strategy:
One of the main criticisms raised in the submission is the lack of a viable strategy to adequately resource the required interventions. The submission emphasizes the importance of having a well-funded plan to effectively address poverty. It raises concerns about the ambiguity and generality of certain proposals, which may hinder the successful implementation of the strategy.
Sequential Approach and Economic Trajectory:
The submission also highlights the need for a carefully sequenced approach that not only addresses the current crisis but also brings about a fundamental change in the economic trajectory.
Social Security Interventions:
The submission further focuses on social security-related interventions. It comments on the proposed attachment of work conditionalities to social grants, suggesting that this approach may not be the most effective in combating poverty.
Engagement and Input:
Furthermore, the submission expresses concern about the limited time given for input on the wide-ranging matters addressed in the draft strategy. It emphasizes the importance of engaging civil society and the research community in the decision-making process, and calls for a more detailed document to be made available for comment. The IEJ believes that this will enable a more thorough analysis and allow for additional interventions to be proposed to effectively tackle the immense challenge of poverty.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the submission provides a critical assessment of the Presidency’s draft anti-poverty strategy. It highlights the need for more ambitious goals, a viable strategy for resource allocation, and a carefully sequenced approach. The submission also offers specific suggestions regarding social security interventions and emphasizes the importance of wider engagement and input from various stakeholders.