GIZ and Sindh sign agreement for social protection of vulnerable communities

In a step towards building a resilient, inclusive and climate-adaptive social protection system in Pakistan, the Sindh government and GIZ Pakistan, with support from the European Union (EU) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), have signed an implementation agreement.

The signing ceremony was held on Tuesday at an event headed by Sindh Planning and Development Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Planning and Development Board Chairman Najam Ahmad Shah.

The event brought together key stakeholders. Speaking on the occasion, Johanna Knoess, head of adaptive social protection at the GIZ Pakistan, highlighted the importance of sustained collaboration and reaffirmed the joint commitment to advancing systemic reform through data integration, policy innovation and institutional coordination.

The agreement was signed by representatives from the Sindh Planning and Development Board, social protection department, Social Protection Authority, Provincial Disaster Management Authority, rehabilitation department and GIZ Pakistan.

The agreement reinforced in the agreement a shared vision to strengthen social protection systems through coordinated policymaking, institutional partnerships and integrated programming. Outlining the key pillars of the Adaptive Social Protection Project, Knoess emphasised the need for a holistic approach. She identified five critical areas of collaboration — policy, institutions and partnerships for social protection, programme delivery, data integration, and climate change adaptation for livelihood resilience.

She stressed that these pillars were essential for ensuring a comprehensive evidence-based approach to social protection. She noted that the agreement along with subsequent letters of understanding and joint work plans must translate into tangible real-world impact — leading to meaningful improvements in the lives of vulnerable communities.

The planning minister expressed gratitude for continued support from the EU and BMZ through the GIZ. He reiterated the province’s commitment to adaptive social protection as a central strategy for reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing crisis response.

He said the project would contribute significantly to building a stronger and more inclusive social protection system for the future.