DESIGNING & IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS

CHIANG MAI THAILAND I 21 OCTOBER – 1 NOVEMBER 2019

About the course

Around the world, developing countries are increasingly recognising the value of social protection in reducing extreme poverty, with success stories in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Extensive evidence demonstrates that social protection helps reduce poverty, inequality, and childhood deprivation and has long-term positive impacts on human capital development. Social protection can also unlock the productive potential of the poorest, increase local economic growth and micro-economic activity and even stimulate aggregate growth. When properly designed,social protection also has potential to decrease inequalities, for example, gender and geographic disparities. The combination of social and economic impacts is also seen as contributing to strengthening resilience: enhancing the capacity of poor households to cope, respond and withstand disasters better.

The Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRI) together with the UNU-MERIT/Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, are offering a two-week course aimed at providing participants with an in-depth understanding of the conceptual and practical issues involved in the effective and efficient design and implementation of social protection systems. Participants will acquire tools required for the appropriate identification and successful design and implementation of these programmes.

Who is it for?

These courses aim to build the capacity of government policymakers and officials, representatives from bilateral and multilateral agencies, programme practitioners and staff members from non-governmental organisations. These courses will serve those who want to more effectively design, implement and manage social protection systems with the goal of reducing poverty and better achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

What the course will cover

The first five days of the course includes a coordinated series of theme-oriented sessions, practical skills-building workshops, field trips to visit social transfer sites and relevant technical skills training. The course will be taught using formal lectures, practical case studies and hands-on exercises.

Topics will include:

The role of cash transfers in reducing poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion
The identification of appropriate social transfer instruments for specific country contexts
The design of cash transfer programmes
Implementation issues, including registration, targeting, payment and information systems
Monitoring and evaluation approaches for social transfer programmes
Case studies of successful programmes around the world
Field trips to see Thailand’s social transfer system in action

Course Logistics

Logistics Note

We are looking forward to your arrival in Chiang Mai, Thailand for the Designing and Implementing Social Protection Systems course, taking place from the 01 – 12 October 2018. Please read through all the information below carefully, as it will help prepare you for the course and perhaps answer some of the questions you might have.

Course Venue
The course is being held at the DusitD2 Chiang Mai, a wonderful 5-star hotel in a lively and very popular part of Chiang Mai city
DusitD2 Chiang Mai Hotel
Phone: +66 (0) 5399 9999
Website: https://www.dusit.com/dusitd2/chiangmai/
Address: 100 Chang Klan Road, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand

Airport Transfers (for participants who opted for the comprehensive accommodation package)
Upon arrival at the Chiang Mai International Airport, if you have opted for our comprehensive accommodation package, there will be a member of staff from EPRI to meet you at the Arrival Section (outside the baggage and custom claim section) to ensure that everything runs smoothly, and to take you to the course venue. The member of staff from EPRI will be holding out a notice board with the EPRI logo and the course name, please ensure you look out for them. We will arrange your transfer from the hotel to the airport on your departure as well.

EMERGENCY CONTACT PERSON
Name: Ms. Aoytip Deesawaeng
Contact Details: +(0)6695 059 2505 aoytip@epri.org.za
Address: No. 999, Gaysorn Building, 5th Floor, Unit B526, Ploenchit Rd., Lumpini, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Dietary Restrictions:
Please advise us if you have any dietary restrictions such as vegetarian, kosher, halal, strictly halal and we will endeavour to accommodate your request

Registration:
Registration will be taking place on Monday, 21 October at the L-Room Conference Room Foyer of the DusitD2 Chiang Mai Hotel between 08:00 to 09:00.

Course Programme:
The formal programme begins at 09:00 am on the Monday 20th of October 2019, so nearly everyone should have travel arrangements that enable them to arrive in time on Sunday, 21 October 2019.

