ESCAP Pioneers Platform for Expanding Social Protection

By an IPS Correspondent Reprint | | Print |

BANGKOK, Dec 6 2013 (IPS) - The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) last week launched a cutting-edge platform designed for expanding social protection in the region.

Over 40 government  representatives  and  key  stakeholders  from civil society and academia  were present at the formal launch.

Designed  by ESCAP  to  build consensus towards broader and more robust social    protection  coverage,   the   Social   Protection   Toolbox   went  live  in New Delhi, India during a gathering  hosted  by  ESCAP, in co-operation  with the Institute for Social Studies Trust (ISST), according to a press release.

Despite  many  good  practices  in the Asia-Pacific region, there remains a great  need  to  expand social protection coverage. Only 20 per cent of the population  in the region has access to health care, less than one third of older  persons  receive  a pension, only 10 per cent of the jobless receive unemployment benefits, and only 30 per cent of those with disabilities earn enough income to support themselves, ESCAP said.

“Having  the  possibility  to  easily assess social protection schemes that have  special  importance to women and girls, and exchange experiences with other  countries  for moving forward is indeed an instrument we have needed for  a  long  time,”  said  Rashmi Singh, Executive Director, National Mission for Empowerment of Women, Ministry of Women and Child Development…, Government of India.

The  Toolbox  directly  confronts  the  need to expand coverage and enables users to visually identify gaps at the national level while providing users with useful examples on how to move forward, according to the press release.

Srinivas  Tata,  Chief,  Social  Policy  and Population Section, ESCAP said:  “The  Toolbox  will  facilitate  policy  makers  to  connect in an entirely  new  way  and  support their endeavors to build stronger and more robust social protection systems.”

“The  Toolbox  offers  a  unique  approach to explore social protection and learn  what  other  countries  around the world are doing to provide income support  and  health  services,”  added  Rajib Nandi, Officer-in-charge, Institute of Social Studies Trust.

India has taken important steps to extend social protection coverage to the entire population, especially to those living below the national poverty line. These strong initiatives, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the National Social Assistance Programme, a cash-transfer scheme for older people and persons with disabilities, form part of an interactive database of over 70 good practices in social protection from 52 developing countries around the world.