National Social Protection Policy of Ethiopia

1. INTRODUCTION................................................................22

2. THE NEED FOR THE POLICY, VISION AND MISSION........24 1.1. THE NEED FOR THE POLICY ...............................................................24 1.2. VISION .........................................................................................................26 1.3. MISSION ......................................................................................................26

3. GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE POLICY ..........................27

4. PRINCIPLES OF THE POLICY ...........................................27

5. SCOPE AND FOCUS OF THE POLICY ...............................28

6. POLICY MEASURES AND STRATEGIES ...........................29 FOCUS AREA 6.1. PROMOTE PRODUCTIVE SAFETY NET...............................................30 FOCUS AREA 6.2. PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPROVE LIVELI HOOD......................................................................................32 FOCUS AREA 6.3. PROMOTE SOCIAL INSURANCE .....................................................34 FOCUS AREA 6.4. INCREASE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO BASIC SOCIAL SERVISCES....35 FOCUS AREA 6.5. PROVIDE LEGAL PROTECTION AND SUPPORT FOR CITIZENS EXPOSED TO ABUSE AND VIOLENCE.........................37

7. FINANCIAL SOURCE OF THE POLICY ..............................38

8. INSTITUIONAL ARRANGEMENT AND COORDINATION ...39 8.1. INSTITUIONAL ARRANGEMENT, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ..................................................................................40 9. MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEM OF THE POLICY .............................................................................42 21

1. INTRODUCTION The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has been developing and implementing policies and strategies to alleviate the economic and social problems accumulated over years to reduce poverty through public participation and equitable benefit to ensure pro-poor, accelerated, and sustainable development. This enabled over the past two decades to register an increased economic growth that helped to reduce poverty. According to the annual economic performance evaluation of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, due to the series of poverty reduction programs, the poverty rate of the country fall from 45% in 1995/96 to 26% in 2013/14. In addition, vulnerability to food poverty reduced from 49.5% in 1995/96 to 33.6% in 2010/2011, according to Central Statistics Agency Household Income, Consump- tion, and Expenditure Survey. The expansion of different economic and social development programs help mainly to reduce the shortage of supply side and increase the benefit to the entire population. On the other hand, several constraints impede the poor and vulnerable segments of the society to access ser- vices expanded. Therefore, to reduce the demand side constraints and to benefit segments of the society that require special attention, it is necessary to take social protection measures. Social Protection is part of social policy framework that focuses at reducing poverty, social and economic risk of citizens, vulnerability, and exclusion by taking measures through formal and informal mech- anisms to ascertain accessible and equitable growth to all. 22 The policy mainly contains coordinated protective measures to those susceptible to serious vulnerability due to natural and manmade risks, establish multifaceted social insurance mechanisms to prevent expo- sure to risks, strengthen earnings and improving livelihoods of citi- zens, improve employment opportunities and living conditions, and provide legal protection and support for those vulnerable to abuse and violence. Without being limited to provide basic services and temporary sup- ports, the implementation of social protection includes measures of strengthening public participation and mobilization, based on the eco- nomic, social, cultural, and human rights enshrined in the constitution that have transformative nature, establish coordinated system to re- duce economic and social differences and imbalances in the society. In this policy, segments of the society vulnerable to different social and economic problems, especially, children, women, persons with disabilities, elderly, labour constrained unable to make earnings, and the unemployed who are living under difficult circumstances are given special attention. The policy serves as a framework for collaboration and coordination system of social protection in order to provide different services, and it also clearly indicates the organizational structures at federal, regional and the respective lower levels of organizational structures with duties and responsibilities. The policy was crafted by the coordination and leadership of the Na- tional Social Protection Platform through the involvement and ade- quate consultations with federal, regional and other different stake- holders where in the preparation process the actual situation of the 23 country mainly poverty and vulnerability, legal and policy issues, so- cial protection related national programs, continental and international situations were properly assessed. The policy document consists of five focus areas. These are: Promot- ing productive safety net, promoting and improving employment and livelihood, promoting social insurance, increasing equitable access to basic social services, and providing legal protection and support to those vulnerable to abuse and violence. In this regard, the policy document consists of introduction, the need for the policy, vision, mission, general objectives, principles, scope and focus of the policy from section one to five. The remaining sections comprise of measures and strategies, focus areas, financial source, in- stitutional arrangement and coordination, as well as monitoring and evaluation system respectively.

