THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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UN agency unveils app for reducing poverty

UN agency unveils app for reducing poverty

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap) launched an innovative online platform in Bangkok on Monday that helps countries build inclusive social protection systems.


The user-friendly Social Protection Toolbox identifies coverage gaps and advises countries on cross-country learning. It enhances capacity and knowledge building and has in-depth studies, learning modules, videos and a quiz.
The aim is to support help Asia-Pacific nations with social protection as a means to achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 
In easy-to-understand ways, it explains the basic principles of social protection and the impact it can have on poverty reduction, social cohesion, economic growth and the environment.
The Toolbox features two e-learning modules developed with Development Pathways, showing how investing in inclusive social protection can accelerate progress towards the SDGs, why universal schemes are better at reaching the poor than targeted schemes, and what policy options to consider when designing inclusive schemes.
Despite the critical role social protection plays for the region, only three out of 10 mothers with newborns receive maternity benefits, fewer than four out of 10 people have access to healthcare and fewer than half of all countries in the region offer benefits to children and families. 
With adequate social protection coverage, the region could reduce stunting, malnutrition and child and maternal mortality, increase life expectancy, see economic growth increase and reduce poverty.
“Social protection has to be affordable” said UN Under-Secretary-General and executive secretary of Escap Dr Shamshad Akhtar. 
“It not only contributes to lifting people out of poverty but also helps build their resilience. In a time when inclusive social protection is under threat in the region, Asia-Pacific could use the Toolbox and learn from what other countries are doing to close these gaps.”
Escap research shows that if the region invested only 0.81 per cent of its combined GDP – corresponding to a cash transfer to poor households of less than half US$1 a day – 1.2 billion people would be lifted out of moderate poverty (at US$ 3.10 a day), contributing to feed the 500 million people who go hungry every day.

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