PRESENTER PROFILES

Presenter Profile pdf

Dr Michael Samson, EPRI

Dr. Michael Samson is the Research Director of the Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRI), a global research institute with offices in Thailand, South Africa, Ethiopia, Belgium and the United States. He has 34 years of experience working in social protection, and specialises in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating social protection programmes and policies, with a focus on developmental initiatives (including labour markets and public works). His experience in these areas includes work in 41 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific as well as many related publications, including with South Africa’s EPWP, Tanzania’s Social Action Fund (TASAF) public works programme, Bangladesh’s BRAC’s “graduation” livelihoods programme and others. Michael has implemented both impact assessments and ex ante evaluations of social protection, livelihoods and public employment programmes in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, including an ongoing evaluation of Thailand’s Child Support Grant. He was the lead author of the policy guide Designing and Implementing Social Transfer Programmes, which included a chapter on public works, he wrote the OECD’s policy guidance on social protection and employment, and he convenes courses annually in South Africa, Thailand and Kenya on this topic. His current research focuses on how comprehensive social protection strengthens cross-sectoral public investments delivering inclusive social development and equitable economic growth. Michael lectures at policy conferences and training workshops around the world. He is also on the economics faculty at the Williams College Center for Development Economics in the United States, and he has a Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University.

Prof. Dr. Franziska Gassmann, UNU-MERIT

Prof. Dr Franziska Gassmann – UNU-MERIT/Maastricht Graduate School of Governance Franziska Gassmann (PhD in Economics) is Professor of Social Protection and Development at Maastricht University and Professor Poverty and Social Protection at Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Science. At UNU-MERIT, she is leading the research theme on Social Protection, Inclusive Innovation and Development. Her own research studies social protection policies and the measurement of poverty and vulnerability using primarily empirical methods on the basis of large household surveys. Currently, the focus of her research is on understanding investments in social protection in low and middle-income countries, and the relation between social protection and labour market participation. Professor Gassmann has more than 20 years of experience as consultant and adviser to governments and international organisations on social policy issues in Central and Eastern Europe, countries of former Yugoslavia, the Caucasus, Central Asia and South-East Asia. She has project experience in more than 15 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. Professor Gassmann is experienced in the development of monitoring systems, indicators and data collection methods that allow the regular assessment of poverty and the effectiveness and efficiency of social protection policies, using microsimulation, policy impact assessments, benefit incidence and cost-benefit analysis. She is regularly teaching in graduate programmes (MSc, PhD) in the field of welfare economics, social protection and public policy analysis (certified university teacher BKO), executive training programmes.regular assessment of poverty and the effectiveness and efficiency of social protection policies, using microsimulation, policy impact assessments, benefit incidence and cost-benefit analysis. Dr Gassmann is regularly teaching in graduate programmes (MSc, PhD) in the field of welfare state economics and public policy analysis (certified university teacher BKO), executive training programmes, and she currently supervises seven doctoral candidates.

Dr Stephen Devereux - IDS

Dr Stephen Devereux Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies (Sussex) Dr Stephen Devereux is a development economist working predominantly on food security, famine, rural livelihoods, social protection and poverty reduction issues. His research experience has mainly been in eastern and southern Africa, especially Ethiopia, Malawi and Namibia. His books include ‘Fieldwork in Developing Countries’, ‘Theories of Famine’, ‘Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa’, ‘The New Famines’, ‘Social Protection in Africa’, and ‘Social Protection for Africa’s Children’.

Ms. Ingrid van Niekerk, EPRI

Ms. Ingrid van Niekerk Executive Co-Director and Senior Researcher , Economic Policy Research Institute

Ms. Ingrid van Niekerk is an Executive Co-Director and Senior Researcher at EPRI, as well as the Chief Executive Officer. She has managed and carried out research projects for the Department of Social Development in South Africa as well as the inter-ministerial Committee of Enquiry for Comprehensive Social Security. She is responsible for EPRI’s capacity building programme for government departments, and her teaching has included courses for the Department of Social Development. She has extensive in-country experience in South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Nepal and Bolivia, amongst other countries. She lectures in the Parliamentary Capacity Building Programme in Economic Policy as well as at the University of the Western Cape. She has recently worked on projects for the 2005 Cabinet Lekgotla, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Inter-Regional Inequality Facility, and civil society institutions. She is an Associate Member in the Department of Social Policy at Oxford University.

