[{"bbox": [96, 152, 1161, 367], "category": "Text", "text": "Rising inequality demands that the GoB enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of its social protection system. This means prioritizing the poor, and particularly marginalised and thus more vulnerable, through an efficient use of resources and leveraging advanced digital infrastructure for informed decision-making, digital data verification, timely and accessible disbursements, and thorough monitoring. Given Bangladesh's vulnerability to natural disasters, social protection programmes should be flexible and responsive, incorporating anticipatory shock-responsive approaches. With limited resources, the GoB must accelerate contributory reforms for working-age people to alleviate budget pressure and cover the \"missing middle\". This action supports these efforts through transfers to the Government, policy dialogue, and complementary services (inputs), aiming to reduce poverty and inequality (impact)."}, {"bbox": [96, 391, 1161, 499], "category": "Text", "text": "Since the inception of the current intervention, the EU budget support operation helped the Government to advance a number of reforms, in the areas of digital governance institutions (Single Registry MIS, G2P platform), MCBP and social protection for workers. The proposed Action aims to institutionalize or scale-up these reforms through the following activities:"}, {"bbox": [96, 498, 1161, 604], "category": "Text", "text": "(i) Further develop the Single Registry MIS by linking it at least with all major cash transfer programmes, building interoperability with other MISs to cross-check the socio-economic data of the beneficiaries, and through the development of a double-dipping policy which clearly identifies programmes which are mutually exclusive and those allowing different combination of benefits"}, {"bbox": [96, 619, 1161, 675], "category": "Text", "text": "(ii) Strengthen financial management of the social protection programmes through the regular publication of social protection programmes budget utilization reports."}, {"bbox": [96, 689, 1161, 771], "category": "Text", "text": "(iii) Improve the MIS for the Mother and Child Benefit Programme, ensuring inter alia accurate, registration enrolment, data/case management, reporting and monitoring, grievance redressal and integration with other platforms (the IT systems in the health sector and of birth and death registration)."}, {"bbox": [96, 786, 806, 814], "category": "Text", "text": "(iv) Include anticipatory and shock responsive elements in the MCBP design."}, {"bbox": [96, 829, 1161, 884], "category": "Text", "text": "(v). Improve the implementation of the social protection programme for unemployed and distressed workers, also by enhancing workers’ access to the programme."}, {"bbox": [96, 899, 1161, 951], "category": "Text", "text": "(vi) Launch the Labour Management Information System and make it inter-operable with other existing labour databases."}, {"bbox": [96, 968, 1115, 997], "category": "Text", "text": "(vii) Design a framework to facilitate the transition of the EIS pilot into a national injury insurance programme."}, {"bbox": [96, 1012, 1161, 1067], "category": "Text", "text": "(viii) Approval of a social insurance strategy and/or inclusion in the post-2026 NSSS of a clear social insurance framework, including specifications for each branch of social insurance."}, {"bbox": [96, 1108, 1161, 1216], "category": "Text", "text": "IF all the above activities are undertaken, under the assumptions that coordination among key Line Ministries is regular and action-oriented; policy decisions are followed-up and adopted by the government; and funding is ensured for further operation, maintenance and development of the supported digital infrastructures, THEN they will contribute to the following induced outputs:"}, {"bbox": [135, 1216, 1161, 1324], "category": "List-item", "text": "* **Strengthened governance and digital institutions.** These institutions, namely Single Registry MIS and G2P platform will improve the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of social protection targeting and benefits' delivery, facilitate coordination among different programmes, and enhance decision-making and policy formulation by providing accurate and timely data, contributing to democratic governance."}, {"bbox": [135, 1324, 1161, 1428], "category": "List-item", "text": "* **Increased effectiveness of social assistance to mothers and children.** This output will ensure timely disbursement of benefits to mother and children to fulfil their nutrition needs and mainstream disaster risk reduction considerations, aiming to deepen the resilience of vulnerable communities in disaster-prone areas, before the shock hits."}, {"bbox": [135, 1430, 1161, 1513], "category": "List-item", "text": "* **Improved social protection for workers in the formal sector, in particular in the RMG/export-oriented industries.** This output will promote social cohesion through income security and gender equality by fostering protective measures in sectors where female employment is high."}, {"bbox": [96, 1537, 823, 1566], "category": "Text", "text": "The budget support intervention will also promote the following direct outputs:"}, {"bbox": [135, 1592, 462, 1620], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Additional fiscal space created."}, {"bbox": [1027, 1681, 1144, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 18 of 32"}]