Introduction to Social Protection

1. What is Social Protection?

The term 'social protection' does not have a fixed definition but is rather defined by various agencies with some variance. Below are definitions from 5 international development institutions active in the field of social protection. Familiarising yourself with these definitions will help you gain a comprehensive understanding of social protection:

Social Protection Inter-Agency Cooperation Board (SPAIC-B), 2019 

"Social protection is a set of policies and programmes aimed at preventing and protecting all people against poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion, throughout their life cycle placing a particular emphasis on vulnerable groups. This means ensuring adequate protection for all who need it, including children; people of working age in case of maternity, sickness, work injury or for those without jobs; persons with disability and older persons. This protection can be provided through social insurance, tax-funded social benefits, social assistance services, public works programs and other schemes guaranteeing basic income security and access to essential services."

International Labour Organisation (ILO), 2017

"Social protection, or social security, is a human right and is defined as the set of policies and programmes designed to reduce and prevent poverty and vulnerability throughout the life cycle. Social protection includes benefits for children and families, maternity, unemployment, employment injury, sickness, old age, disability, survivors, as well as health protection. Social protection systems address all these policy areas by a mix of contributory schemes (social insurance) and non-contributory tax-financed benefits, including social assistance."

World Bank, 2012

"Social protection and labor systems, policies, and programs help individuals and societies manage risk and volatility and protect them from poverty and destitution - through instruments that improve resilience, equity, and opportunity."

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), 2019

"(A) set of policies and programmes aimed at preventing or protecting all people against poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion throughout their life-course, with a particular emphasis towards vulnerable groups."

World Food Programme (WFP), 2017

"Social protection consists of policies and programmes designed to protect people from shocks and stresses throughout their lives. It can include safety nets, social insurance schemes, labour market regulations or facilitated access to essential services. Usually they target poor, marginalized or vulnerable groups. Social protection is government-owned, and components vary from country to country."

Now let's watch this short video (until 0m34s) by socialprotection.org that visualises social protection for a quick understanding of the concept. [Click here]

2. Introduction to Social Protection as both a Developmental and COVID-19 Response

To understand the importance of social protection in the development and now COVID-19 response discourse, please watch this engaging webinar by Dr Michael Samson that briefly explains social protection, highlights it importance and presents its role in building cognitive capital, promoting sustainable livelihoods and responding to crisis situations such as COVID-19. 

Speaker(s): Dr Michael Samson, Course Convenor

Webinar Presentation

Webinar Video (starts at 00h15m17s)

Supporting Resource: This policy guide by the Chronic Poverty Advisory Network makes a case for how social protection, through productive inclusion, can offer a sustainable escape from poverty. [Click here]

3. The Sustainable Development Goals as the bridge to a human rights approach for social protection

To understand the human rights foundation of social protection and its role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), please watch this thought-provoking webinar by Dr Michael Samson on social protection's promises for achieving SDGs with a special focus on climate change.

Speaker(s): Dr Michael Samson, Course Convenor

Webinar Presentation

Webinar Recording

Supporting Resource: Chapter 3 of this consultation document by UNRISD provides insights on social protection as a pathway for achieving SDGs. [Click here]

4. Social Protection Frameworks

Speaker(s): Dr Stephen Devereux - Institute of Development Studies (Sussex)

Video Presentation