BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 25. The World Bank approved $35 million in grant financing for the Social Protection Modernization and Economic Inclusion project in Tajikistan on March 24, Trend reports citing the bank.
The project aims to assist the Tajikistan government in safeguarding low-income and disadvantaged households from the impact of social and economic hardships, advancing economic integration, and enhancing the country's social protection mechanisms.
“The new project aims to provide much needed assistance to the most vulnerable population groups, while also laying a foundation for a stronger, more effective, and shock-responsive social protection system in Tajikistan for the future,” Ozan Sevimli, World Bank Country Manager for Tajikistan, said.
The initial objective of the project is to lessen the negative effects of decreasing household incomes and purchasing power by distributing one-time monetary aid to approximately 110,000 of the neediest families through the Targeted Social Assistance (TSA) initiative.
The project's second objective involves investing in labor market programs and improving the service of delivery systems to better support the unemployed, especially those who have returned from working abroad, by starting the foundation for a Labor Market Information System, offering training opportunities, and granting funds to support income-generating activities.
The third objective of the project is to direct resources towards enhancing the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of the national social protection systems by strengthening the corresponding information systems in the country.
Additionally, the project features a component that will provide emergency support to vulnerable populations in the event of future economic shocks.
The Social Protection Modernization and Economic Inclusion Project is estimated to be implemented by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population and Ministry of Labor, Migration and Employment of the Population of Tajikistan in the period from 2023 to 2027.
Since 1996, the WB has provided over $2.72 billion in grants, credits and funds to Tajikistan. At present, the bank is financing 25 projects worth $1.59 billion in the country.