Asia-Pacific countries need to expand social protection: ADB

XINHUA, MANILA: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) stressed yesterday the need to expand the social protection programs of many countries in the Asia and Pacific to ensure adequate coverage for most of their populations.
New studies on social protection conducted by the Manila-based bank showed that many countries in the region lack government support for social insurance such as pensions and health insurance, social assistance such as child welfare programs and assistance to the elderly, and labour market programmes such as cash-for-work programms.
The studies, titled The Social Protection Indicator (SPI): Assessing Results for Asia, and Social Protection Indicator (SPI): Assessing Results for the Pacific, incorporate data from 25 countries in Asia and 13 countries in the Pacific.
The studies, released yesterday, also found that on average government expenditure on social protection programs in Asian countries is equivalent to 3.7 per cent of gross domestic product per capita and 1.9 per cent in the Pacific, in both cases far too low to ensure sufficient coverage for most of the population.
Social insurance continues to dominate social protection spending in Asia and the Pacific, according to the studies.
“Almost three quarters of GDP per capita spent on social protection is allocated for social insurance. Social assistance accounts for only 0.9 per cent of GDP per capita, while active labor market programs account for only 0.1 per cent GDP per capita,” the studies said.
“This updated, comprehensive set of indicators gives governments an effective mechanism for devising new and improved social protection programs, which are essential element of the new Sustainable Development Goals and go to the heart of efforts to promote inclusive growth and reduce poverty,” said Sri Wening Handayani, principal social development specialist with ADB’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department.
For the first time, the ADB said the 2016 SPI report assesses progress on social protection over time by tracking spending for 14 countries in Asia between 2004 and 2012.
“Mongolia, China, and Vietnam made appreciable progress, while the low income countries, Cambodia and Nepal, made significant progress primarily through cash or in-kind transfers,” the bank said, adding that social protection coverage levels remain weak in other countries, particularly in the Pacific, where little progress was made between 2009 and 2012.

Asia-Pacific countries need to expand social protection: ADB

XINHUA, MANILA: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) stressed yesterday the need to expand the social protection programs of many countries in the Asia and Pacific to ensure adequate coverage for most of their populations. New studies on social protection conducted by the Manila-based bank showed that many countries in the region lack government support for social insurance such as pensions and health insurance, social assistance such as child welfare programs and assistance to the elderly, and labour market programmes such as cash-for-work programms. The studies, titled The Social Protection Indicator (SPI): Assessing Results for Asia, and Social Protection Indicator (SPI): Assessing Results for the Pacific, incorporate data from 25 countries in Asia and 13 countries in the Pacific. The studies, released yesterday, also found that on average government expenditure on social protection programs in Asian countries is equivalent to 3.7 per cent of gross domestic product per capita and 1.9 per cent in the Pacific, in both cases far too low to ensure sufficient coverage for most of the population. Social insurance continues to dominate social protection spending in Asia and the Pacific, according to the studies. Almost three quarters of GDP per capita spent on social protection is allocated for social insurance. Social assistance accounts for only 0.9 per cent of GDP per capita, while active labor market programs account for only 0.1 per cent GDP per capita, the studies said. This updated, comprehensive set of indicators gives governments an effective mechanism for devising new and improved social protection programs, which are essential element of the new Sustainable Development Goals and go to the heart of efforts to promote inclusive growth and reduce poverty, said Sri Wening Handayani, principal social development specialist with ADBs Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department. For the first time, the ADB said the 2016 SPI report assesses progress on social protection over time by tracking spending for 14 countries in Asia between 2004and 2012. Mongolia, China, and Vietnam made appreciable progress, while the low income countries, Cambodia and Nepal, made significant progress primarily through cash or in-kind transfers, the bank said, adding that social protection coverage levels remain weak in other countries, particularly in the Pacific, where little progress was made between 2009 and 2012.