2nd National Social Protection Conference: A Unified Vision for Social Protection in Pakistan
Pakistan’s social protection system has long faced challenges of fragmentation, outdated infrastructure, and unsustainable financing. Despite multiple programmes supporting vulnerable communities, limited inter-provincial coordination, digital integration, and adaptive strategies have constrained their impact. Growing economic pressures, climate risks, and digital gaps have made a unified, forward-looking social protection framework essential.
Recognising this need, the European Union (EU) and the German development cooperation are supporting the federal and provincial governments to foster collaboration among stakeholders. By engaging policymakers, and working with other global partners, the Pakistan government is paving the way for a structured, action-oriented dialogue.
2nd National Social Protection Conference: A Unified Vision for Social Protection in Pakistan
Building on the momentum generated by the first conference, GIZ Pakistan hosted the ‘Second National Social Protection Conference’ in February 2025 to drive forward sustainable and inclusive reforms. The Conference was organised with the support from the EU and BMZ, and in partnership with other international development partners including the World Bank, ADB and the UN.
Bridging Gaps: The Road from Bhurban to Karachi
The First National Social Protection Conference in 2023 established Declaration 1.0, which emphasised governance reforms, reciprocal data exchange, and co-financing mechanisms. The second conference advanced these efforts with Joint Statement 2.0, reaffirming commitments to digital transformation, sustainable financing, and inter-provincial coordination. This progression underscores Pakistan’s evolving approach to a more inclusive and climate-adaptive social protection system.
Turning Plans into Action - The Key Outcomes
The conference did not end in discussions - it resulted in a clear roadmap for action, formally captured in the Joint Statement 2.0.
- National Social Protection Forum for Strategic Dialogue: A National Social Protection Forum will be established to enhance policy coordination and collaboration across various social welfare programmes. This platform will play a crucial role in aligning policies to prevent duplication, facilitating knowledge exchange for improved programme design, and ensuring accountability through regular progress monitoring.
- Strengthening Governance and Inter-Provincial Coordination: To further strengthen governance and inter-provincial coordination, the government will establish Inter-Provincial and Provincial Steering Committees. These committees will be responsible for improving governance structures, ensuring policy alignment across provinces, and enabling benefit portability for internal migrants and vulnerable groups.
- Digital Transformation for Efficiency and Accessibility: A major focus of the reforms is the digital transformation of Pakistan’s social protection programmes. Plans include the development of a unified national registry to enable real-time beneficiary tracking, integration of databases to reduce exclusion errors, and the use of data-driven decision-making for more efficient service delivery.
- Securing Sustainable Financing: Ensuring the financial sustainability of social protection programmes is a key priority. To achieve this, financing strategies will be aligned with the National Fiscal Pact, while disaster risk financing mechanisms will be leveraged to provide proactive interventions. Additionally, public-private partnerships and impact bonds will be explored to diversify funding sources. These measures are shaping policy discussions and influencing implementation strategies, ensuring broader access to social protection services.
With government and partner buy-in, these commitments are already shaping policy discussions and implementation strategies.
Commitment to Long-Term Impact
As Pakistan moves toward inclusive governance and digital innovation, these reforms will strengthen resilience and improve millions of lives. With clear commitments and an actionable roadmap, these reforms will be monitored, scaled, and refined leading up to the Third National Social Protection Conference, where progress will be assessed and new strategies developed.