About P4SP

Partnerships for Social Protection (P4SP) is an Australian Government initiative to develop formal social protection systems in Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and Timor-Leste. We partner with governments to design and strengthen national social protection systems and support networking, learning and knowledge sharing on social protection grounded in experience and evidence from countries in the region.

P4SP supports governments to strengthen social protection systems by:

• Deploying long or short-term advisors to work alongside partner governments
• Providing specialist on-call technical assistance to advise on social protection issues
• Undertaking research and analysis to help build a deeper understanding of the role of social protection in the region
• Financing cash transfers, funding pilots or helping procure and implement solutions to improve the delivery of social protection programs
• Supporting partnerships, advocacy and policy dialogue with partner governments, civil society organisations and other development partners
• Delivering training, learning and networking opportunities, in-country and across the region.

What is social protection?

Social Protection systems seek to address risk, vulnerability, inequality and poverty through a system of transfers to people in cash, or 'in kind' for example in the form of food assistance. Programs aim to reach people during vulnerable times in their lives, such as during early childhood or old age, provide support for people with disabilities or who have lost work, or focus on poor families. They can also reach people who need help during times of economic crisis and in the wake of disasters.

Social protection systems enable growth, and contribute to equality and stability. Social protection investments build human capital and increase labour participation, while helping individuals, families and communities manage the impacts of life shocks and minimise loss to productivity. In these ways, social protection programs can drive demand and economic activity, foster social cohesion, reduce inequality and promote economic growth. Strong social protection systems are also shock-responsive and can support faster and better humanitarian responses to disasters.

Why is there a need to strengthen social protection systems in the Pacific and Timor-Leste?

Hardship and inequality are widespread in Pacific Island countries (PICs) and Timor-Leste, with migration, urbanisation, disasters and climate change compounding these issues. Before COVID-19, two-thirds of eligible people in the Pacific were not covered by any form of social protection.

In recent years, responding to disasters and the economic shock caused by COVID-19, many Pacific countries have established or adapted national social protection schemes to provide cash and other forms of assistance to reach people who need assistance. These complement the strong community, church and family networks that traditionally support people in times of need.

As the region looks towards economic recovery, prepared for future disasters and pursues sustainable development, P4SP will support partner governments to design and strengthen national safety nets that can help people through hardship, vulnerability and crisis and build resilience to future shocks. Strengthened national social protection systems offer important benefits that can complement traditional Pacific safety nets by:

• Protecting vulnerable groups from the worst impacts of poverty and hardship, by meeting household income and consumption needs
• Directly reaching the most vulnerable groups, including women and girls, the elderly and, people with disabilities, and enhancing women's empowerment and social inclusion
• Supporting human development by helping families, maintain nutrition, and access health and education services and livelihood opportunities, which in turn contribute to productivity, economic growth and prosperity
• Promoting stability and resilience by building systems that generate trust in state institutions, strengthen state legitimacy and improve social cohesion
• Enhancing Pacific countries' resilience to future shocks, which is important in a region facing increased frequency of disasters and vulnerability to climate change.

Australia's support for Social Protection in the Pacific and Timor-Leste

Australia has a longstanding commitment to reducing poverty and enhancing stability and prosperity in our region, and is already supporting national social protection systems in a number of countries. For example in the Pacific and Timor-Leste, Australia has:

• Provided budget support to governments of Fiji and Tonga as part of our support for COVID-19 response and recovery, to provide expanded cash assistance to citizens and reduce household stress through school fee relief
• Assisted the Government of Timor-Leste to design a near-universal COVID-19 cash payment to offset the effects of lockdowns and is currently helping the government to reform a national grant program for pregnant women and children
• Supported pilots of innovative social protection programs, including Oxfam's Unblocked Cash program in Vanuatu and a new government-led child nutrition social protection program in Papua New Guinea, in partnership with the World Bank
• Supported partner governments and humanitarian organisations to make emergency payments to help people affected by natural disasters, for example after Tropical Cyclone Harold in Fiji and Tropical Cyclone Gita in Tonga.

Links:

• Australia's assistance for social protection
• Partnerships for Recovery - Australia's COVID-19 Development Response
• Australia's Office of the Pacific at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Tenders

Evidence Review Tender

Background of the assignment

Research is a central element of the P4SP program and is seen as key to increasing knowledge and awareness of social protection in the region; fostering greater sharing of ideas and learning between countries in the region; and contributing to increased demand at the country level. As such, research commissioned through P4SP will be undertaken at the regional level as well as the country-specific level.

This evidence review is intended to establish a foundation for P4SP’s overall research agenda, as well as inform P4SP activities more broadly.

Scope of the assignment

This evidence review requires an in-depth review and analysis of the existing literature (academic and grey) relating to ‘social protection’ and related concepts in the Pacific and Timor-Leste. The review should consider policy aspects, programming/operational aspects, and social and economic impacts and implications. The review must explicitly consider gender, disability, and social inclusion issues in its search strategy and in its analyses.

To find out more and for how to submit a tender, applicants should read the full terms of reference here, in addition to the Annex here.

Queries to: admin@p4sp.org