Locations
Sambodhan: Temporary Basic Income
Background
The economic disruptions brought by the COVID -19 pandemic affected the livelihoods of informal workers, particularly women and daily wage workers, internal migrants and seasonal migrants to neighboring countries. While the current crisis has exacerbated pre-existing socio-economic challenges for the country at large, the pre-existing conditions of inequality, poverty, informality; vulnerability is the most severe for women. Various statistics indicate that women across Nepal have been disproportionately and severely impacted by the crisis.
Considering this evolving crisis, the provision of Temporary Basic Income (TBI) in the form of emergency cash transfer to these women was explored as an international best practice and was piloted in few local government units of Nepal through an initiation plan from January 2021-July 2022. Based on the lessons learned from the initiation plan and as guided by the impact study, the initiation plan was transformed to multi-year project document- SAMBODHAN that will be initially implemented for the period of 5 years.
Major Achievments
- Over 3,500 women and people from the most vulnerable community are brought in access to bank account and provided emergency cash to cope with socio economic repercussions from COVID crisis.
- Launched Socio-Economic Vulnerability Information Management System (SEVIMS) in Beni Municipality and Putalibazaar Municipality to identify vulnerable people, analyze trend of socio economic induvial to household vulnerability, receive pre hand information of people with specific conditions and living in disaster prone areas and help to respond according to their need.
- collaborated with Gandaki University and Mid-Western University to develop socio-economic vulnerability assessment and build knowledge management and develop evidence on approach of addressing socio-economic vulnerability.
- More than 60% of vulnerable women were linked to livelihood opportunities with 20% were able to re-enroll their children to school and 10% got access to the health treatment. 100% beneficiaries in Gandaki province were covered yearly health insurance premiums in partnership with local governments.
Expected Results
- The project mainly delivers the unconditional cash “Sambridddhi Nagad” as means to allow project beneficiaries gain freedom, dignity, and confidence to meet their survival needs to progress from vulnerability to prosperity.
- This happens by providing them access to bank and thus bringing the them as shareholder of local economy. Linking beneficiaries to sustainable income generation opportunities through local government programme and enroll them in social protection schemes including social health insurance packages.
Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
The project activities are targeted to the most vulnerable women from marginalized and excluded communities. The project identifies the beneficiaries through a rigorous and scientific approach by conducting socio-economic vulnerability assessment in project locations. For an assessment, project has been partnering with academic institution- University to conduct a neutral, academic and research-based study. Through the scoring method of each beneficiary under each indicator, ranking is done and those who scored highest from top-bottom are considered as project beneficiaries.
Related Materials
Project details:
| Project Status | Active |
| Project Period | August 2023- July 2026 |
| Project ID | 00049635 |
| Focus Area | Democratic Governance |
| Source of Funding | UNDP |
| Collaborating Partners | Local Governments, Rastriya Banijya Bank Limited, Mid Western University Pokhara University, |
| Budget | 3.1 million USD |
| Contact | CO Focal Point Binda Magar Policy Advisor (Governance) & Asst Resident Representative (Programme) UNDP Nepal Email: binda.magar@undp.org | Project Focal Point Satish Pandey Project Coordinator UNDP/SAMBODHAN Email: satish.pandey.np@undp.org |