The Integrated Beneficiary Registry will support improved coordination, efficiency and transparency across social protection programmes in the province.
PESHAWAR – The launch of the Social Protection Integrated Beneficiary Registry (IBR) today marks a key step toward strengthening the coordination and delivery of social protection programmes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Participants at the launch event underscored the role of integrated systems in reducing duplication, improving targeting and enabling more effective, data-driven social protection services across the province.
The initiative is led by the Public Policy and Social Protection Reforms Unit within the Planning & Development Department of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with technical support from the ILO and GIZ, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and European Union (EU), under the Digital Convergence Initiative (DCI).
The Integrated Beneficiary Registry will function as a centralized database that consolidates information on individuals and households receiving benefits from multiple social protection programmes. By linking data through a unique citizen identifier, the system will enable authorities to better understand who is receiving which benefits, when and where, supporting improved service delivery and coordination across programmes.
The launch event, held in Peshawar, brought together provincial political leadership, senior government officials, and representatives from key provincial and federal social protection institutions. Faisal Khan Tarakai, Honourable Minister for Labour, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attended the event as Chief Guest.
Geir Thomas Tonstol, Country Director of ILO Pakistan, stated that “Integrated beneficiary registries are a critical foundation for modern, effective and inclusive social protection systems. By strengthening coordination across programmes and improving the use of data, the Integrated Beneficiary Registry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will help ensure resources are used more efficiently and that support reaches those who need it most.”
Faisal Khan Tarakai, Minister for Labour, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, underscored that “By bringing labour-related schemes into a unified provincial framework, the Integrated Beneficiary Registry will allow us to better understand coverage gaps, improve coordination across programmes, and strengthen targeting. This will help ensure that workers and vulnerable households receive timely and effective support, while enabling more informed, evidence-based decision-making. The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa appreciates the continued technical support of the ILO in advancing social protection reforms in the province.”
The launch also featured a panel discussion on “Digital Transformation of Social Protection in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Current Progress and Future Priorities.” Participants highlighted how integrated social protection information systems can enhance efficiency, accuracy, accountability and citizen empowerment. The IBR is developed under the ILO’s Digital Convergence Initiative (DCI) framework and aims to support more proactive and data-driven delivery of social protection programmes.
Concluding the event, Khalid Khan, Director General, Social Development Unit (SDU), reaffirmed the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s commitment to institutionalizing an integrated and interoperable social protection framework to enhance efficiency, transparency and impact across the province.
Designed as both an analytical and operational tool, the Integrated Beneficiary Registry will support planning, monitoring and coordination across social protection programmes. It will also serve as a key tool for coordinating the supply side of social protection, enabling data-driven policy decisions and strengthening transparency and accountability in the allocation of public resources. By enabling comprehensive analytics, the system will help identify coverage gaps, strengthen targeting, and improve overall system performance.