2. THE NEED FOR THE POLICY, VISION AND MISSION 2.1. THE NEED FOR THE POLICY To ensure fair and sustainable utilization of resources from the eco- nomic growth of the country and to reduce poverty significantly, it is required to design a social protection policy and establish a system to implement programs. Keeping that government programs being im- plemented are pro-poor, it is also essential to take social protection measures to ensure access and equitable benefit for the poorest of the poor and vulnerable segments of the society from the social and eco- nomic development. 24 In Ethiopia, expanding social protection landscape is part of the pro- gressive implementation of the main economic and social rights en- shrined in different articles of the constitution. In addition to the fun- damental articles enshrined in the constitution, especially Article 41 that serves as a base for the establishment of a social protection system in the country, Article 90 which states as “To the extent the country’s resources permit, policies shall aim to provide all Ethiopians access to public health and education, clean water, housing, food and social security” is a constitutional foundation to design this policy. African Union member countries, including Ethiopia, have endorsed the African Union Social Policy Framework (AUSPF), and have in- tegrated in to their development agendas and strategies are pursuing measures to reduce chronic poverty and vulnerability, which shows the paramount importance of social protection at continent level to bring about equitable and stable development. Poverty reduction program under implementation in the country, es- pecially the Growth and Transformation Plan of 2010/11-2014/15, re- sulting in poverty reduction and contributing to safeguard the welfare of citizens directly or indirectly has laid the foundation for the estab- lishment of sustainable social protection system. Social protection initiatives are multidimensional that have been exe- cuted by different government, non-government, community and faith based institutions. However, studies indicated services had gaps in- terms of standards, coverage and accessibility, complementarities of programs, institutional arrangement, data management and exchange of information, vertical and horizontal relationship among different implementing bodies. 25 Although, the Developmental Social Welfare Policy (DSWP) imple- mented since 1996 served as a guide for the strengthening of social welfare, through policy gap analysis, it was found to be incompatible with the existing situations. The main gaps identified in the DSWP in- dicated that the roles of executing bodies and communities in the coor- dination, collaboration and design process of social welfare programs was not clearly articulated. It was incompatible with the demograph- ic change, economic and social development, structural adjustments, policy and legal amendments, and it had no detail strategy and action plans for policy implementation. Ensuring social protection helps to reduce poverty and vulnerability with a meaningful impact to protect the poorest segments of society from falling deep in to destitution, to increase human development and productivity in order to break intergenerational cycle of poverty, to enhance equitable use of resources, to bring social justice and stable peace, to reduce discrimination and exclusion, to strengthen national feeling, and to enhance economic and social development. In general, to sustain social and economic development, to boost social justice, to ensure the respect of dignity and rights of citizens, it was found out necessary to develop a social protection framework. 2.2. VISION To see all Ethiopians enjoy social and economic wellbeing, security and social justice. 2.3. MISSION To enhance Ethiopian citizens benefiting from social protection ser- vices; 26 • Provide social assistance to enhance access to basic social service • Promote the coverage of social insurance services, • Promote gainful employment opportunities, • Strengthen and establish appropriate laws, directives, action plans, and institutional arrangements to enable the poor and vulnerable to equitably benefit from the growth of the country.

3. GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE POLICY The main objectives of the National Social Protection Policy of Ethi- opia are the following: 3.1. Protect the poor and vulnerable individuals, households, and communities from different natural and manmade adverse ef fects of shocks, 3.2. Establish social insurance system and increase its scope, 3.3. Increase access to equitable and quality health, education, and social welfare services to build human capital, 3.4. Expand and guarantee employment for the vulnerable to un employment, 3.5. Enhance employment guarantee for the segments of society under social problems through promoting employment oppor tunities, 3.6. Ensure that the society at all levels play roles for the imple mentation of the policy.

4. PRINCIPLES OF THE POLICY 4.1. Government takes the lead for the execution of the policy and ensures its sustainable implementation, 4.2. Community Care Coalitions shall contribute their appropriate role in the implementation of the policy, 4.3. Social Protection implementation shall be based on the princi 27 ple of mutual support and self-reliance, 4.4. The implementation of policy shall give special emphasis to gender issues and the principle of equality, 4.5. Implementation of the policy shall be based on multi-sectoral integrated efforts of government, community and other con cerned stake holders, 4.6. Public mobilization and participation shall play a significant role in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of social protection programs, 4.7. Implementation of social protection shall be effective, effi cient, predictable, and reliable, 4.8. Social Protection measures shall progressively ensure the eco nomic, social and human rights of all Ethiopians, 4.9. Social protection measures shall be implemented without dis crimination and exclusion, 4.10. Social protection measures shall be implemented with ac countability and transparency, 4.11. The implementation of social protection services will be main streamed and implemented in different government, and non - government institutions development programs, strate gies, and action plans, 4.12. Implementation of social protection initiatives shall be decen tralized.

5. SCOPE AND FOCUS OF THE POLICY The policy focuses on increasing access to social services and provid- ing alternative care and support services for members of the society affected by economic shocks, natural and manmade calamities and those who require special support. These include, expanding formal and informal social insurance systems as preventive measures to pro- tect citizens from falling in to destitution and risks because of liveli- hood shocks. 28 The policy focuses on taking measures of enhancing knowledge, skill, and employment opportunities of citizens to increase their incomes and asset building capabilities. Protect citizens from exclusion, ensure their rights and needs by reducing the vulnerability to risk that ema- nate from economic and social structural imbalances. The following target groups are given due emphasis in the policy: • Children under difficult circumstances, • Vulnerable pregnant and lactating women, • Vulnerable people with disabilities and people with mental health problems, • Elderly who have no care and support, • Labor constrained citizens unable to get basic social and economic services, • Victims of social problems such as beggars, commercial sex work- ers, drug and medicine addicted, • Citizens affected by HIV and AIDS and other chronic diseases that constrain their ability to work, • Segments of the society vulnerable to violence and abuse, • Segments of the society vulnerable to natural and manmade risks, • Unemployed citizens, • Citizens engaged in the informal sector and who have not social insurance coverage, • Victims of human trafficking and repatriated emigrants,

6. POLICY MEASURES AND STRATEGIES The major policy measures are the following: • Promote Productive Safety Net, • Promote employment and improve livelihood, • Increase social security and health insurance coverage, • Increase access to basic services, 29 • Provide legal protection and support to segments of the society vulnerable to abuse and violence. To realize the above measures, establishing a complete system, allo- cating the required finance for implementation, developing the social welfare workforce to be engaged in social services, and providing skill development training to create conducive environment for entrepre- neurship are the main strategies of the policy. The following focus areas, specific objectives, and implementation strategies have been identified to implement the policy measures and strategies. FOCUS AREA 6.1. PROMOTE PRODUCTIVE SAFETY NET 6.1.1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION Many Ethiopians residing in rural areas are vulnerable to shocks such as drought, environmental degradation, flood, and related sudden risks that the government issued and implemented the Disaster Risk Man- agement Policy to respond to the needs of those vulnerable citizens. Significant number of urban dwellers are vulnerable to food price in- flation, unemployment and other social and economic risks. Taking in to consideration the peculiar characteristics of the urban areas, due at- tention will be given for the design and implementation of productive and social safety net programs. Children are among the most vulnerable segments of the population in rural and urban areas. Since childhood malnutrition begins in the womb, this policy gives attention to pregnant and lactating mothers under difficult circumstances, and children below two years of age. 30 To improve the nutritional status of children, the productive and social safety net programs to be developed shall be implemented in collab- oration and coordination with health extension and other structures closer to the communities. The productive and social safety net programs will be based on the establishment and implementation of strategies to address people in social problems, more specifically, vulnerable children, women and the elderly under difficult circumstances, persons with disabilities and people with mental health problems, those labour constrained due to debilitating diseases who are unable to work, and repatriates from em- igration. Public work programs will be promoted to ensure food security and community asset building in order to strengthen and enhance the ca- pacity of the poor and vulnerable. In general, to support the poor and reduce vulnerability, productive and social safety net programs to be designed in the rural and urban context shall be coordinated and complementary. In addition, Com- munity Care Coalitions shall be strengthened and expanded to play significant role in the implementation of productive and social safety net programs. 6.1.2. OBJECTIVES • Expand social assistance coverage to ensure food security for the vulnerable exposed to natural and manmade calamities and protect them from falling in to extreme poverty, • Provide care and support to children, individuals and families un- der difficult circumstances to lift them out of poverty, 31 • Establish a social safety net system to benefit the elderly who have no care and support, • Promote public work programs to ensure food security and en- hance community assets. 6.1.3. IMPLEMENTAION STRATEGIES • Establish an early warning system to respond to disaster risk and vulnerability in accordance with the Disaster Risk Management Policy, • Expand productive and social safety net programs in rural and ur- ban areas of the country, • Establish a system to identify the number and types of the vulnera- ble to chronic food insecurity and include them in rural and urban productive and social safety net programs, • Action plans in social protection programs shall be nutrition sen- sitive, • Community Care Coalitions shall play their appropriate role. Focus area 6.2. PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPROVE LIVELI HOOD 6.2.1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION The living condition of most Ethiopians is based on the use of their labour. Therefore, it is necessary to facilitate conditions by supporting the unemployed individuals to get gainful employment opportunities to improve their living conditions, and transform those employed to where they can be more productive to make better earnings. It is expected to support the vulnerable in rural and urban areas to become more productive citizens by promoting employment opportu- 32 nities. Conditions will be facilitated to ensure the implementation of micro and small enterprises expansion strategies and programs for the benefit of most vulnerable to poverty. Using different structures and systems, special support will be provid- ed and favourable condition shall be created to those who attempt to support themselves by establishing self-help groups or associations to lift them out of poverty and improve their livelihoods. In general, depending on the rural and urban situations, due attention shall be given to improve the livelihood of citizens, to labour mar- ket corrective interventions, to skills upgrading training, to credit and expansion of other related services, encouraging entrepreneurship and income generating opportunities. 6.2.2. OBJECTIVES • Take economic and social measures to build human capital and improve livelihood, • Promote employment and income generating opportunities for the vulnerable and unemployed, 6.2.3. