Scaling up SPJ programs to reach more vulnerable households

Most countries have SPJ programs that target the poorest households, although not always successfully or completely. Many countries also have Social Insurance programs to protect formal sector workers. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed the inability of many systems to cover households adequately or to extend coverage to unprotected but vulnerable households. Among those excluded by most existing programs are informal sector workers, the self-employed, and those on the margins of poverty, who have been exposed to severe and uninsured risks during the pandemic. Many of these households are too poor to afford social insurance, do not have access to long-term saving instruments, and are not poor enough to qualify for social assistance. These sessions will discuss policies for and experiences with systems to expanding coverage to the currently excluded, in the “missing middle” and on the periphery for whom economic inclusion is paramount.

Tools and innovations

Technological developments offer opportunities to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of program design, targeting, delivery, and monitoring. How can SPJ systems take advantage of these developments to reach more poor and vulnerable households?  How can these developments enhance system responsiveness, flexibility and adaptability, so that SPJ programs can scale up and down in response to changing circumstances?  What do these developments mean for the future of work?  What is needed to enable workers and firms to take advantage of digital platforms and markets?  Topics include technology for critical business processes such as MIS/Big Data, ID4D; technology for service delivery: digital payments, increasing financial access and mobile coverage, counselling and case management, labor market information systems, etc.

Building back better

The COVID 19 pandemic has tested the ability of existing SPJ systems to respond quickly and effectively. It has also disrupted and accelerated changes to Social Assistance, Social Insurance and Labor Market policies. At the same time, the crisis provides an opportunity to rethink the future role of SPJ programs. This week will focus on these opportunities and the possibilities for the redesign of SPJ systems and programs. How can SPJ systems best support the post-COVID recovery of employment, enterprise, human capital investment, and sustainable growth?  How can SPJ systems take advantage of the current crisis to expand coverage?  What innovations in program design and delivery can yield more comprehensive and responsive systems to address future crises?

Special Topics in Social Protection and Jobs

While most of the challenges facing SPJ systems can be broadly defined to reach more poor and vulnerable groups, there are cases that have unique challenges and require specific attention, and the impact of the pandemic has differed across environments and groups. Topics include: (1) designing SPJ programs to confront and reduce gender-based violence; (2) delivering SPJ programs and services in fragile and conflict-affected countries, and integrating humanitarian and domestic SPJ services; (3) providing SPJ services to aging populations who may require expanded long-term care, and support to enable older workers to remain active in the labor market; (4) providing adequate services to increasingly urbanizing populations and poverty, and taking advantage of opportunities from agglomeration. (5) designing and delivering Social Protection for persons with disabilities, both in terms of services and ensuring opportunities for employment; and (6) understanding innovations in financing, especially as countries expand coverage and move from employment-based programs to universal protection.