Global Forum on Adaptive Social protection – German government and WB conference in Berlin.
My views on the highlights from all the speakers in the conference:
- Scale is the main priority.
- Existing SSN adaptive systems during crisis are key and useful for pandemics, natural disasters, war etc.
- Countries which have been successful are the ones who have protective systems especially for women and children.
- Multiple overlapping crisis require instruments which make people more resilient.
- No one is left behind
- Compass is the strategy – Adaptive SP is the opportunity to give opportunity.
- 100 countries $26 b is the WB portfolio for the same.
- Change the default to build systems
- Digital transfers brings down costs and increase accountability as long as systems in place.
- WFP flood program analysis in Bangladesh- because of digital wallets from BRAC family adaptive SP easier. Same example for floods and BISP in Pakistan in 2022. Precision amazing because maps exist and systems exist and handshakes between government meteorological departments and SP have happened.
- Social registries can be operated effectively if they are dynamic.
- GDP growth rate helps adaptive SP –
- Begin with local political commitment (Stefan) – elite consensus required not just a leader- build G2P digital systems- digital public infrastructure to be rolled out – design with finance in mind – plumbing of infrastructure more important.
- Not necessary that it is a perfectly designed system but a sustainable system for the local community.
- Good to see the progress the Egyptian government has made from Ghada’s days and now Nivine as Minister using systems BISP already has. Deduping of systems between ministries important. Women in informal sector and are most hit with double burden.
- Meaningful participation from civil society in the fund for SP at UN. Right to SP is included in UN Declaration for HR which will be 75 yrs old in Dec 2023.
- There is no perfect system – transfers of systems not possible- localization must.
- Insurance for textile workers in BD. Systematic approach – not all inclusive but a start at least.
- Digital gap – access to energy and education – how to reach informal sector- concentrate on those projects – and build benefits for them.
- Mamta- compass- sustainable poverty reduction is not just about SP systems and tools and not the end in itself and it requires an economy which can provide the next steps. Prioritization and reducing wasteful expenditures. 5 gaps in SP systems – close them – coverage gap – financing gap – opportunity gap – to provide a spring board to support access to jobs (PEI) – providing skills for jobs – flexibility gap – respond to changing circumstances- delivery gap – systems at scale – well explained gaps.
- Data protection and privacy key – agreed – conditionalities key as far as my experience goes- I disagree with the HR speaker.
- ASP helps with mitigation and adaptation both –
- WDR on migration – convo needs to be reset- receiving and sending countries need to do more – middle income countries are the main hosts – international labour mobility convo the ASP needs to be more flexible – SDGs are being missed –
- In 3 yrs time – investment boost – USP !