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES • Introduce and expand off-farm income generating activities, • Provide agricultural inputs to strengthen the economic capacity of rural and urban population, • Promote public works programs, income generating and other em- ployment generation schemes, • Establish labour market information system and take labour mar- ket corrective measures, • Promote micro and small enterprise schemes to create employ- 33 ment opportunities for the poor and unemployed to enable them employed and enhance their livelihoods, • Provide skills upgrading training and micro-finance credit services for the poor and vulnerable to create market linkages. FOCUS AREA 6.3. PROMOTE SOCIAL INSURANCE 6.3.1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION Social insurance is based on the principle of risk-sharing and involves the pooling of contributions in return for pay-out and service coverage in case of set-back or changes in circumstances. The government has put in place contributory pension schemes for the employees of public and private organizations. The government has also endorsed a procla- mation on social health insurance for the formal sector employees and pensioners to ensure their health rights. In addition, to expand the health service coverage, community-based health insurance scheme is being implemented for the informal sector employees. The third party vehicle insurance is providing emergency medical treatments of vehicle related accidents, physical injury and death in- surance coverage. Compensations are being provided for climate re- lated and other hazards on crop and property loses. The informal social saving and insurance mechanisms like ‘Idir’ and ‘Ikub’ play significant roles to reduce pressures caused by different problems and risks. In general, the government shall facilitate every condition to progres- sively increase insurance service system to increase coverage and ac- cessibility for the formal and informal sectors. 34 6.3.2. OBJECTIVES • Promote and encourage social insurance system, • Support informal social protection mechanisms and facilitate their linkages to the formal system. 6.3.3. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES • Facilitate conditions to expand the existing public and private so- cial security schemes to give coverage for citizens employed in other gainful employment, • Strengthen informal sector social insurance system, • Strengthen the coverage of community based health insurance, • Expand the third party vehicle insurance, • Expand the coverage of weather–indexed crop and property insur- ance schemes. Focus area 6.4. INCREASE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO BASIC SOCIAL SERVICES 6.4.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION Due to the expansion of education and health coverage in the coun- try, especially the coverage of enrolment of primary schools and basic health service has been growing. The provision of quality health and education services to citizens has significant contribution to build productive human capital of the coun- try to enhance productivity and economic growth and to break trans- mission of inter-generational poverty. In the education sector, apart from the expansion of schools, the gov- 35 ernment has been implementing free primary education strategies to attract children to school. The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with development partners, has been implementing school feeding programme at pilot level in selected schools of six regions that are chronically food insecure areas. The programme is providing school feeding for 650,000 students in 1,200 schools. Thus, to fulfil the food and other basic needs of children and to enable them attend their schools properly, the coverage of school feeding pro- gram shall be progressively expanded based on the actual situations of the regions and city administrations. School feeding programmes shall be implemented in a way to retain children in school, to improve their nutrition status and to avoid child labour. School feeding programs and related social welfare services undertaken by the government, non-government and of community participation shall be implemented in a consistent, standardized and coordinated manner. In general, the government will expand the coverage of quality health, education and social services to address the demand side constraints that prevent the poor and vulnerable from accessing basic services. 6.4.2 OBJECTIVE • Increase the coverage and access to health, education and other social welfare services, 6.4.3. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES • Strengthen the expansion of conditional health care expenses to benefit the poor, 36 • Expand school feeding program to increase the coverage and ac- cessibility of education, • Increase the accessibility of special needs education, • Expand rehabilitation services, • Ensure that basic infrastructures are accessible to persons with disabilities, the elderly and those with mobility constraint, • Expand and standardize basic services, • Develop the workforce to be engaged in social welfare services. FOCUS AREA 6.5. PROVIDE LEGAL PROTECTION AND SUPPORT FOR CITIZENS EXPOSED TO ABUSE AND VIOLENCE 6.5.1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION Failing to provide special legal protection and social services for the vulnerable citizens exposed to abuse and violence aggravates social problems. The major forms of abuse and violence are severe physi- cal actions, female genital mutilation, rape and child labour. Children, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities have several con- straints that hamper their abilities to defend themselves before the law as a result of which their rights are being violated. The government shall give attention to respect and protect the legal rights of the vul- nerable. Providing legal protection to the vulnerable and redressing of abuse help them to have good psychological and moral moods, to become socially responsible and play their roles in economic growth. Generally, legal reforms and awareness raising activities, and rehabili- tation service institutions will be strengthened to protect the vulnerable in order to sustain the dignity, protection and legal rights of citizens. 37 6.5.2. OBJECTIVE • Prevent violence, abuse, discrimination, and exclusion of the vul- nerable and redress the impacts on victims. 6.5.3. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES • Design and implement different communication strategies to im- prove the harmful traditional practices and values that undermine the legal rights of children, women, persons with disabilities, the elderly and other vulnerable groups, • Expand and progressively improve community based support ser- vices to prevent and redress violence, exclusion, discrimination and abuse, • Provide legal support and rehabilitation services to vulnerable groups whose civil rights are at stake, • Strengthen institutions at different levels that provide legal support and rehabilitation services to people exposed to violence, exclu- sion, discrimination and abuse.

