The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and some UN agencies have called for stronger social protection systems to reach underserved populations and respond to emerging shocks.

The ECA, which made the call in a statement on Thursday, said it was made at the ongoing interregional workshop at the United Nations Conference Centre, Addis Ababa.

The workshop is co-organised by ECA, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the African Union Commission also co-organised the programme, with technical support from the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.

Zuzana Schwidrowski, director of the ECA Socio-Economic Development Division, said social protection was essential to meeting basic needs, managing risks and building sustainable livelihoods.

“Social protection must help people move forward and protect them from being pushed back,” Ms Schwidrowski said.
She stressed the need to link social protection with employment, skills development and entrepreneurship, while extending coverage to informal and self-employed workers.

Ms Schwidrowski also called for shock-responsive systems to be established before crises occur, using evidence on multidimensional poverty and country experiences.

Amson Sibanda, chief of the social policy analysis and research coordination branch of UNDESA, said multidimensional poverty analysis could help governments design effective social protection systems.

He said the approach could identify excluded populations, connect assistance with essential services and direct scarce resources towards people facing multiple disadvantages.

Rajul Awasthi, World Bank lead governance specialist, highlighted sound public financial management, clear institutional mandates and accountability to beneficiaries as priorities.

He also identified reliable social registries, accessible grievance mechanisms and stronger domestic resource mobilisation as critical to effective social protection delivery.

Marco Schaefer, chief of the social protection section, ESCWA, highlighted coverage gaps affecting informal workers excluded from social insurance and poverty-targeted assistance.

Mr Schaefer called for combining cash assistance with employment support and preventive protection, alongside contingency financing to respond effectively to shocks.

The workshop is reviewing guidelines for operationalising the Multidimensional Poverty Index for Adaptive Social Protection as a framework for action.

Participants are expected to identify practical steps to finalise and apply the guidelines through clear institutional responsibilities, country-led capacity development, and technical assistance.

(NAN)