Context
Social protection measures and systems can protect people from major risks and prevent poverty. They are also able to promote inclusive growth by strengthening poor people's productivity and readiness to invest. Introducing a comprehensive social protection system that goes beyond simply reducing poverty is important, particularly in developing countries and emerging economies, in order to generate long-term growth and decrease inequality.
Objective
Approach
The sector project's advisory services are geared towards a systematic approach and are focused on social protection in the event of illness, basic insurance, old-age pensions and also accident and microinsurance.
This systematic approach to social protection is intended to ensure that people are covered against risks throughout their entire lives. Individual social protection tools such as basic insurance and social insurance are to be efficiently interlinked. In the policy formulation process, social protection strategies are to be coordinated with those of other sectors, such as employment and food security, so as to increase the effectiveness, sustainability and resilience of the population.
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Germany's contribution to the international discussion
The sector project is supporting the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in producing strategies to develop and expand social protection systems. The sector project is advising the Ministry on the strategic positioning of social protection within international processes such as the Post-2015 Development Agenda and development financing. It is also processing strategies and providing expertise from partner countries to support BMZ's strategic alignment in international discussions. On behalf of BMZ, the sector project is taking part in international committees and organising events. -
Conceptual development of tools and methods
The sector project is developing tools and methods for designing social protection systems sustainably and inclusively. This is being carried out with partners at international and country level on behalf of BMZ. The process of developing tools is broad-based and includes analysis frameworks for national strategies and programmes, tools for evaluating social protection measures and also specific methods relating to old-age pensions, basic insurance and social protection in the event of illness. The project is also developing innovative approaches to insurance schemes. -
Supporting partner countries
The sector project is helping partner countries to establish and expand social protection systems. To this end, application-oriented strategies and advice are being provided in conjunction with German development cooperation projects in partner countries. The aim here is to expand existing German development cooperation projects meaningfully to include social protection programmes and approaches, and advise partner countries on the development of new strategies and measures.
Results
The sector project is advising BMZ on the Social Protection Inter-Agency Cooperation Board (SPIAC-B), a body set up at the request of the G20 Development Working Group with the aim of enhancing and coordinating international cooperation.