Module 1: Overview

Objectives

This module provides a general overview of the guide, its objectives and scope, its structure, the circumstances in which the guide can be used, as well as its relevance and limitations. The content of the subsequent modules is briefly explained.

Key questions

1. What are the objectives and scope of the guide?
2. How is the guide structured?
3. To whom is the guide addressed and how should it be used?
4. What are the learning tools used in the guide?
5. To what extent is this guide relevant?
6. Has the guide been used and tested already?
7. What are the limitations of the guide?
8. Ice-breaking session

Takeaway message

The guide is a unique resource package that aims at providing the necessary knowledge and expertise for conducting ABND exercises, which are the first step towards the implementation of nationally defined social protection floors. The guide can serve several purposes, including self-learning, training, or practical implementation of the ABND exercise. It was designed by practitioners for practitioners and will be enriched in the future with new experiences. It is structured along the lines of the ABND process and includes many hands-on exercises that facilitate acquisition and sharing of knowledge and skills.

Master module 1: General overview

Modules used in other countries >>

Presentations

General overview

Myanmar - Expectations

Didactical material

Proposed agenda >>

Instruction sheet: Conducting two alternative ice-breaking sessions >>

Instruction sheet: Understanding participants' expectations and list of common expectations >>

Myanmar - Results from the group exercise

Videos

General overview

Getting Started

Voices from the stakeholders

Videos from other countries >>

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Myanmar team: At the introduction stage, it is very important to clarify definitions in local language and understand what terminologies make sense - i.e. for instance in Myanmar language the term "social security" refers to social insurance exclusively.
08.01.2015 - Lou Tessier
Philippines: (1) The country incorporated the ABND into their national social protection policy formation and coordination structure. As a result, there were several presentations and meetings with the HDPR cluster and NEDA-SDC. Maybe there could be a module or sub-module on technical groups, inclusion of the ABND in national mechanisms and the requisite advocacy to do so. (2) Since the ABND followed the Philippines' national approval mechanisms, it did not exactly follow the structure of the current guide. As a result, the presentations and minutes from Philippines are added to Module 4: Introduction to ABND only, as they sought to present "What is ABND and how will it be conducted?" to national stakeholders. (3) The Philippines' ABND exercise is equivalent to having 4 steps/modules: (a) setting up a core working group (b) making the assessment matrix, based on national dialogue (c) designing scenarios based on national dialogue and costing the recommendations (d) finalizing the report and launching an SPF for the country.
12.02.2015 - Loveleen De
General: (1) The modules could be re-arranged and some of them could be joined together, so that there is one module per topic. For example, (a) modules 2 and 3 could be joined, (b) modules 6, 7, 8 could be joined, (c) modules 5 and 9 could be part of some other module (d) modules 11, 12, 13 could be joined. Thus, each module comprises presentations, theory and group exercises like quizzes and World Cafe to illustrate the topic.
12.02.2015 - Loveleen De
Mongolia: In Mongolia, a UN-Government working group on social protection was specifically established to facilitate the ABND, co-chaired by ILO and MPDSP, beside the regular UN working group on social protection (chaired by the UNICEF). The UN-G working group was composed of the UN Social Protection Working Group (UNICEF, ILO, UNFPA, UNDP, WHO) and the MPDSP, MOL and MOH on the Government side. All working meetings, between each national dialogue, invited representatives of both UN agencies and government. Therefore, all outputs of the ABND (matrix, national dialogues, report, including its lay-out, fact sheet and PSA) were discussed and endorsed by the UN-G working group. Such engagement of the government in all working sessions resulted in a strong ownership of the process and validation of the matrix and recommendations (until the MPDSP State Secretary left). A tip regarding the UN-G working group meetings can be conveying these meetings at the UN RC meeting room rather than the ILO meeting room, especially if the ILO is outside the UN House, in view of motivating greater ownership by the UN RC and Country Team.
25.05.2015 - Céline Peyron Bista
Mongolia: The ABND should engage only if there is a clear request by the government. The government should designate a ¿champion¿ to lead the process. A ¿champion¿ is a government agency (Ministry, supra-ministerial body, or a Government¿s research institute) but also one individual. If such support is not provided by the government, it will be challenging to engage effectively a national dialogue and access data and statistics needed for the costing exercise. Because the ABND is not a ¿rapid¿ assessment, there is a risk of losing such ¿champion¿ during the 18 or 24 month ADBN process. In Mongolia, a complete government reshuffling happened during the step 3 of the process, leaving some uncertainty around the position of the State Secretary for Population Development and Social Protection (MPDSP) who was the initiator of the process. In addition, the key focal point at the technical level, the Director of Policy Planning and Strategies, went on maternity leave. Both persons were not present during the last few weeks before the launch, which had repercussion on the rank of the government official at the launch (Vice Minister while it was at one point discussed to invite the Prime Minister).
25.05.2015 - Céline Peyron Bista
Mongolia: An ABND process will work only with the strong support from the ILO country director, especially if the UN-G working group is chaired by the ILO. His/her support is needed, at the beginning of the process to advocate before the UN Resident Coordinator in favour of the ABND as an important tool to coordinate UN outcome on social protection (UNDP-ILO letter, UNDOCO letter), but also particularly to lobby before high level officials of the government during the endorsement phase. The experience of Mongolia shows that even without the ILO being a resident office, the ABND was successfully conducted with a solid engagement of the ILO country director, UN RC and key UN agencies (UNICEF, WHO and UNDP).
25.05.2015 - Céline Peyron Bista
General: It is important to ensure that resources are available to complete the entire process, financial and human resources. Ideally a cost sharing should be negotiated with the UN agencies, but experience shows that it is not guaranteed.
25.05.2015 - Céline Peyron Bista
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