The Impact of Social Safety Net (SSN) as Social Protection for the Lives of Poor and Vulnerable in Sylhet, Bangladesh.

This study aims to investigate the impact of various Social Safety Net Programs (SSNPs) including pension schemes on the lives of poor and vulnerable in Sylhet district. It is a qualitative study and it uses methods such as in-depth interview, focus group discussion and content analysis to understand the changes in the economic, social well-being of individuals living in poverty and vulnerability. Sylhet is one of the regions of Bangladesh with least poverty rates. However, due to natural disasters like floods affecting the area almost every year leaves thousands of lives on the brink of vulnerability and causes tremendous losses to the poor. The study therefore reveals both the improvement in the lives of disadvantaged population in the area as well as shed light on the factors influencing the programs' effectiveness such as floods, corruption etc. It also reveals people's attitudes towards the recently-introduced pension scheme and participants' expectations from the program. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the impact of social safety net programs such as pension scheme, with factors causing hindrances to expected outcomes, offering valuable insights for policy makers working to improve the lives of poor and vulnerable living in the district. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]