Closing Social Protection Financing Gaps in Kenya: investing in people, dignity and resilient economies

Nairobi (ILO News) From street vendors in Kisumu to pastoralist households in Turkana, predictable income support and affordable health protection can determine whether families recover from a shock or fall into poverty. When social protection is sustainably financed, people are better able to keep children in school, access healthcare, transition from school to work, move between jobs, and meet their needs in old age. These impacts extend beyond households by strengthening human development, social cohesion, and economic resilience.

Kenya has made important progress through policy and legal reforms. The Constitution of Kenya (2010) guarantees the right to social security under Article 43, mandating the State to support people unable to provide for themselves and their dependents. Building on this, the Kenya Social Protection Policy (2023) adopts a life-cycle approach aligned with the ILO Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202), organizing social protection around four pillars: income security, social health protection, shock-responsive social protection and complementary programmes.

Despite progress, major coverage gaps remain. The World Social Protection Report 2024-2026 shows that only about nine per cent of the population is covered by at least one social protection benefit, excluding healthcare. Public expenditure on social protection is limited at 1.4 per cent of GDP, rising to 3.6 per cent including healthcare. Contributory schemes mainly reach formal-economy workers, leaving about 84 per cent of the workforce in the informal and rural economy without coverage. At the same time, the Government is advancing universal health coverage through tax-funded and contributory reforms under the Bottom-up Economic Transformative Agenda.

Strengthening capacities for sustainable financing
Against this backdrop, policymakers, technical experts, employers, workers' organizations, development partners, UN agencies, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and county representatives from Turkana, Garissa, Wajir and Kisumu met in Nairobi for a capacity enhancement workshop on sustainable social protection financing. Supported by UNICEF and the ILO under the UN Joint Programme on Social Protection, the workshop focused on people-centred financing solutions to expand coverage, enhance benefit adequacy, and strengthen long-term sustainability. Facilitators from government and UN technical teams provided a blend of global perspectives, local evidence and practical expertise.

"This workshop shows the power of collective effort where strong participation, innovative thinking and practical solutions come together to build real momentum for strengthening social protection financing in Kenya," Peter Ombasa, National Social Protection Secretariat.

Participants explored options to progressively extend coverage by 2030, in line with SDG target 1.3.1, using a balanced mix of contributory and non-contributory financing. They noted progress such as the Social Protection Act (2025), which establishes a Social Assistance Fund to sustainably finance cash transfer programmes. They also highlighted the need to strengthen public finance management (PFM) systems to improve coordination, transparency, and accountability.

"Social protection financing should be understood not as a cost, but as a strategic investment in people's capabilities, resilience, and future productivity." Jasmina Papa, ILO Social Protection Specialist.

Discussions emphasized building a credible investment case to demonstrate the social and economic returns of social protection better and to engage the National Treasury more effectively on increasing equitable and efficient financing. Participants identified improved PFM practices, such as clearer budget classifications, stronger cost projections, and better budget execution, as essential for translating policy commitments into tangible benefits for people.

"Kenya's economic growth has not trickled down, and fiscal policy has not sufficiently addressed market-driven inequalities. Expanding social protection remains the most progressive and effective way to ensure that economic growth benefits all Kenyans." - Ana Gabriela, UNICEF Kenya Chief of Social Policy.

To reinforce coordination and accountability, participants proposed refining a Kenya-specific typology to capture the full range of national and county-level social protection interventions. Using this shared framework, they co-developed a roadmap for scaling up sustainable financing. Priorities include strengthening public expenditure management, enhancing domestic resource mobilization, safeguarding fiscal space, and improving capacity to track spending against results that matter to people - including poverty reduction, gender equality, decent work, and resilience to climate and economic shocks.

The workshop's insights will inform ongoing reforms and guide continued support from UN agencies and partners. By centering financing on people's needs and rights, strengthening PFM systems, and aligning with constitutional and policy commitments, Kenya can accelerate progress toward universal social protection, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and contribute to the country's social and economic transformation.