WFP assists the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic and the State Agency for Civil Service and Local Self-Government Affairs to support the digitalization of the Social Protection System

The ceremonial handing over of equipment took place within the framework of WFP’s “Digitalisation of the National Social Registry – Digital Social Passports” project. The financing and procurement of the vital equipment and technical support are a significant contribution of WFP to the National Social Protection System and the development of the digital skills of government and Ayil Okmotu staff. In addition, WFP provided capacity building trainings for social workers to implement the digitalization of Social Passports. The Government co-financed parts of the project by developing the digital form, database and conducted pilpoting activities.

"WFP remains one of the closest partners of the Ministry. Since 2013, we have jointly implemented a number of successful projects to improve the food security, nutrition and well-being of vulnerable families. Today we thank WFP for its generous contribution, which will change the work of the Ministry for the better," said Nurdoolot Bazarbaev, Deputy Minister of Labour, Social Welfare and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The equipment will be used in 74 rural and regional district representatives of MLSSM to develop a digital database of vulnerable low-income families. This, in turn, will improve the efficience, data security, as well as enable better targeting and tracking, analysis and monitoring of low-income families. In addition, the digital Social Passport system will be integrated to the Government Information System “Tunduk” to ensure effective information exchange and timely update of data.

“The main task of our agency is to improve the unified state policy in the field of public service, municipal service and local self-government, as well as to improve and optimize the system of public administration and local self-government. With the support of WFP, we will be able to provide local government employees with the necessary equipment and improve the digitalization process,” said Dzhantaev Elchibek Nurzhadievich Director of the State Agency for Civil Service and Local Self-Government

Currently, the Social Passport (individual profiles of poor households) registry is paper based, which limits its usage and overall analysis of beneficiary data.

“WFP is guided by the principles of “leaving no one behind”, especially low-income families struggling to recover from socio-economic shocks. Through the digitalization of Social Passports, poor families will be able to register in the government database and receive certain benefits through medical and educational institutions, while the Government will improve targeting and establish a unified database of poor families,” said Hilke David, WFP Deputy Country Director in the Kyrgyz Republic.

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.