Social Protection Simulator

Discover the impact of social protection on poverty, inequality and consumption in Asia and the Pacific.

About the Social Protection Simulator

The ESCAP Social Protection Simulator estimates the impact of introducing social protection scheme on poverty, inequality and consumption. The impact can be estimated for rural and urban households, as well as for different income groups and family configurations. It also computes the cost of simulated programmes, providing different illustrative options to expand fiscal space for social protection.
Users can design social protection schemes in a country by setting parameters related to eligibility criteria, coverage levels and benefit amounts. The Simulator allows the user to analyze one scheme at a time or to combine different schemes and build a customized social protection package.
In addition to simulating the impact in one country, users can compare social protection schemes of their choice within and across different countries.

Features child, disability and old age benefits

Includes 25 countries across Asia-Pacific

Builds on Household Income and Expenditure Surveys

Did you know that social protection
can significantly reduce poverty and inequality?

Poverty

A universal child benefit scheme set at the global average benefit level could reduce poverty among recipients by 11% in Armenia to 100% in Maldives and Türkiye as measured by the international poverty line ($1.9).

Inequality

A combination of universal child benefit, disability benefit and old-age benefit set at the global average benefit level could reduce inequality as measured by the Palma ratio from 5% in Cambodia to 29% in Georgia.

Consumption

Reductions in poverty and inequality operate through an increase in consumption. The poorest 10% in the whole population can experience an increase in their household consumption from 8% in Kiribati to 53% in the Philippines.

Cost

These large and positive impacts are affordable. In 2023, the cost of a combination of universal social protection schemes would range between 2% of GDP in Bangladesh to 4% in Georgia.

Note: The results are obtained from the ESCAP Social Protection Simulator in June 2022.

Would you like to compare the impact of universal social protection across the Asia Pacific region?

Explore the dashboard to see the impact of a comprehensive and universal social protection package with benefit levels at global or OECD averages.



Would you like to explore the impact of universal social protection in your selected country?

Enter the dashboard for an overview of how a comprehensive and universal social protection package could improve lives.



Would you like to build a custom-made social protection package and explore its impact in your selected country?

Enter the simulator to build your customized package and explore an overview of how a comprehensive and universal social protection package could improve lives.


The Social Protection Online Tool (SPOT) Simulator enables policymakers to quickly see how the design of schemes impact poverty, consumption, inequality and the costs.
H.E. Ms. Ariunzaya Ayush
Senior Advisor and Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Mongolia
SPOT empowers policymakers with evidence and tools to better understand the impact of social protection. It is a useful platform for countries to implement the Action Plan on Social Protection.
H.E. Mr. Boros Samheng
Minister, Government of Cambodia
The Social Protection Simulator demonstrates that social protection is an investment in the economy and jobs by increasing consumption since most jobs in many countries in the region heavily depend on domestic final demands.
Francis Kim Upgi
Director of Economic and Social Policy
International Trade Union Confederation Asia-Pacific

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