Bangladesh & China Trade and Investment Cooperation
Technical Dissemination: Exploring Export Diversification Opportunities in the EU
Universal Social Protection and National Social Insurance Scheme in Bangladesh
Contents
About the project
Partner: International Labour Organization (ILO).Project duration: June 2022 - December 2022
Universal social protection (USP) and social insurance scheme are considered as key policy instruments of national development strategies and agendas to reduce poverty and vulnerabilities, address inequality, facilitate human development and access to decent work. A strong effective USP and social insurance scheme also increase productivity, skills, and employability by enhancing human capabilities and facilitating investment in productive assets. Therefore, these two can be referred to as economic enablers contributing to strong, sustainable, and inclusive growth. Many countries in recent years have made substantial progress toward these two and in extending social protection and building right-based social protection system (ILO, 2021a). However, the pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities which in turn implies the existence of deep-seated inequalities and significant gaps in social protection coverage and comprehensiveness.
The Government of Bangladesh formulated the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) in 2015 envisaging a streamlined social security system primarily based on the so-called lifecycle approach, providing support to all eligible individuals to address livelihood risks at different stages of their life e.g., childhood, working-age, and old-age. However, it is worth pointing out that social security programmes for the working-age population were virtually absent before adopting the NSSS 2015. The vulnerabilities of the working-age population have been increasing over the years due to various reasons i.e., changing labour market landscape, higher likelihood of labour market turnover, growing awareness about improving workers’ welfare, etc. but the NSSS and its complementary action plan have been very slow as reviewed in the Midterm Progress Review on Implementation of the NSSS (Cabinet Division & GED, 2019).
This also implies that Bangladesh’s social protection regime has remained stuck in the old system with limited scope and coverage, narrow targeting, and leakages. One important contributing factor to this lacklustre performance is the lack of knowledge and awareness about the social protection system amongst various stakeholders including the implementing ministries/departments/divisions. Knowledge gaps are more prevalent especially when it comes to labour-related social protection programmes.
Achieving the country’s long-term overarching objective of ensuring universal social protection and social insurance will critically depend on informed stakeholders. Against this backdrop, the Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID) in collaboration with ILO undertook an assignment of designing and developing a strategy and implementation plan of action (PoA) of social partners’ awareness and capacity-building on universal social protection (USP) and national social insurance scheme (NSIS) in Bangladesh.
Project activities
Capacity building workshop: Concepts of Universal and Comprehensive Social Protection and International Standards
On 27 September 2022, Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID) and International Labour Organization (ILO) jointly organised a Capacity building workshop. In the capacity building workshop, Mr Tuomo Poutiainen, Director, ILO Country Office for Bangladesh was invited to deliver the welcome remarks. Ms Begum Jebunnesa Karim, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, was present as the Special Guest and Dr Md Kawser Ahmed, Member (Secretary), Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The interactive session on "awareness and knowledge gaps in social protection and social insurance issues” was conducted by Dr M A Razzaque (Chairman, RAPID) and the whole event was hosted by Dr M Abu Eusuf, Executive Director, RAPID.
Capacity building workshop: Social Protection Policies and Institutional Framework in Bangladesh
On 7 November 2022, The Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) and International Labour Organization (ILO) with knowledge partner Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID) organised a Capacity building workshop. Mr Tuomo Poutiainen, Director, ILO Country Office for Bangladesh was invited to deliver the welcome remarks in the event. The consultation was attended by many Government officials, employers, and representatives from trade unions, trade bodies, corporate leaders, think-tanks as well as relevant development partners, UN agencies, and civil society organizations. Several key points emerged from the workshop regarding the current operating lifecycle-based social security programmes in Bangladesh. The Chairman of RAPID Dr M A Razzaque, conducted all the technical sessions and Mr Syed Saad Hossain Gilani (Chief Technical Advisor, ILO Country Office, Bangladesh) made a presentation on Social Insurance – Concepts and Features.
Policy Dialogue Session: Towards Universal Social Protection in Bangladesh: Issues and Priorities
On 29 November 2022, The Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) and International Labour Organization (ILO) with knowledge partner Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID), organised a Policy Dialogue Session. Mr Tuomo Poutiainen, Director, ILO Country Office for Bangladesh was invited to deliver the welcome remarks. The Panel Discussion was attended by Government officials, employers, and representatives from trade unions, trade bodies, corporate leaders, think tanks, as well as relevant development partners, UN agencies, and civil society organizations. Ms. Begum Jebunnesa Karim, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, was present as the Chief Guest. Several key points emerged from the policy discussion regarding the implementation challenges of the NSSS National Action Plan Phase-I (2016–2021). Dr. M A Razzaque, Chairman of RAPID, delivered the keynote presentation on "Towards Universal Social Protection in Bangladesh: Issues and Priorities” and moderated the whole policy discussion.