The Report on National Social Security Strategy Review and Monitoring Data, prepared under the Social Protection Policy Support (SPPS) Programme, presents a comprehensive framework for overseeing the final implementation review of Bangladesh’s National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) and strengthening the operational effectiveness of the NSSS Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Dashboard. The report focuses on assessing the implementation progress of the NSSS, adopted in 2015, and its Action Plan II (2021–2026), while identifying institutional challenges, implementation gaps, and opportunities for future social protection reforms. It outlines a structured oversight mechanism to ensure that the review is methodologically sound, inclusive, transparent, and aligned with national development priorities and international evaluation standards. The framework covers 11 Key Evaluation Questions across five thematic clusters: Social Allowances, Food Security and Disaster Assistance, Social Insurance, Labour and Livelihoods, and Human Development and Social Empowerment. It emphasises institutional coordination among the Cabinet Division, General Economics Division (GED), relevant ministries, UNDP, and development partners, alongside stakeholder consultations, quality assurance, and the integration of gender equality, disability inclusion, and the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principle.
The report further presents a strategic roadmap for operationalising the NSSS M&E Dashboard, developed to monitor the implementation of Action Plan II across 39 ministries and agencies. It identifies key challenges, including incomplete and outdated data, limited interoperability among ministerial Management Information Systems (MIS), inadequate data disaggregation, and insufficient institutional capacity. To address these gaps, the report proposes strengthening data collection and validation mechanisms, introducing standardised reporting protocols, integrating digital systems through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), improving dashboard accessibility and user experience, and establishing clear institutional responsibilities for data management. It also outlines capacity-building initiatives, regular performance monitoring, stakeholder feedback mechanisms, and a phased implementation plan to ensure the dashboard’s long-term sustainability and effective utilisation in policy formulation and programme assessment. Overall, the report provides a strategic framework for strengthening evidence-based decision-making, enhancing transparency and accountability, improving inter-ministerial coordination, and supporting the development of a more integrated, inclusive, and sustainable social protection system in Bangladesh beyond 2026.