Social Protection and Labor Research Group (SPL)

The research group highlights the importance of worker transformation and skill-development to support economic development and productivity enhancement in Indonesia. Issues of particular interest include developing better information of demand and supply of works, identifying skill-shortages, and understanding various factors in labor market and economic policies, technology, and infrastructure that will affect worker’s productive, adaptive and innovative capacity. The group applies multidisciplinary approaches to provide empirical-based policy discussion with regard to the issues. The research group provides extensive consultancies and research social protection programs & labour market issues. The group delivers operational approaches and evidence-based assessments to help stakeholders manage risk, cope with chronic and transitional poverty, and access better livelihoods and jobs. Our tasks include:

1. Strategy, analysis, financing and design of programs delivering social safety nets/social assistance in cash transfers and public works programs. Advisory and analytical services on design and delivery of contributory transfers (including old-age pensions, unemployment insurance, and health insurance) and their fiscal sustainability (including budget support).
2. Analysis, design and delivery of labour market and employment programs (focusing on supply-side interventions and intermediation policies) and policy advice on labour market regulations and interventions.
3. Strategy, analysis, financing and design of integrated social protection delivery systems (e.g., payments, identification, registries, systems assessments) as underpinnings of effective social programs that can help cope with climatic shocks underpin fiscal reforms.
4. Evaluation of existing social protection programs. The evaluation includes the economic impact on the micro-level and macro-level (economic growth and employment).

The group publishes a monthly Social Protection and Labour Market Brief. This publication describes official data related to the Social Protection and Labour issues and recent related issues. [https://www.lpem.org/category/publikasi/policy/labor-market-brief/]

Head of Social Protection and Labor Research Group

Muhammad Hanri

Muhammad Hanri received his bachelor’s in economics from the Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia (FE UI) in 2009. He then obtained the title of MSc in economics from the University of Southampton, the United Kingdom, funded by Chevening Scholarship of The British Commonwealth Office in 2013. A few years later, he earned a PhD in economics from the same university in 2018, funded by Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP).

Hanri held positions as consultant and researcher in several institutions such as the Directorate of Regional Autonomy of the Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS), National Economic Council (KEN) Republic of Indonesia, The World Bank at Washington D.C. Headquarters Office, ESRC for Population Change at the University of Southampton, as well as an individual consultant in various institutions. Academically, he served as a tutor in the Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia (FE UI) and in the School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton. He also holds a position as a home-based lecturer for the Master of Economic Planning and Development Policy Program, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia (MPKP FEB UI).

His research interest includes Labour Economics and Migration, Development Economics, Social Protection and Poverty, and Applied Economics. In those areas, he has presented some of his works in conferences in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Email: hanri@lpem-feui.org

Past Research Group Projects

• Indonesian Youth Workforce Assessment Beneficiaries Profile (USAID)
• Survey on Analytical Capacity Development Partnership (ADCP) (Asian Development Bank)
• Institutional Capacity Assessment on Nutrition in Indonesia (UNICEF)
• Kajian Peran Sekolah Internasional pada Sosial – Ekonomi Masyarakat. Studi Kasus: Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS)