Logo UNICEF Innocenti
Office of Research-Innocenti
menu icon

Decentralization

A survey from a child welfare perspective
Decentralization: A survey from a child welfare perspective

Author(s)

Jeni Klugman

 

Publication date: 61

Publication series:
Innocenti Occasional Papers, Economic Policy Series

No. of pages: 52

Download the report

(PDF, 0.00 MB)(PDF, 0.00 MB)

Abstract

This paper develops a framework by which the impact of decentralization of government on child welfare can be assessed. Consistent with the child welfare perspective, it is suggested that equity should be given greatest weight, in terms of both equality of opportunity and progress in reducing disparities in access. Allocative efficiency, a notion that has figured prominently in the economics literature about the merits of decentralization, is shown to have limited value once we accept the existence of externalities and public goods in the provision of basic services. The review of available evidence for Asian and transition countries suggests that there is a significant risk that equity can be adversely affected by the decentralization of education and the associated financing arrangements.
Available in:
English

More in this series: Innocenti Occasional Papers, Economic Policy Series

Income Distribution, Economic Systems and Transition
Publication

Income Distribution, Economic Systems and Transition

The differences in income distribution between market and planned economies are considered. The picture during transition, like that under socialism, is varied. Russia has experienced very sharp increases in measured inequality while the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland have seen more modest rises.
Child Poverty across Industrialized Nations
Publication

Child Poverty across Industrialized Nations

Despite widespread concern about the living standards of children, the research of the last decade has confirmed that there remain wide variations in the extent of child poverty across countries at otherwise similar levels of development.
The Education of Children with Special Needs: Barriers and opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe
Publication

The Education of Children with Special Needs: Barriers and opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe

Children with disabilities and many others who experience difficulties in learning are often marginalized within or even excluded from school systems. This paper considers the situation in countries of Central and Eastern Europe, examining particular developments that have occurred in recent years.
Income Inequality and Mobility in Hungary 1992-96
Publication

Income Inequality and Mobility in Hungary 1992-96

The first half of the 1990s brought major changes to Hungary. The positive sides of the transformation in the Hungarian economy and society were accompanied by less welcome aspects - a sharp fall in GDP, double-digit unemployment and falling real incomes.