BACKGROUND
The DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Social Protection, Inclusion and Gender equality (SPRING) program is Australia’s flagship investment of support to the Philippine Government on Social Protection, Gender Equality, Disability, Social Inclusion and Indigenous Inclusion. It is an AUD 40 million investment over 5 years that will support the joint Development Partnership Plan (DPP 2024-2029) between the Government of Australia and the Philippine Government. The investment will be the DFAT’s primary avenue in the Philippines for supporting poverty reduction and bilateral funding on gender equality and social inclusion at the national level and with some select Local Government Units (LGUs). SPRING will support efforts under Australia’s new International Development Policy and DFAT’s forthcoming new strategies on gender equality, disability equity and rights, and translate these into implementation in the Philippines.
SPRING will contribute to the goal that the social and economic transformation in the Philippines reduces poverty and provides equal opportunities to all Filipinos in line with the Philippines Development Plan.
The objective of SPRING is that Australia works in partnership with the Philippine Government to improve systems and structures that reduce poverty and inequality and advance gender equality and the rights of people with disabilities.
SPRING has four mutually reinforcing End of Program Outcomes (EOPOs):
- Philippine Government social protection plans, policies and programs increasingly close gaps in the social protection floor.
- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and select LGU systems increasingly deliver quality social protection that is inclusive, gender and shock responsive, and climate sensitive.
- The Philippine Government increasingly invests in gender responsive policies, plans, programs and systems.
The Philippine Government improves data, systems and targeting to enable people with disability and Indigenous Peoples improved access to targeted services.