Poverty alleviation in El Salvador: An appraisal of the Cristiani Government's social programme

This article appraises the social programme of the Cristiani Government which intends to meet the basic needs of the poorest sectors. It identifies three main components: an emergency programme undertaken during stabilization; a social investment fund intended to compensate those affected by structural adjustment; and long-term restructuring of social service delivery. Each component is assessed in terms of the target group, donor support, institutional framework and monitoring and evaluation of impact. The article examines the claim that the model of social service delivery in El Salvador is a model for other Latin American countries. The conclusions reached are that programme congestion at the local level is likely to thwart attempts to decentralize service delivery, and that community participation is a key element in any attempt to reform the social sector.