Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (ILO News) - National Assembly and Provincial Assembly members in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic are now better placed to develop more effective social protection policies following their participation in a two-week training programme.

Newly appointed members of the National Assembly and Provincial People’s Assemblies participated in a two-week seminar, starting 5 September 2022, to strengthen their capacities and broaden understanding of social protection policymaking and financing.

The seminar encompassed a range of topics, such as the design and financing of social protection schemes, good practices and innovations from ASEAN and developing countries, the policy and legislative framework in Lao PDR as well as the development of the Korean social protection system. Field visits also took place to see the implementation and impact of social protection initiatives at grass roots level.

“A strong social protection system takes several years—even decades—to build. The most effective and efficient response is to build and expand nationally owned structures and systems and to allocate domestic resources. Through this seminar, we as ILO want to contribute to the system-building process in Lao PDR”, said Ms. Loveleen De, Programme Manager.

The event was organised by ILO jointly with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and UNICEF. It was co-funded by the ILO/Korea Partnership Programme “Supporting the Implementation of Sustainable Social Protection Floors for Workers and their Families in ASEAN — Phase III” and the Government of Australia through the UN Joint Programme “Leaving no one behind: Establishing the basis for social protection floors in Lao PDR”.

Mr. Sunggil Son, Chief Technical Advisor of the ILO/Korea Partnership Programme said, “I hope that the discussions in the seminar will further develop and strengthen the social protection system in Lao PDR. The ILO/Korea Partnership Programme 2021–2023 will continue to support Lao PDR for this in close collaboration with the tripartite constituents, the National Assembly and the Provincial People’s Assemblies in Lao PDR.”

For more information, please contact

Loveleen De
Program Manager
Email: del@ilo.org

Thongleck Xiong
National Program Coordinator
Email: thongleck@ilo.org