Use the links in this page to see all the cross-references and discussions about social protection and safety nets across all the sections

Additional background

About reforms including the development of social protection systems

Public services There is low capacity of public services in Sudan due to lack of investments, as public spending went elsewhere. Another source for the lack of development of public services is also the lack of credible poverty data since the last population census in 2014. This lack of population data is a fundamental problem for the government in terms of dimensioning public services or targeting public policies. Improving population statistics and the national registry were identified as a major enabler of the attempts at broadening social protection systems as part of the reforms engaged by the civilian transitional government after 2019. Without it, it would have been difficult to use proxy means testing and official data for adequate targeting and registration into nation-wide public programs [158].

In response to economic austerity reforms, the authorities in Sudan considered implementing a temporary Quasi-Universal Basic Income (QUBI) scheme. However, the World Bank and IMF staff recommended expanding the existing cash transfer scheme instead. The Thamarat program was launched as a mix of both solutions, aiming to reach 80% of Sudanese families. Registration began in March 2021, and by October 2021, over 2.5 million families were registered, receiving $80 million in transfers. The program utilized various payment methods, including mobile credit, mobile wallet, bank transfer, and cash/voucher. The government partnered with telecom operators and strengthened payment networks to facilitate digital payments. The program received funding from the World Bank and the Sudan Transition and Recovery Support Trust Fund. Additionally, the United Nations World Food Programme received a contribution of $100 million from the World Bank to implement the Sudan Emergency Safety Nets Project, providing cash transfers and food to over 2 million people in Sudan [169].

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About the Sudan Family Support Program (SFSP)

<aside> 👀 Sudan Family Support Program (SFSP): hopes, challenges & missed opportunities for social protection. In 2020, embedded within their austerity reforms and in an attempt to mitigate their immediate impact on the poorer segments of the population, the transitional government initiated a large national cash transfer safety net program, the Sudan Family Support Program (SFSP, also know as ‘Thamarat’). It was aiming to target 80% of Sudanese families and distribute digitally using mobile money, bank accounts and e-wallets. ** The project was also seen as an important catalyst for other reforms. Part of the SFSP design was specifically made to ensure that registration, payment, verification, and other systems will be transitioned to a regular, sustained social protection system. This included the development of the national registry for social protection during the registration phase as well as the uptake of financial inclusion and the development of the digital payment infrastructure during the implementation phase [169].
The project, funded by the World Bank, was put on hold after the October 2021 coup. Instead, a humanitarian cash transfer project (Emergency Safety Nets Project) supported by the World Bank was operated through the World Food Program with an initial budget of only $100m USD [148].

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About collective solidarity mechanisms

Many Sudanese rely on collective strategies to cope with financial shocks, in addition to savings and debt. These strategies include relying on social networks and informal social protection mechanisms. People rely on their family and friends, both within and outside the country. Beyond that, they also rely on local groups that they are part of, various local actors that they know, as well as on their community and on society as a whole [1].

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About the formalized Zakat system in Sudan

!! An important aspect of Islamic culture that emphasizes informal social protection mechanisms is Zakat. Zakat, also known as obligatory charity, is considered the third cornerstone of Islam, following prayer and creed. It is a social responsibility for those who are capable to seek out and assist deprived individuals through charitable acts, particularly those who have previously benefited from Zakat during their own times of need. Giving something to someone in need holds immense cultural significance. This is why in Sudan it is not uncommon to find in PDMs that a part of humanitarian assistance (either in cash or in kind) has been shared with other households. This is a practice that contributes to building resilience by strengthening social bonds [201].

!! A particularity of Zakat in Sudan is that the system of wealth redistribution has been formalised at the national level [150]. Zakat is fairly strictly regulated, making it predictable. In this sense, it resembles more of an informal social protection mechanism rather than a random act of charity. There is an obligation for individuals with wealth exceeding the gold nisab (currently a little over 5000 USD) to contribute a minimum of 2.5% of that wealth as Zakat [203].

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