The South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) launched its Poverty and Vulnerability Report 2024 on the topic of Social Security in South Asia at the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) on Monday.
The event was organized by the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) in collaboration with the SZABIST department of social sciences.
The event was moderated by SAAPE core committee member Abida Ali with Aurat Foundation’s Mehnaz Rahman, Sindh Assembly MPA Maleeha Manzoor, Sindh CM’s spokesperson Sukhdev and Dr. Riaz Shaikh joining as guest speakers. Economist Dr. Asad Sayeed joined the event online.
At the beginning of the session, Abida Ali presented the key findings of the report, highlighting that Pakistan spends less than 2% of its GDP on social protection, significantly below the global average of 11.2%.
The report revealed that only 9.2% of the population is covered by at least one social protection program, with particularly low coverage for vulnerable groups: children (5.4%), persons with disabilities (1.7%), and the elderly (5.8%).
She emphasized how elite capture benefits amount to Rs 2.66 trillion, while social protection programs cost only Rs 624 billion, showcasing the stark inequality in resource distribution.
Mehnaz Rahman shed light on the situation of women in South Asian society, deploring how patriarchy, capitalism and neoliberalism have impacted women adversely, depriving them of their fair share in society and equal protection as men.
She emphasized that social security is vital for women to attain their due status in society, noting that for centuries, women have been underpaid compared to their male counterparts, raising families and performing care work without compensation.
Citing an ILO report from 2018, Rahman highlighted the alarming pay gap between men and women workers, noting that women make up only 1 percent of landowners globally.
She drew particular attention to the situation in Afghanistan, where women’s rights have severely deteriorated under Taliban rule. She emphasized that South Asian economies, predominantly dependent on agriculture, continue to exploit women’s rights with very few women becoming landowners.
Rahman stressed the urgent need for both social and health security for women and other vulnerable sections of society. She pointed to the 250 million undernourished people worldwide, linking stunted growth issues directly to poverty.
Highlighting Nepal’s constitution as a positive example in providing protection to women and the vulnerable, she advocated for a rights-based approach to social security.
Economist Dr. Asad Sayeed, speaking online, provided comparative insights into regional social security mechanisms. He noted that India and Sri Lanka had relatively better systems than other countries in the region, attributing India’s poverty reduction to effective social security mechanisms rather than GDP growth.
He credited India’s comprehensive and modern tax collection system for enabling effective social security implementation.
However, Sayeed warned that neoliberal policies are threatening these social security mechanisms.
He pointed out that Pakistan’s foreign debt, four times its defense budget, is severely impacting the economy, with the poor and working class bearing the brunt.
He highlighted Pakistan’s institutional weaknesses and the elite’s tax evasion as major factors in the country’s poor economic performance.
MPA Maleeha Manzoor discussed the Benazir Income Support program as a flagship initiative of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Sindh government, while acknowledging the need for expansion and improved effectiveness.
She emphasized that women’s issues transcend poverty, noting discrimination across all social classes, including the capitalist, legislative, and corporate sectors.
Sindh CM spokesperson Sukhdev advocated for restructuring foreign debt around climate financing to protect vulnerable populations.
He highlighted Sindh’s progressive laws while noting the general lack of awareness about available constitutional and legal frameworks.
Dr. Riaz Shaikh provided a sobering perspective on South Asia’s position as the world’s poorest region after Africa.
He emphasized the urgent need for visa-free policies and enhanced regional cooperation through trade and dialogue. Shaikh warned about Pakistan’s projected population growth to 350 million by 2030, highlighting the challenges this poses given depleting resources and climate change effects.
He called for addressing elite capture of resources to move toward a more sustainable and equitable future.
The event concluded with Shaikh emphasizing the need for an audit of the Rs500 billion provided to the capitalist class during the Covid-19 pandemic, calling for Supreme Court intervention to investigate the disbursement of these funds during that critical period.
The report and subsequent discussion highlighted the urgent need for reform in social security systems across South Asia, with particular emphasis on addressing gender inequalities, institutional weaknesses, and the growing challenges of climate change and population growth.
The full report can be accessed on the SAAPE website: https://saape.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/SAAPE-Poverty-Report-2024_compressed.pdf
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