Social protection key to inclusive transitions in Africa

Social protection key to inclusive transitions in Africa

At a high-level event in Brussels, the ILO highlighted the urgent need to expand social protection in sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing its role in reducing inequalities and supporting just transitions in a rapidly changing world.

20 March 2026

BRUSSELS (ILO News) - Closing the social protection gap and strengthening social protection systems is essential to reducing poverty and inequalities, and ensuring just transitions, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said at a high-level event organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of Belgium, Enabel, the Belgian development agency, and the European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships.

Addressing the event on "Building synergies to maximise the potential of social protection in sub-Saharan Africa in a changing world", Valérie Schmitt, Deputy Director of the ILO Universal Social Protection Department, highlighted that extending social protection coverage remains one of the most urgent global challenges.

"Social protection is a human right. But it is far from being a reality for all," she said, noting that 3.8 billion people worldwide are still excluded from any form of social protection. In Africa, less than one in five persons have access to a form of social protection.

Schmitt emphasized that closing this gap requires tackling three interlinked challenges: insufficient coverage, insufficient funding, and rapid economic and environmental transformations.

First, overcoming legal, administrative, and financial barriers, and adapting systems to workers in the informal economy, is critical to achieving universal coverage. In sub-Saharan Africa, high levels of informality affect more than 85 per cent of employment and continue to exclude many workers from social protection systems. It is essential to make social protection mandatory by law (rather than voluntary), Schmitt argued. Social security legislation contains numerous obstacles that exclude domestic workers, agricultural workers, workers on digital platforms, workers in small businesses, etc.

Second, we need to bridge the funding gap. Countries in Africa face an estimated social protection financing gap of 17,6 per cent of GDP annually. Schmitt stressed that investing in social protection yields quick and significant economic returns. Evidence shows that every additional dollar invested can generate up to 1,52 dollars in GDP within 2,5 years.

Third, social protection is key to address major global transformations, including climate change, demographic shifts and digitalization. Without deliberate policy choices, these structural changes risk deepening poverty and inequalities. "Strong social protection systems are a prerequisite for fair and inclusive transitions. They are essential to help communities recover from shocks, such as a drought, and adapt to new economic realities and can also facilitate reforms," the Deputy Director said.

Looking ahead, Schmitt pointed a growing international momentum to accelerate coverage, including commitments to increase social protection coverage by at least two percentage points per year. Several countries have already achieved this target, including India, Morocco, Namibia, Thailand, Togo, and Zambia.

The ILO supports this effort through technical assistance, support for integrated policy approaches and strategic partnerships. This includes embedding social protection into broader development policies, such as employment, climate and investment strategies, and leveraging initiatives like the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions.

The event, which was organized under the Team Europe Initiative on Social Protection, concluded with the announcement of a new joint Action by the ILO, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), African Union Development Agency - New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD) and the European Commission (DG INTPA). The initiative will support the strengthening of social protection systems for just transitions in sub-Saharan Africa, through a national and regional approach, integrating social protection into AFD, Global Gateway and national investment projects.

"Achieving universal social protection requires the joint efforts of all stakeholders," Schmitt concluded, calling for an all-hands-on-deck approach to ensure that social protection is fully integrated into development and financing strategies.