Social Protection
Social protection is an economic investment that is essential to Leave No One Behind (LNOB) and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It plays a key role in mitigating economic and social crises and shocks, and combating poverty, inequality and exclusion.
SDC Documents on Social Protection
Social protection has been a growing area of national and international development policies, and is an integral component of the 2030 Agenda. Many low- and middle-income countries have adopted social protection policies and it has rapidly become a priority of bilateral and multilateral development agencies.
Although social protection is not a stand-alone theme, the SDC has long experience with social protection instruments in a variety of contexts and across the whole spectrum from emergency cash response to building national capacities. This includes humanitarian cash transfers and shock-responsive safety nets, inclusive insurance and micro-insurance schemes, social health protection for universal health coverage, and livelihood promotion for excluded or vulnerable groups.
Switzerland’s social protection system is recognised internationally for its quality. Some elements of the Swiss approach to social protection are highly relevant in the context of development cooperation. For example, the decentralised provision of services and the involvement of civil society and the private sector can be interesting options for SDC’s partner countries in developing their social protection systems. Engaging in the international dialogue on social protection also offers opportunities for exchange and learning to Swiss institutions.
Working Aid: Strengthening social protection in Swiss international cooperation
What is social protection, why it is relevant to SDC, and what is Switzerland’s value added in strengthening social protection systems? This document helps SDC staff to map the social protection landscape in their countries of work; identify entry points, and design and implement projects in support of social protection systems.
Independent Evaluation of SDC's Performance in Social Protection 2013-2017
SDC uses social protection as an effective and relevant modality to contribute to its core mandate but a more integrated and systemic approach is needed.
Reflection Paper: Leveraging Switzerland's experience to enhance SDC's engagement in Social Protection 2021-2024
By supporting governments to address the needs of their population through social protection, the SDC contributes to inclusive human development and economic growth. This is conducive to peace and stability in the world, thereby benefiting Switzerland’s security and prosperity.
SDC Projects related to Social Protection
SDC focuses mainly on four intervention areas of social protection:
- Social assistance
- Social insurance
- Labour market policies
- System strengthening / governance
It also supports shock-responsive social protection measures. Find out more about some of SDC’s current activities in the field of social protection here:
Albania : Access to Social Protection for Vulnerable and Marginalised Population Groups at Decentral Level
Albania is building up its social protection system, with the vision of providing decentralized services. This Albania-Switzerland-UN effort collaborates with 50% of municipalities and strengthens their capacities to support 160’000 vulnerable people.
Zambia: Strengthening Social Protection Systems
Switzerland aims to increase the resilience of poor and vulnerable households in Zambia by strengthening the government’s systems for managing and delivering social assistance to vulnerable populations. Specific objectives are to make the payment process more efficient, increase domestic financing to social protection and equip the Social Cash Transfer programme to respond to climate-related and other shocks.
Jordan: Social protection to improve resilience of refugees and vulnerable Jordanians
This project reaches households in Amman, Irbid and Mafraq with case management and cash for protection, including emergency cash assistance, while focusing on livelihoods solutions to improve the resilience of refugees and vulnerable Jordanians.
More on Social Protection
Social Protection in Practice
Explore the different development partners and initiatives active in social protection at global level and delve into the many sectoral and geographic aspects of social protection through the interesting publications, impact studies, policy papers and blogs below.
Leave No One Behind
Leave no one behind (LNOB) is the central pledge of the 2030 Agenda, recognising the need to combat poverty and inequalities. In fact, leaving no one behind is indispensable in order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. On this page, you can find out about the ‹why›, the ‹what› and the ‹how› of implementation of the LNOB pledge at SDC, about the work of other organisations on LNOB and thematic links related to LNOB.