Social Protection Resource Centre has launched its Flagship Report, ” State of Social Protection in Pakistan 2020” in the virtual session on ‘State of Social Protection in Pakistan: Need, Coverage, Legislative Status, Challenges and Way Forward’ on SDPI’s (Sustainable Development Policy Institute) 23rd Sustainable Development Conference (SDC) 2020.

Session Details:
The Session was held on 17th December 2020 from 9:30 am to 11:00 am.

Moderator:
Dr. Safdar Sohail, Executive Director SPRC.

Panelists & Programmes:

• Mr. Mutee Ul Rehman

Senior Specialist, SPRC Islamabad
Key Highlights of SPRC State of Social Protection in Pakistan 2020 Report

• Dr. Aliya Hashmi Khan

Former Dean Social Sciences, QAU, Islamabad, Chair National Poverty Estimation Committee, Govt. of Pakistan
Critical Review of SPRC’s Flagship Report on ‘State of Social Protection in Pakistan.

• Dr. Stephen Kidd

Senior Social Policy Specialist, Development Pathways, UK; Former Director of Policy at HelpAge International & Former Senior Social Development Adviser, DFID
An Evaluation of Ongoing Social Protection Policies and Programmes in the Context of SDG 1.3

• Dr. Jomo Kwame Sundaram

Research Advisor at Khazanah Research Institute and Visiting Fellow at the Initiative for Policy Dialogue, Columbia University, Former Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development (UNDESA), Former Assistant Director-General and Coordinator for Economic and Social Development (FAO) & Founder of International Development Economics Associates (IDEAs)
Social Policy for Developing countries for tomorrow

Mr. Mutee presented key highlights of SPRC’s Report of ‘State of Social Protection in Pakistan’ In this report SPRC ranks districts combining the measurements of social assistance, social insurance & social security. Social Protection Index (SPI) score indicates the need for social protection at the district level all over Pakistan. Furthermore, the report also identified the strong relationship between the Multi-Dimensionality Poverty Index (MPI) score and Need-based Social Protection Index Score (SPI).

After the launch of the Flagship Report, Dr. Aliya Hashmi Khan gave her critical reviews on the report. She applauded the efforts of SPRC team in bringing out such report to bring together different definitions of Social Protection and then focusing on one concept of social protection all together.

Then, Dr. Stephen Kidd evaluated the Ongoing Social Protection Policies and Programmes in the Context of SDG 1.3 and also gave appreciating comments on the launch of the SPRC’s Flagship Report.

And then Dr. Jomo Kwame Sundaram concluded the session by elaborating Social Policy for Developing countries for future. He emphasized that structural reforms are a must for every state but what kind of structural reforms are to be introduced is the question and need of an hour to ponder upon. He also stressed over the provision of universal health coverage in every state as this is one of the most successful social protection interventions for developed countries and it can be replicated for developing countries.

SPRC has successfully conducted the virtual session in 23rd Sustainable Development Conference (SDC) 2020.