Building Climate Resilience through Inclusive Social Protection Policies: A Case of Rajanpur

Abstract

The paper explores how inclusive social protection can be used in increasing climate resilience in vulnerable populations in the Pakistani particularly district of Rajanpur, Punjab, which is prone to flooding and displays a high level of socio-economic strain and hardship. The paper will address gaps in the existing policy responses and evaluate the degree to which the equitable recovery and long-term survival can be promoted through adaptive social protection. The research involves the use of primary sources of secondary data such as the District Local Adaptation Plan of Action (LAPA) of Rajanpur, resilience reports of the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), climate vulnerability reports, and a thematic qualitative analysis of current institutions and social safety nets. They triangulate the findings by using quantitative indicators, which include livelihood disruption, gender-specific vulnerability, and household levels as based on the governmental and NGO data. Considering that the research is based solely on secondary data, there are few possibilities to validate and verify the study in real-time and local participatory validation. Lack of regular, gender-disaggregated climate vulnerability data is also an added constraint to analysis. The findings reveal that despite the localized adaptation planning that is in place in Rajanpur, the current social protection programs are still disjointed and reactive. Absorptive and adaptive capacities can be improved by involving climate-risk management into social assistance especially cash and livelihood support to women. The emergence of institutional coordination and inclusive targeting has become a right of way in the resilience building practice. The policy frameworks are to move towards social protection responsive to climate changes, which includes flexible funding, digital inclusion, and gender equity. Enhancing inter-agency connections between the disaster management authorities, the local governments and the civil society will improve the climate adaptive governance in rural Pakistan.