Social protection

UN Joint Programme “Leaving no one behind: Establishing the basis for social protection floors in Lao People's Democratic Republic”

The UN Joint Programme will support the Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic to strengthen the national social protection system, through building of national capacities, improvement of public finance management, and piloting of a social assistance programme for pregnant women and new born children.

Project details

Duration

1 January 2020 - 30 June 2022

Development partner(s)

Joint SDG Fund and DFAT Australia through the UN Joint Programme, ILO and UN agencies (UNICEF and UNCDF)

Reference

LAO/19/50/UND

Location

Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic

Additional details

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Through the UN Joint Programme, ILO and UN agencies (UNICEF and UNCDF) will support the Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic to plan, prepare, implement and monitor the National Social Protection Strategy 2025. It aims to generate evidence to show that social protection is feasible and impactful even in low-income countries and in this way, to secure greater domestic investment in social protection. The Programme will accelerate progress towards SDG1 (No Poverty), SDG2 (Zero Hunger), SDG16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals). It is financed by the Joint SDG Fund and DFAT Australia.

The UN Joint Programme is a unique cooperation platform between UN agencies working on social protection and poverty reduction in Lao People's Democratic Republic. This helps create an integrated and systemic approach to supporting the implementation of the National Social Protection Strategy, to catalyse progress towards the SDGs. It allows UN agencies to pool their expertise and reduce overlaps in their support to the Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic. The Programme is expected to have a direct impact on poverty reduction, nutritional gains, reduction of socio-economic inequalities, improvement of gender equality and overall system sustainability.

Expected results and objectives

1. Government planning, management, coordination and implementation capacity to implement the National Social Protection Strategy is enhanced.

National partners have a better understanding of social protection and how to design programmes.
Government officials are aware of the impact of social protection and importance of allocating domestic resources.
An M&E framework for the National Social Protection Strategy is designed in alignment with SDG 1.3.
All financing for social protection is ensured to be on-budget.
A National Social Protection Fund is designed, to implement innovative financing solutions.

2. 2,000 children under 12 months are benefiting from a new integrated package of welfare services including a Mother and Early Childhood Grant, early childhood wellbeing services and support for birth registration.

A feasibility assessment for the grant is conducted and an implementation roadmap is developed.
The Mother and Early Childhood Grant and its MIS are designed.
National institutions and agents are prepared for implementation of the grant.
The grant is piloted in at least one of the poorest districts.
An M&E framework for the grant is implemented.

Target beneficiaries

Groups left behind or at risk: women, children, girls, minorities (including ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities), indigenous people, rural workers.

For further information please contact:

Ms Loveleen DE
Programme Manager
UN Joint Programme on Social Protection
ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic
Email: [email protected]