In this, the first episode of the first edition of Thought Series, we asked the question “How are inclusive Social Services relevant?” In the social services field, this question has an important bearing on how social inclusion is executed. Our host was Dr. Netsanet Fetene, who is a Senior Researcher at Includovate with more than 15 years of experience. Dr. Fetene started the webinar by briefly outlining the importance of the topic and the difficulties in grasping its implications. Inclusion in social services is perceived as a concept familiar to many but an elusive idea. There is a need to understand the concept of inclusion in social services and its barriers, and to look at how novel approaches can make social services inclusive.

Following introductions from each of the panelists, Mr. Sisay Mammo, Disability Portfolio Lead at Includovate, was given the stage to discuss the relevance of social services with respect to education and disability programming. He highlighted the importance of diversity and identity in social services, pointing out that inclusion comes from diversity — unless there is diversity we cannot talk about inclusion. Sisay explained that diversity comes from differences in our needs and limitations, putting forth the disability case, that is, how different peoples’ bodies function differently, as an explanatory example. We all live interdependently, so inclusivity in social services is important to everyone. With regard to disabilities, he pointed out how many environments fail to accommodate these specific different needs and limitations. These failures accumulate to the point where a person becomes disabled, their abilities being denied. For social services to be relevant, there needs to be an accommodation that can address these disabling factors, to overcome environmental and societal barriers. Sisay summed up by stating that unless services are properly designed to accommodate all means of abilities, we cannot say that we are inclusive.

Next, Dr. Girma Hundessa, who has a background in social anthropology and is a Indigenous Governance Principal Researcher at Includovate, framed the problem from a governance perspective. Dr. Hundessa pointed out that inclusion and exclusion from the point of view of governance comes about from state-society relations. He indicated the importance of a plural approach and a consideration of local views when delivering social services. The expansion of social services requires social cohesion, again highlighting the need for cooperation of the state and society to bring about a broader, more inclusive social services system.

Next, Dr. Kristie Drucza, CEO of Includovate, highlighted the complexity of inclusion as an idea and a solution, referencing the issues of diversity and governance raised by Dr. Hundessa. Using cash transfers as an example, Dr. Drucza explained how this kind of approach to social service provision can turn incentives into “disincentives”. There are many geographical and societal barriers that prevent this kind of instrument from being effective. Language miscommunications between government social service administrators and locals shows the complexity of the problem. Messaging and promotion campaigns have to resonate with rather than exclude those already marginalised — this is why social inclusion is so important. Dr. Drucza also underlined how social exclusion is multilayered, using the example of how gender, disability, and economic circumstances can combine to create exclusion in even well-intentioned social service schemes. There are layers and levels to exclusion and there is no quick-fix solution. Any solution must overcome ingrained societal discriminatory attitudes, especially when solutions that involve social service provision are typically run by a centralised state institution. She concluded her words with the importance of different perspectives and views.

Sisay Mammo returned to talk about barriers to inclusion in social services and the consequences when inclusion is missing. Sisay pointed out the many angles one can approach inclusion from, for example, gender, disability, geographic remoteness, and economic poverty. He highlighted that the key barrier is attitudinal — this barrier holds multiplicities, including problems such as peoples’ superiority complex, lack of empathy, biases, and ignorance of the capabilities of those with disabilities. There is also ignorance of the needs of those with disabilities, how can you address needs through social services if they are not understood? Giving Ethiopia as an example case, Sisay explained how general barriers in social service inclusion from a disability aspect are related to attitudes and lack of knowledge (ignorance) and resources. Furthermore, conversations surrounding political equality in Ethiopia rarely talk about inclusion, for example, there is little mention of women, minorities, persons with disabilities, pastoralists, and different language groups.

Dr. Hundessa highlighted other issues that contribute to exclusion, framing the issue of security from an institutional perspective. Security is something believed to be maintained by the state, partly through the provision of social services. Thus, weak state institutions, particularly in the Global South, cannot provide security in this way to marginalised groups and so inclusion cannot be achieved. Exclusion and inclusion are extremes of a continuum — inclusion is partly a goal and partly a process. Without inclusion people cannot be beneficiaries of the state for a better life and better services.

Dr. Drucza built on Dr. Hundessa’s idea of a continuum, pointing out that full inclusion is not just one goal to the exclusion of other solutions. She highlighted the importance of inclusive acts and indicated that positive effects emerge bit-by-bit from positive outcomes, such as the inclusion of role models who belong to marginalised groups. Dr. Drucza also acknowledged the realities of the tempo of change, explaining how inclusivity must be meaningful rather than focused solely on numbers and highlighting how inclusion inevitably is about power and politics. She underlined that this is not the issue of the state by itself or civil society, but a cooperative approach is needed. It requires people admitting their own ignorance and how that leads to the exclusion of others. Ultimately, we have to fundamentally change our institutions, the way we programme, and the way we develop policies, but at a pace that does not engender disharmony.

This webinar aimed to discuss the relevance of social services with different perspectives by experts on this field. We have the following take-home messages from this webinar.

• There are complex and diverse causes of social service exclusions of which attitude, culture, governance, power, and politics can play key roles. We need to open our eyes and try to be part of the solution.
• Social service inclusion need to consider equitable access to resources and opportunities.
• Inclusive social service needs an innovative approach, empowerment, and active engagement of end-users in decision making.

It became very helpful for seeing its complexity and discussing and seeking relevant solutions on social services.

This was the first webinar of the “Thought Series” that we will dive into other aspects of social inclusion by all means in the following webinars. Thank you (in no particular order) Liya, Eunice, Rebecca, Kanika, Deniz, Yeabtsega for organising the session in all!

Includovate is a feminist research incubator that “walks the talk”. Includovate is an Australian social enterprise consisting of a consulting firm and research incubator that designs solutions for gender equality and social inclusion. Its mission is to incubate transformative and inclusive solutions for measuring, studying, and changing discriminatory norms that lead to poverty, inequality, and injustice. To know more about us at Includovate, follow our social media: @includovate, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram.