Compare and contrast NGO/MFIs developed social safety net services (SSNs) in Bangladesh and state managed SSNs measures in Canada

Abstract

Social safety net (SSN) measures are usually managed by the state for the vulnerable people like seniors, physically and mentally disability diagnosed people, vulnerable widowed and people living with the economic crisis. Recently many NGOs of Bangladesh have developed social safety net services for the vulnerable poor people in Bangladesh. The paper is an attempt to find out (1) what are the SSNs measures are taken by NGOs/MFIs in Bangladesh and how they work; (2) to discern what are the state managed Canadian SSNs services that have served to Canadian vulnerable people and or people living with economic crisis; and (3) compare and contrast SSNs strategies governed by NGOs/MFIs in Bangladesh and public agencies have managed in Canada. This study follows descriptive ethnographic and participatory observation methods working with Grameen Bank and BRAC Bangladesh as well as researcher working experience with Toronto Social Services and Ontario Disability Support Services in Canada. Study uses secondary data and reviews works of literature to provide evidence of the narrations. The research finds Grameen Bank, BRAC and Nijera Kori Bangladesh have developed different SSNs services for vulnerable people in Bangladesh as an alternative of the state-managed SSNs services although Bangladesh Government has initiated many SSNs services through its public and external resources. However, government supported SSNs services are yet not massively reached to all vulnerable people in Bangladesh who have suffered from poverty. Contrarily, Canada SSNs programs are universally followed by the Social Acts of Canada. The Canadian SSN many services have reached massively to its vulnerable population to address their social and economic crisis and poverty. However, SSN financial supports have not complied with the rise of prices in Canada at different time. By reading this paper, readers could learn different social security measures developed by NGOs and MFIs in Bangladesh and the state managed SSNs measures in Canada that are narrated in the paper.