Social provision in low-income countries : new patterns and emerging trends : a study prepared for the World Institute for Development Economics Research of the United Nations University (UNU/WIDER)

The papers gathered together in this collection show that neither the market nor the state alone offers solutions to efficiency and equity problems commonly encountered in social sectors in poor nations. Innovative ways to address these important problems are explored, favouring an integrative approach to social provision. This approach involves the efforts of many providers, and avoids the inefficiencies of public supply and the social exclusion of the market mechanism.