Proposal of the IPRCC about Housing the PADI Secretariat in the IPRCC Zhang Lei Director of IPRCC

May 16, 2005

Distinguished Mr.Khandker, distinguished coordinators of PADI members:

　　Good morning!

　　Today, we gathered here for a discussion about the future of PADI Secretariat in East Asia. On behalf of the International Poverty Reduction Center in China, I propose that the PADI Secretariat be housed in the center.

　　Our first argument is, with the help of the PADI secretariat, the center will better serve all PADI member countries.

　　Since the reform and opening-up, China has made a rapid and comprehensive progress in its economy and society as well. Poverty reduction is part of the remarkable achievements. During the Global Conference on Poverty Reduction in Shanghai last year, the Chinese government was clearly committed to its active contribution to the poverty reduction worldwide on the basis of further addressing the problem on its own land. Our government and the UNDP signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of the IPRCC which is one of the important outcomes accomplished in the Global Conference. The two sides signed an official agreement just before, marking the launch of the center establishment. This is a solemn action China took to honor its commitment.

　　The center is dedicated to promoting world researches on poverty reduction policies and theories, to training and serving poverty workers in developing countries. It takes it as its responsibility to enhance international cooperation and exchanges in this area. Practices over the past few years proved that poverty data is indispensable in the fight against poverty. Studies and decision-making on poverty issues rely on timely collection of data. Capacity construction of poverty workers specialized in evaluation and analysis of poverty data is regarded as a priority in the whole data system. International cooperation and exchanges in poverty reduction requires share of data.

　　In this sense, the PADI secretariat, if settled in the center, will lead the center into a much bigger role to play, that will in return benefit all PADI members and the world at large.

　　Our second argument is, China is advantaged in accommodating the secretariat.

　　First, China is endowed with a diversity of natural conditions. People interact with the nature. Poverty incidence is closely related to local conditions. Natural condition is a factor to be considered when carrying out poverty statistics and assessment work. China is a large country with its natural conditions varying from one region to another. Whatever topography existing in other East Asian countries can surely be found in China. If the statistic experience in different areas of China is to be studied, innovated and disseminated, it will serve other Asian Countries as a more targeted practical experience for direct reference.

　　Second, China is capable of organizing poverty statistic surveillance in large scale. Since 1986 when China launched its program of poverty reduction through development in a planed and organized way, the LGOPAD and the NBS have begun household survey on 67thousand rural residents. Starting from 1994, national poverty statistic surveillances have covered a total of 592 state-targeted poor counties. The coverage and the number of households being sampled both rank among the first in the world. Up to now, a holistic system of indices and a completed system of statistic surveillance have formed up for the surveillance has covered 28 fields, relating to 43 indices. China's accomplishment is of great value for other East Asian countries.

　　Third, China is rich in theories and experiences about survey and registration, and how to identify the targets of poverty assistance. To achieve more with its poverty reduction efforts, China has made it a focus in the work to reach out to individual households in rural areas, so that the really poor community can be directly assisted. Practical experiences have developed at various localities. Nowadays, a complete registration of poor households and low-income households in rural areas has come into being, with each household portrayed in one card, each village in one book and each township in one volume. The registration reflects basic living conditions in poor farmers' household, which is a premise for the dynamic track surveillance.

　　Fourth, China is adept at training. Training on statistic surveillance has long assumed an essential position in the training system for poverty reduction in China. The principle of assigning training task to various levels of governments guides that poverty reduction agencies and statistic surveillance agencies at all levels train their staff every year. At the provincial and county level, the number of the statistics and surveillance staff trained by the LGOPAD and the NBS reached more than 300 for last year alone. A numerous and experienced contingent of statisticians and surveillance workers have graduated from training over the years. All the practices serve as a proof that the Chinese government has been exploring its way to a more effective capacity construction for its workers.

　　Fifth, China and the international community share a long history of cooperation in poverty data surveillance. During China's campaign against poverty in recent years, many international organizations came into successful partnership with China. They came along with advanced notions and expertise and assisted in the training of highly-skilled staff, especially in assistance programs. With their help, China has seen its poverty data system upgraded, its experiences enriched and its cooperation with the international community entering a new stage.

　　We would like to take this unique opportunity to share our experiences with other countries. China's work in collecting, monitoring and analyzing poverty data remains lagging behind our practices in poverty reduction and development, therefore, we are in urgent need of relevant experiences from other countries, so as to realize mutual improvement.

　　Our third argument is, the IPRCC is ready to create an enabling climate for the secretariat.

　　If the secretariat is set in the center, we are confident that the two will be established into a mutually promoting integration. We, in China, will shoulder the obligation and responsibility to build a pragmatic and efficient platform for the secretariat and to better serve other Asian Countries.

　　First, the center will take the capacity construction in data surveillance and data analysis as an integral part of its work. We will step up our own ability in data work and data base construction. At the same time, we will support the secretariat with a council team consisting of specialized staff recruited from the LGOPAD and the NBS and experts of related subjects.
Second, the center will drive forward the training initiative in other East Asian countries and facilitate communications about data work among them. The fist practical step it will take is to train a certain number of surveillance workers and analyzers for other East Asian countries each year. Furthermore, it will integrate itself into the basic framework of cooperation with other international organization.

　　Third, the center will hold high-leveled poverty reduction forums participated by government officials and experts in other East Asian countries, jointly enhancing our capacity of data processing.

　　Fourth, the center will provide the secretariat with offices and workers where it's necessary, and preferential services that can be expected from the convenient facilities in the center.


Distinguished coordinators of all PADI members:

　　Despite the remarkable accomplishments that have been made by China and other East Asian countries in data work, there is still much to do. We will strengthen the exchanges and cooperation with data workers in other East Asian countries, promote share of knowledge and information among us, and jointly lead the data work into a new level.

　　Thank you very much!