1st National Social Protection Conference

Pakistan faces multi-dimensional vulnerabilities, including economic shocks, climate change, and disaster risks that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Strengthening social protection systems is crucial to ensuring resilience and sustainable development.

The 1st National Social Protection Conference played a key role in fostering dialogue and commitments to enhance the efficiency, inclusivity, and resilience of Pakistan’s social protection system. Let’s have a look back on what we jointly agreed for the 1st National Social Protection Conference in Bhurban in 2023.

  • Stronger Federal-Provincial Collaboration: A Coordination Committee was proposed to align efforts, avoid duplication, and improve delivery mechanisms.
  • Two-Way Data Sharing: Developing secure exchange protocols for social registries, climate data, and administrative systems.
  • Disaster Response Collaboration: Federal and provincial partners will coordinate with disaster management entities to develop joint disaster response plans.
  • Innovative Financing & Co-Funding Models: Exploring ways to pool resources for sustainable and shock-responsive social protection.

Declaration

  1. Federal programs should be designed and implemented in consultation with provincial entities. For this purpose, it is recommended to form a Coordination Committee for consultation and collaboration in designing new projects/programs, finetuning currently running projects/programs, planning and implementing activities along the delivery chain e.g. targeting methods, payment systems, IT systems, logistic support etc., and follow up on action points of the conference. Provinces / Federating Units may also seek federal input and support in designing and implementing their own programs.
    • The Coordination Committee shall comprise representatives of federal, provincial governments and development partners.
    • The Committee shall meet once every quarter or more frequently if needed.
  2. The Federal Government will explore the possibilities of removal of duplications with the provincial programs.
  3. There is consensus on developing mechanisms of two-way exchange on reciprocal basis for different data sources, including social/beneficiary registries, climate-related and administrative data, designating focal agencies, and making institutional arrangements for developing exchange protocols for maintaining security and privacy of data.
  4. Update of NSER may also be carried out jointly and both Provincial/Federating Units and Federal Governments may explore cost/resource-sharing mechanisms leading to common ownership of the data.
  5. The possibility of using BISP field / provincial offices may be explored for provision of services being provided by the Federal and Provincial/Federating Units Governments. Services may include registration for programs, complaint management, and targeting. The concept of One Window Centers may be introduced to provide all services under one roof.
  6. Provinces/Federating Units may extend administrative support in jointly implementing activities such as providing campsites for making payment distribution, registration of affected populations, etc.
  7. In case of any disasters, partners will collaborate and engage with disaster management entities at Federal and Provincial/Federating Units level to come up with a joint plan to address the needs of people affected by the disaster.
  8. Partners shall further explore the option of partnerships across programs, including co-financing. Programs in areas where joint financing and delivery may be more efficient (e.g., in the case of insurance schemes or schemes where benefits spill over across multiple provinces, such as interventions related to climate change and disasters), federal-provincial partnership will be explored.
Watch Live