Sindh, GIZ ink pact to boost social safety nets

KARACHI: The Sindh government and GIZ Pakistan have formalised an agreement to enhance the region’s social protection framework, receiving support from the European Union (EU) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), a statement said on Tuesday. The Implementation Agreement, signed on April 15, aims to foster a more resilient, inclusive and climate-adaptive social safety net.

The signing ceremony, led by Sindh’s Minister for Planning and Development Syed Nasir Shah and Chairperson of the Planning and Development Board Najam Ahmad Shah convened key provincial stakeholders. Head of Adaptive Social Protection at GIZ Pakistan Johanna Knoess underscored the necessity of ongoing collaboration to drive systemic reforms through data integration, policy innovation and institutional coordination.

Signatories from the Sindh Planning and Development Board, Social Protection Department, Social Protection Authority, Sindh Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Rehabilitation Department, and GIZ Pakistan affirmed their commitment to strengthening social protection via coordinated policymaking, institutional partnerships and integrated programming.

Knoess outlined the Adaptive Social Protection Project’s objectives, emphasising an integrated approach across five key areas: policy, institutions and partnerships; program delivery; data integration; and climate change adaptation for livelihood resilience. She stressed the importance of translating the agreement and subsequent workplans into tangible benefits for vulnerable communities.

Shah acknowledged the EU and BMZ’s support through GIZ, reaffirming Sindh’s commitment to adaptive social protection as a pivotal strategy for vulnerability reduction and crisis response. He expressed optimism for the project’s potential to deliver significant improvements to the region’s social protection system.