NATIONAL SOCIAL REGISTER (NSR)
The National Social Register is a repository of information about potential beneficiaries for multiple social assistance programs that share a common population of interest, but not necessarily same eligibility approach. In building the National Social Registry (NSR) of poor and vulnerable households (PVHHs) in the country, four targeting approaches are utilized, namely; Geographic, Community Ranking, Community Based Targeting (CBT), and Proxy Mean Testing (PMT). This is aimed at enhancing the integrity and reliability of the NSR and ensuring that resources go to the intended beneficiaries.
TARGETING APPROACH
Geographic Targeting
After reaching a consensus on the use of Poverty Map (or other poverty measurement criteria) with the participating state, Local Government Areas (LGAs) are ranked based on their poverty status. Coverage is carried out in three phases, starting with 30% poorest LGAs then subsequently 50% and 20% poorest LGAs in a State to achieve saturation.
Community Ranking
In this targeting approach, the most deprived communities and households are given priority in the terms of entry and coverage in a Local Government. The availability or otherwise of some basic amenities and infrastructures are used to provide a scientific basis for the poverty incidence ranking and subsequent selection of communities.
Community-Based Targeting
This is a process of devolving responsibilities of decision making as it relates to the identification of poor and vulnerable households (PVHH) to community members. Using the agreed criteria, the community members identify households they consider poor and vulnerable in their community. This activity is facilitated by the Community–Based Targeting Team (CBTT) which comprises of Targeting Officers and Enumerators. The Targeting Officers are responsible for facilitating the identification of PVHHs in the community while the Enumerators are responsible for data capture of the identified PVHH
Proxy Means Test (PMT)
Information on identified PVHHs characteristics captured by the Enumerators correlated with welfare levels is used in a formal algorithm to proxy household income, welfare or need. This makes it possible for PVHHs in a community to be ranked base on poverty status into deciles. PVHHs that are between one to six deciles are considered eligible to be in the National Beneficiary Register (NBR) which is a register used for Cash Transfer in the Country.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF COMMUNITY BASED TARGETING (CBT)
The community-based targeting (CBT) is a process of devolving responsibilities of decision making as it relates identification of poor and vulnerable to community members.
Community Based Targeting Team (CBTT) membership: CBTT is made up of permanent officers from the participating Local government who are made up of the following:
a) Community Development Officer (CDO) who serves as the team leader
b) An National Orientation Agency (NOA) Officer
c) Two other members who should be either; Planning Officer, Agric Extension Officer or Women/social development officer.
d) Two Enumerators who must be computer literate
Roles of the CBTT/Communities
i. Facilitate the communities to identify the Poor and Vulnerable households.
ii. Enumeration of the Identified household
iii. Documentation of all the CBT processes etc.
iv. The role of the community is limited to identification of the poorest and vulnerable households/families.
How to Conduct Community-based Targeting (CBT) Process:
a) Four basic processes are involved in carrying out CBT:
• Pre-sensitization Visit.
• Community Sensitization & Mobilization
• Community Engagement.
• Enumeration
b) Each of these processes have steps and guidelines that are needed for effective and excellent CBT.
Steps in Conducting CBT Processes
a) Pre-sensitisation visit
Objective: Intimate community leader of plans for information gathering and solicit participation of key stakeholders in sensitization and mobilization meeting.
b) Sensitization and Mobilization
Opportunity for key stakeholders to gain understanding of the essence of the exercise, their roles and responsibilities in the process.
leads to mobilizing community members for engagement on an agreed date, time and suitable venue.
c) Community Engagement
The community first gathers in one place where they would be desensitized.
Community breaks into homogenous groups (men, women and youth) for effective FGD.
FG comes up with criteria for identifying the PVHHs.
After the FGD, a plenary is re-convened to harmonize criteria and the lists of selected PVHHs.
Consensus is reached on the harmonized lists.
GRMs are selected (A male and a female)
The GRM focal person, Community Development Officer and State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU) signs off the harmonized lists.
The list is reproduced in triplicate all dully signed.
A copy is left with the GRM, Community Development Officer and State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU)
GR lead to Selected HHs for numbering
d) Enumeration
When the date of enumeration has been established, the Community Development Officer (CDO) informs the community Leader and GRMs.
The GRMs in turn informs all Identified PVHHs in the community and solicits for their availability for the exercise.
The GRMs will guide the team in locating the dwellings of all identified PVHHs.