President Kuroda opened the two-day conference and UNESCAP Executive Secretary Noeleen Heyzer delivered the keynote address on 21 April 2010 at the ADB Headquarters. The event discussed social protection challenges in the region, and the initiatives and innovations in social insurance, pension, assistance, and child protection. ADB staff, DMC officials, development partners, and civil society organizations shared their experiences.
Purpose and Objectives
The regional conference will provide a forum for sharing ideas, experiences, and information on social protection in Asia and the Pacific. The conference will:
- Map out the social protection needs of ADB developing member countries (DMCs);
- Examine current policies, programs and projects;
- Identify gaps in the design, targeting, and monitoring of existing programs and projects;
- Discuss child sensitive social protection with UNICEF in a special, invited session; and
- Offer recommendations for enhancing social protection in the region.
Outputs will include:
- conference papers and presentations; and
- workshop proceedings.
These outputs will provide a comprehensive picture of social protection needs, gaps in service delivery, and recommendations for action in the near term.
Target Participants
The conference will bring together about 120 participants from the ADB, developing member countries (DMCs), development agencies, academia/research institutes, and civil society organizations.