This informal note offers some reflections and ideas contributing to the process of shaping a National Social
Protection Strategy in Myanmar. It would like to the ongoing support creative enquiry into policy and
programme options, which might be able to respond to socio-economic challenges and current policy
development in the country.
The paper begins with a brief discussion of the policy context (section I), and then presents a range of
possible approaches towards – gradually - building a system of social protection (section II). In tune with
the government’s position, social protection is understood politically as policies that can address economic
and social vulnerabilities, promote access to essential services and economic opportunity, and facilitate the
ability to cope with shocks. The paper also recognises an angle of social inclusion and nation building as
possible considerations when designing a social protection strategy.
Technically social protection is defined here as comprising formal sector, contributory social insurance and
tax financed non-contributory social assistance. A brief scan of socioeconomic challenges (section III) serves
as the basis for proposing a selection of social assistance transfers and providing rough estimates of their
cost over the next six years (section IV). This paper is interested specifically in social protection, and within
that in social assistance.
Scenarios for social security, health insurance, integrated social services, and other, broader areas of
economic and social policy – which are equally important and urgent - are not addressed. The paper also
does not assess the comparative merits and demerits of potential interventions in terms of the impact they
might be able to achieve. Both areas of reflection will be needed in the process of fine-tuning a
transformative social protection strategy.