Mr Nard Huijbregts

Mr Nard Huijbregts Lead Social Policy Advisor, Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRI) Nard Huijbregts is the Lead Social Policy Advisor at the Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRI). He has research and policy advisory work experience in Thailand, Bangladesh, China, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa and other countries, consulting for UNICEF, UNDP, DFID, ILO, Save the Children and various government MDAs. Nard specialises in the design and implementation of social protection policies and programs, information systems and fiscal space analyses. Currently, Nard is leading the design and implementation of various cash transfer programs in Nigeria, Kenya and the Gambia in addition to leading impact assessments of cash transfers in a few countries. Nard has recently written Tanzania’s Social Protection Framework, provided inputs to India’s Social Protection Strategy development process and conducted numerous program reviews, including of programs in Cambodia, Bangladesh, South Africa and Uganda. Nard is also a visiting lecturer in Microsimulation Models for Policy Analysis at Maastricht University – UNU MERIT, the Netherlands, and Inclusive Economic Development to South African ministers, and members of parliament in the South African Parliamentary Capacity Building Program.

<strong>Juan Gonzalo Jaramillo Mejia - World Food Programme</strong>

Juan Gonzalo Jaramillo Mejia World Food Programme Juan Gonzalo Jaramillo Mejia is a Social Protection Programme Policy Officer at the United Nations’ World Food Programme currently leading the organisation’s global knowledge management in social protection. A Political Scientist and International Relations professional, he holds a MSc. in Development Management from the London School of Economics. His areas of interest and action have revolved around the food security and nutritional outcomes of social protection, its extension of coverage to the rural informal sectors and, in particular, the design and implementation of features that enhance the social, financial inclusion and gender-equitable impacts of interventions. Prior to his assignment to WFP, Juan Gonzalo worked for the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China, the Grameen Bank, FAO, ILO and the CGIAR as a foreign and development policy specialist and researcher covering topics from micro-finance, bilateral and multilateral cooperation to the integration of men and masculinities in developmental narratives.

Designing and Implementing Social Protection Systems

21 – 25 OCTOBER 2019

Agenda (Download Here)

