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Comparing formal and informal social protection: a case study exploring the usefulness of informal social protection in Pakistan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 October 2021

Zahid Mumtaz  and
Peter Whiteford
Zahid Mumtaz*
Affiliation:
Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Peter Whiteford
Affiliation:
Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
*
Email: zahid.mumtaz@anu.edu.au
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Abstract

In most global south countries, various informal institutions provide welfare to a large segment of the neglected, poor and vulnerable populations through informal social protection. Despite being a major source of welfare in the global south, the usefulness of informal social protection at the household level remains an under-researched area. In this exploratory study, we have determined the usefulness of informal social protection provided through religious institutions, such as madrassas and compared it with formal social protection at the household level utilising the case study of a lower-income country such as Pakistan. A mixed methodology of data collection comprising a survey and semi-structured interviews in 14 different cities of Pakistan of the poor and eligible households for receiving formal social protection was conducted for the research. The results suggest the coverage of informal social protection provided by madrassas is greater than formal social protection. The poor and vulnerable population value and considers it more useful than formal social protection. We conclude that integrating informal and formal social protection would help improve the effectiveness of social policies in developing and less developed countries.

Keywords

Formal and informal social protectionsocial assistancesocial insurancelabour markets measureslow-income countriespovertymadrassas
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , November 2021 , pp. 243 - 272
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Social Policy Association

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