Dynamics of social protection in fragile contexts: Nepal and Myanmar

This article explores some of the shared dimensions of fragility experienced by Myanmar and Nepal to illuminate the challenging contexts in which social protection policies and programmes have taken shape. Both countries have adopted a universalist, rights-based vision in their approaches to social protection, with social pensions and child benefits at the forefront of social protection programming. At the same time, both countries are employing incremental strategies to overcome political, social, and administrative obstacles, while demonstrating that fiscal space is available. The politics of social protection policy making are obvious, and consistent engagement by progressive social policy advocates in these countries will be necessary to seize opportunities, and to ensure continued investment in building inclusive, effective, and accountable social protection systems.