Social Protection for Inclusion, Resilience, Innovation and Transformation (SPIRIT) Program for Ukraine

The Social Protection for Inclusion, Resilience, Innovation, and Transformation (SPIRIT) Program is a targeted technical assistance program that supports Ukraine in rebuilding inclusive and resilient social systems and addressing unmet social needs.

SPIRIT focuses on strengthening inclusive employment, social service systems, safety nets, and long-term social security, while improving citizen engagement and monitoring living conditions.

The program is helping to modernize Ukraine's social protection infrastructure across employment services, early childhood development, disability support, veteran reintegration, and informing pension reforms. SPIRIT is helping create institutional foundations for sustainable, inclusive growth through legislative reform, digital transformation, and coordinated service delivery.

It is a partnership that brings together the World Bank, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UNICEF, and national stakeholders-including government, the private sector, civil society, and communities-to support Ukraine's key reforms and EU accession agenda. SPIRIT is supported by the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction, and Reform Trust Fund (URTF) and financed by the FCDO.

SPIRIT is implemented in collaboration with the Ministry for National Unity and other key ministries (Social Policy, Veteran Affairs, Education and Science, Health, Economy), State Employment Services, civil society, academia, private sector, and local government actors.

SPIRIT has leveraged its technical assistance to attract new investment financing for social protection and early childhood development as of the fall of 2025. Through comprehensive assessments, analytics, and dialogue, SPIRIT ensures policy coherence across reforms, strengthens donor coordination, and embeds citizen engagement.

SPIRIT's early achievements include:

• Optimizing resource allocation and capacity of state employment services through a comprehensive digital platform
• Strengthening veteran support systems through support for the law on reintegration, and law on entrepreneurship
• Modernizing disability services through new architecture linking multiple ministries for integrated assessment of needs and support
• Joint IMF-WB pension reform proposal developed and under consultation with the Ministry of Social Protection
• Developing new legal frameworks for the "money follows client" model, empowering local support structures and non-public sector participation.