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This book highlights the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Bangladesh's marginalised communities and the pivotal role of Social Safety Net Programs (SSNPs) in alleviating poverty and food insecurity of low-income families. Emphasising the need for inclusive decision-making and the involvement of citizen perspectives to ensure no one is left behind to align with the Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities, the authors stress the importance of engaging local government institutions to coordinate timely and effective assistance in times of crises. Advocating for increased funding and improved targeting mechanisms, the authors identify the critical need for real-time data to inform policy responses effectively. Strategies to address chronic poverty are outlined, emphasizing the multifaceted approach needed for effective poverty reduction. The mixed-methods research sheds light on the potential of SSNPs to not only address immediate food security concerns but also wider social equity of those in need. Lower-middle-income countries, including Bangladesh, face complex challenges adapting to economic changes, urbanization, and societal shifts, necessitating robust social protection policies. While Bangladesh has progressed in reducing poverty, this book acknowledges challenges and regional disparities across four unions and different districts, which were selected based on specific criteria to ensure diversity. This book is of interest to scholars and students of social policy, public policy, sociology and public administration, particularly in the South Asian context.
List of contents
Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: Social Safety Net Programs in Bangladesh.- Chapter 3: Understanding the Role of Social Safety Net Programs in Combatting the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh.- Chapter 4: Voices of Marginalized Citizens in Social Safety Nets programs During Covid-19.- Chapter 5: Summary of Findings, Future Research and Policy Recommendations, Conclusion.
About the author
AKM Ahsan Ullah is Associate Professor in Geography, Environment and Development at the University of Brunei Darussalam (UBD). Dr Ullah's research portfolio includes stints at the Southeast Asian Research Centre (SEARC), Hong Kong; IPH, University of Ottawa, McMaster University; Saint Mary's University, and Dalhousie University, Canada; the American University in Cairo (AUC); City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Osnabruck University, Germany, and Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand. His research areas include population migration, human rights, development, environment and health policy. Dr Ullah has contributed 60 scientific articles to refereed journals and at least 40 chapters in a number of books, and published 15 books.
Jannatul Ferdous is Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration, Comilla University, Bangladesh. Dr Ferdous received her bachelor, masters and MPhil in Public Administration from the University of Dhaka. DrFerdous contributed extensively to refereed journals and chapters in books. She published seven books. Her current interest includes governance, e-governance, trust, civil service system, gender, public policy, climate change, gender and development. Currently, she is serving as the Chair of the technical committee of the 'Combating Gender-Based Violence' project of UN Women. She is also serving as an assistant proctor of Comilla University.
Summary
This book highlights the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Bangladesh's marginalised communities and the pivotal role of Social Safety Net Programs (SSNPs) in alleviating poverty and food insecurity of low-income families. Emphasising the need for inclusive decision-making and the involvement of citizen perspectives to ensure no one is left behind to align with the Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities, the authors stress the importance of engaging local government institutions to coordinate timely and effective assistance in times of crises. Advocating for increased funding and improved targeting mechanisms, the authors identify the critical need for real-time data to inform policy responses effectively. Strategies to address chronic poverty are outlined, emphasizing the multifaceted approach needed for effective poverty reduction. The mixed-methods research sheds light on the potential of SSNPs to not only address immediate food security concerns but also wider social equity of those in need. Lower-middle-income countries, including Bangladesh, face complex challenges adapting to economic changes, urbanization, and societal shifts, necessitating robust social protection policies. While Bangladesh has progressed in reducing poverty, this book acknowledges challenges and regional disparities across four unions and different districts, which were selected based on specific criteria to ensure diversity. This book is of interest to scholars and students of social policy, public policy, sociology and public administration, particularly in the South Asian context.