SUNDAY 20 OCTOBER 2019
ARRIVALS
MONDAY 21 OCTOBER 2019
08:30 – 09:00	Registration
09:00 – 10:00	Course Welcome and Course Introduction	Dr. Michael Samson, EPRI
09:00 – 10:00	Course Welcome and Course Introduction	Ms. Ingrid van Niekerk, EPRI
10:00 – 10:30	TEA BREAK
10:30 – 12:00	Why Social Protection?	Dr Michael Samson, EPRI
12:00 – 13:30	LUNCH
13:30 – 15:00	Personal Introductions & Discussion of Personal Objectives, Crosscutting Themes & Course Project	Ms. Ingrid van Niekerk, EPRI
15:00 – 15:30	TEA BREAK
15:30 – 17:00	Poverty Measurement and Analysis	Prof. Dr. Franziska Gassmann, UNU—MERIT
18:30	Opening Banquet
TUESDAY 22 OCTOBER 2019
08:30 – 10:00	Poverty Interpretation and Use Exercise	Prof. Dr Franziska Gassmann, UNU-MERIT
10:00 – 10:30	TEA BREAK
10:30 – 12:00	Designing Social Transfer Programmes: Targeting, Conditions and Other Issues	Dr Michael Samson, EPRI
12:00 -13:30	LUNCH
13:30 – 15:00	Poverty Interpretation and Use	Prof. Dr Franziska Gassmann, UNU-MERIT
15:00 – 15:30	TEA BREAK
15:30 – 17:00	Social Protection Framework	Dr Stephen Devereux, IDS
19:00	Webinar: Food Security and Nutrition-Sensitive: What Do We Know and Where to go Next? (www.socialprotection.org)	Prof. Dr Franziska Gassmann, UNU-MERIT
		Dr Stephen Devereux, IDS
		Dr Michael Samson, EPRI
		Mr Juan Jaramillo, WFP
WEDNESDAY 23 OCTOBER 2019
08:30 – 10:00	Implementing Developmental Social Trans-fer Programmes	Dr. Michael Samson, EPRI
10:00 -10:30	TEA BREAK
10:30 – 12:00	Micro-Simulation Modeling and Data Exercise	Dr Michael Samson, EPRI
12:00 -13:30	LUNCH
13:30 – 15:00	What’s on the Menu?	Dr Stephen Devereux, IDS
15:00 – 15:30	TEA BREAK
15:30 – 17:00	Targeting	Dr Stephen Devereux, IDS
THURSDAY 24 OCTOBER 2019
08:30 – 12:00	FIELD TRIP: Thailand Child Support Grant: Chiang Mai Provincial Community Development Office
12:00 -13:30	LUNCH
13:30 – 15:00	Social Protection Programme Financing and Facilitated Exercises on Financing and the Political Economy of Targeting	Ms Ingrid van Niekerk, EPRI
15:00 – 15:30	TEA BREAK
15:30 – 17:00	Implementation Exercises	Ms Ingrid van Niekerk, EPRI
FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER 2019
08:30 – 10:00	Financing and Co-financing for Social Protection Systems	Mr Nard Huijbregts, EPRI
10:00 – 10:30	TEA BREAK
10:30 – 12:00	Protecting Programme Success	Ms Ingrid van Niekerk, EPRI
12:00 -13:30	LUNCH
13:30 – 15:00	Participant Presentations
15:00 – 15:30	TEA BREAK
15:30 – 17:00	Participant Presentations and Conferral of Certificates
18:30 Cultural Banquet
SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER 2019
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER 2019
FREE DAY
MONDAY 28 OCTOBER 2019
COURSE PROGRAMME SESSION START 08:30

PRESENTATIONS

MONDAY 21 OCTOBER 2019

Course Welcome and Course Introduction	Dr. Michael Samson, EPRI
Why Social Protection?	Dr Michael Samson, EPRI
Personal Introductions & Discussion of Personal Objectives, Crosscutting Themes & Course Project	Ms. Ingrid van Niekerk, EPRI
Poverty Measurement and Analysis	Prof. Dr. Franziska Gassmann, UNU—MERIT
TUESDAY 22 OCTOBER 2019
Poverty Interpretation and Use Exercise Exercise One Template	Prof. Dr Franziska Gassmann, UNU-MERIT
Designing Social Transfer Programmes: Targeting, Conditions and Other Issues	Dr Michael Samson, EPRI
Poverty Interpretation and Use	Prof. Dr Franziska Gassmann, UNU-MERIT
Social Protection Framework	Dr Stephen Devereux, IDS
WEDNESDAY 23 OCTOBER 2019
Implementing Developmental Social Transfer Programmes	Dr. Michael Samson, EPRI
Micro-Simulation Modeling and Data Exercise	Dr Michael Samson, EPRI
What’s on the Menu?	Dr Stephen Devereux, IDS
Targeting	Dr Stephen Devereux, IDS
THURSDAY 24 OCTOBER 2019
FIELD TRIP: Thailand Child Support Grant: Chiang Mai Provincial Community Development Office
Social Protection Programme Financing and Facilitated Exercises on Financing and the Political Economy of Targeting	Ms Ingrid van Niekerk, EPRI
Implementation Exercises	Ms Ingrid van Niekerk, EPRI
FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER 2019
Financing and Co-financing for Social Protection Systems	Mr Nard Huijbregts, EPRI
Protecting Programme Success	Ms Ingrid van Niekerk, EPRI
Participant Presentations

COURSE RESOURCES

Designing and Implementing Social Protection Systems Course reader

Evidence-Building for Social Protection Systems Course Reader

Additional Course Reading and Background Materials