Developing a Comprehensive National Social Protection System and Country Profile Reforms for Mauritania (Ongoing)

Context:
Arab countries, including Mauritania, suffer from significant weaknesses in social protection systems, such as social coverage, financing, and adequacy and completeness of services and benefits. In this context, ESCWA provides technical assistance to member states to “develop detailed national reports on the country profile for social protection.”

It is important to note that the development of these country profile reports will help Arab countries, including Mauritania, (i) establish an inventory of current social protection systems, (ii) provide a baseline for future developments, and (iii) offer well-documented reform options with estimated implementation costs.

Overall Objective:
The general objective of this study is to “develop a country profile for Mauritania following the practical guidance provided in the model for authors in accordance with the recommendations of the ESCWA Intergovernmental Social Development Committee.”

Specific Objectives: The general objective breaks down into three specific goals:

  1. To thoroughly and comprehensively examine and analyze the national social protection system in Mauritania. This review will address:
    • (i) the legal and regulatory framework,
    • (ii) inventory of social protection programs,
    • (iii) trajectories of current and future reforms,
    • (iv) policy recommendations in social protection.
  2. To establish a baseline for tracking progress in terms of social protection system efficiency and effectiveness regarding risk mitigation across the lifecycle and response to co-variable shocks.
  3. To propose evidence-based reform options that enable informed decision-making.

Methodological Approach: The approach will be participatory and will integrate both “quantitative” and “qualitative” methods, following the guidelines in the model for authors shared with the local collaborator.

Key phases include:

  1. Initiation Phase:

    • Contractualization / exchanges / debriefing
    • Launch workshop to present the model structure, confirm writing process and deadlines, roles, and responsibilities
    • Documentary review
    • Data collection (quantitative)
    • Data collection (qualitative)

  2. Zero Report Production Phase:

    • Drafting of the Zero report
    • Collection of additional data (quantitative and qualitative)
    • Final review of the Zero report

  3. Pre-final Report Production Phase:

    • Collecting additional data (qualitative and quantitative)
    • Submission of pre-final report

  4. Final Report Production Phase:

    • Submission of final report draft
    • Contribution to the organization of the public launch event for the country profile
    • Publication of the final country profile version

Deliverables: Besides the phase-specific deliverables (including Zero report, pre-final report), the key deliverable is the final report, structured as follows:

  1. Section 1: Context of Mauritania, including key demographic and socio-economic indicators
  2. Section 2: Evaluation of the national social protection policy, including relevant regulations
  3. Section 3: Mapping of social protection programs and a detailed review of their design, implementation, and organizational structures
  4. Section 4: Current and future reform trajectories, coupled with policy recommendations and cost evaluation tools for the proposed reforms.

Annexes:

  • Photo album (if applicable)
  • Documentation (PDF or web links)