7. FINANCIAL SOURCE OF THE POLICY Although a huge investment is required to realise social protection programs, basic social protection services shall be prioritized and bud- get will be allocated progressively. The source of finance will be from economic growth, expansion of the tax collection as proportion of GDP, reallocation of budget expen- diture as required, increasing the efficiency of existing investments, loans and grants. The source of budget will be from federal and re- gional governments, communities, business community, development partners, and others. 38 Using different ways, the community, civil society organizations and the private sector, contribute significantly towards providing care and support services for people under difficult circumstances. The Private sector plays a great role to improve occupational safety and health for creating better working conditions. In light of improving the health and occupational safety of their em- ployees as well as the reputation they get from domestic and interna- tional market chain, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) system shall be established where investors engaged in trade, industry, agri- culture, and other services can play their roles by contributing towards social protection interventions. In general, to make the source of finance sustainable and reliable, the community at large, civil society organizations and the private sector will be mobilized and participate to contribute their shares. To en- hance participation in a coordinated manner, a Social Protection Fund (SPF) shall be established, and a directive will be issued to establish- ment the system.

8. INSTITUIONAL ARRANGEMENT AND COORDINATION Based on the duties and responsibilities of each executing body, the government will establish uniform system of institutional arrangement at different levels to coordinate the implementation of the policy. To transform the implementation system in to action, duties and responsi- bilities will be explicitly given to federal and regional executing bod- ies, the community, civil society organizations, the private sector as well as to other concerned stakeholders. Institutions that have responsibilities for the design of social protec- tion initiatives, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, establish- 39 ing system shall be strengthened through organizational arrangement, training of social service workers and the fulfillment of necessary equipment. 8.1. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Since the implementation of the policy requires multidimensional coordi- nation, a Federal Social Protection Council will be established under the leadership of the government. Members of the council shall be government organizations and other concerned institutions. Members of the Federal Social Protection Council shall mainly be drawn from Labour and Social Affairs, Women Children and Youth Affairs, Edu- cation, Health, Agriculture, Justice, Finance and Economic Development, Urban Development and Housing Construction, Trade and Industry Institu- tions, Public and Private Social Security Agencies and HIV/AIDS Preven- tion and Control Coordination Office. In addition, financial institutions, associations of employers, trade unions, civil society organizations and other relevant institutions will also be mem- bers of the Council as required. The structure and function of the Social Protection Council shall be estab- lished by Law. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs shall be the Secre- tary of the Council. Duties and responsibilities given to the Federal Social Protection Council and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs shall be executed by respective structures at regional states and city administrations. United Nations Organizations, International Organizations, concerned Char- ity Associations and Organizations shall participate in the implementation of social protection. 40 To implement the policy, to coordinate and achieve the mission successfully, implementation strategies, laws, and directives shall be issued. The National Social Protection Council shall have the following duties and responsibilities; • Give direction on legal and corrective measures of systemic issues to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, and overall coordination, • Build and strengthen the capacity of executing bodies for the proper implementation of the policy, • Lead and coordinate programs for the implementation of the policy, • Ensure the integration of social protection interventions in to the devel- opment strategies and programs of sectors, • Strengthen the data management system, • Establish monitoring and evaluation system for the effectiveness of so- cial protection programs, • Report to the government on the effectiveness of budget utilization to implement the policy and the impact, • The Council shall meet twice a year to evaluate the performance of the policy, strategy, and action plans. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is the government focal at nation- al level to coordinate the implementation of the policy. The Ministry of La- bour and Social Affairs, in coordinating and implementing social protection, shall have the following duties and responsibilities: • Coordinate and follow up the relevant federal and regional bodies for proper implementation of the policy, strategy, and action plans, • Mobilize resource and budget allocation for the implementation of social protection, • Establish a management information system for effective and efficient 41 implementation of social protection programs and communicate the achievements of the desired outcomes and impacts, • Report to the Federal Social Protection Council on the achievements and impacts of the policy implementation to facilitate conditions for govern- ment to take appropriate decisions on institutional arrangement, system and financial allocation, • Generate and propose legal provisions to the government and make amendments on issues as required, and perform different capacity build- ing activities, • Establish coordination and collaboration networking to create a strong partnership among different partners and stakeholders, and follow up the implementation, • Ensure social protection service provisions comply with the rights of beneficiaries, • Establish and administer a Social Protection Fund, • Establish and implement a Central Data Management System, • Other duties and responsibilities that enable the implementation of the policy shall be determined by subsequent laws and directives.

9. MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEM OF THE POLICY The Monitoring and Evaluation system of the policy is a mechanism where the government with the community and stakeholders monitor and evaluate and ensure that the initiatives undertaken to reduce poverty and vulnerability and programs designed for the benefit of people under difficult circumstanc- es are properly implemented. The monitoring system is a process of follow up about the implementation of programs that are being executed as planned and properly moving in the right direction. The evaluation system is to weigh the achievements of pro- gram objectives and desired impacts. 42 The monitoring and evaluation system is to identify the strength and weak- ness of program implementation, to check whether the desired services are properly delivered and to take appropriate corrective and remedial measures as required. Monitoring and Evaluation is mainly for the establishment of adequate and reliable information management and reporting system where programs im- plemented by different stakeholders are measured in terms of types of ben- eficiaries, time, utilized resource, impacts etc., comparing against baseline indicators. A Central Registry System shall be established to organize and manage com- plete data and exchange information about beneficiaries disaggregated by place, number, type of service and the like. The Ministry of Labour and So- cial Affairs is mandated to lead and administer the Central Registry at the federal level. Similarly, organs mandated for labour and social affairs duties and responsibilities are responsible to lead and administer the registry in their respective regions. In order to have a strong and robust registry sys- tem, federal and regional government bodies, community based associations and other non-government organizations providing social protection services have the obligation to submit periodic performance reports to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, in collaboration with other con- cerned stakeholders, shall develop and implement relevant performance in- dicators, action plans, guidelines and proper system to improve the perfor- mance of program implementation. The necessary activities, mainly linking source of information through networks, improving the data collection, com- pilation and analysis, preparation of reports and improving and enhancing relevant activities will be carried out to establish and actually implement the system. 43 In general, the monitoring and evaluation system shall be established with uniformity and synergy from federal to the lower level of administrative stra- ta and implemented properly for complete, quality and timely reporting and exchange of information. 44