1. TO PROMOTE SOCIAL PROTECTION REFORMS
United Nations in Tajikistan
JOINT EFFORTS
TO PROMOTE SOCIAL PROTECTION REFORMS
April 28, 2017

2. Content SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION
SOCIAL PROTECTION ISSUES IN TAJIKISTAN
UN EFFORTS IN SOCIAL PROTECTION
CURRENT PROGRESS AND LESSONS LEARNT

3. UN agencies active in social protection

4. Socio-economic situation
GDP: Growth by 6.4% in 2015, 6.6% in 2016, 4-5% in
Monetary Poverty: 31.3% in 2015, 30.6% in 2016
The fluctuations in the exchange rate of the Tajik Somoni against the USD have contributed to the increase of foodstuff prices
Almost 20 per cent of HHs could not afford medical care for their children during July-December 2016, children in 11 per cent of HHs ate twice a day only.
Registered Tajik migrants in Russia: 1 mln in 2014 vs 879,000 in 2016
Remittances constituted 49 per cent of the GDP in 2013 and hit a peak at $4.3 billion in By 2015, fallen to $2.6 billion - a 60 per cent drop
36,292 re-entry banned migrants, only 3,692 (10%) were officially employed in Tajikistan

5. Social protection issues in Tajikistan
Insufficient coverage of the population in need for social protection
Poor targeting with some vulnerable groups of the population excluded
Small size of benefits which can merely affect the well-being of the target population
Inefficient governance and institutional set-up of social protection, fragmented SP system
Insufficient funding for social protection and lack of efficiency in budget implementation
Lack of coordination between social protection and other sectors
Lack of data, analysis and evidence based decision making system (a centralized data base that would allow better targeting)

6. Vulnerable groups and social protection
Yes No
People with disabilities
Unemployed, including returned migrants
People engaged in vulnerable employment
Abandoned migrant families (mostly female headed households)
Poor households
Youth NEET
People affected by natural disasters
Children living with HIV

7. Un efforts in social protection
Technical assistance in the development of the new life-cycle-based Social Protection Strategy (including an assessment)
Reinforcing the Government capacity in data analysis, presentation and usage
Technical assistance in the review of social services at local level and advocacy for the reform process
Assessment Based National Dialogue on Social Protection Floors
Collaboration with the World Bank in real time monitoring of the impact of the economic crisis and advocacy for policy measures
Joint UN planning and implementation (UNDAF) with a results group dedicated to social protection results
Ensuring development partners’ cooperation and coordination (DCC Working Group on Social Protection)

8. Current progress
A Government unit on social protection policy analysis is established and operational (UNICEF, UNDP)
Newly developed Social Protection Strategy defines measures around four life stages (pregnancy and early childhood, learning age, working age, old age) and encompasses four social protection roles (UNICEF, ILO, UNHCR, UNDP, WFP)
Social Assistance at Home Units are reviewed and consultations are commenced around implementation of the changes proposed (UNDP, UNICEF)
Joint capacity development events are organized based on the current capacity needs of the Gov-t institutions (UNDP, UNICEF)
Real-time monitoring results support the on-going policy advocacy (Listening to Tajikistan, FSMS) (UNICEF, WFP)

9. Lessons learnt
Having joint UN plans developed and signed is not sufficient for achieving joint results
UN agencies need to better coordinate their vision and objectives, strategies (to be complementary) and their related action plans in order to avoid duplication, replication and scattering of resources and efforts.
Government ownership and proactive participation is necessary from the very beginning of any process
UN agencies need to jointly boost capacity of the Government institutions in data analysis, presentation and usage
UN agencies need to have a stronger voice and advocate for a coordinated and costed social protection strategy at highest level of Government

10. Contact for information:
CONTACTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMAITON:
YUSUF KURBONKHOJAEV
SOCIAL POLICY OFFICER
UNICEF TAJIKISTAN