Farzana Sharmin highlights Family Card programme at Asia-Pacific social protection forum
State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin said Family Card programme is an important initiative in response to the growing global need to ensure universal social protection.
"Significance of the Family Card programme extends beyond delivering assistance within the country. Such initiatives also have implications for achieving the broader goal of universal social protection," she said.
Sharmin was speaking at a high-level plenary session of the Asia-Pacific Social Protection Week 2027 at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) headquarters in Manila, the Philippines on Thursday, according to a press release received here today.
The state minister said Bangladesh's experience has opened up opportunities for international discussion.
Exchanging experiences among different countries can also help identify ways to make social protection systems more effective, she said.
Sharmin said ensuring social protection in the Asia-Pacific region is an important policy priority.
Various countries in the region face challenges related to economic inequality, employment insecurity and the need to protect vulnerable populations, she said.
To address these challenges, social protection systems must be developed with people's needs at the forefront, she suggested.
