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Social protection and safety net programs have expanded significantly across many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the last two decades. Despite this progress, the expansion and coverage of these programs remain uneven, leaving nearly 2 billion people in LMICs without access to social protection.
Innovative financing mechanisms and domestic funding have helped some LMICs make important strides in expanding their social protection programs, but fiscal constraints prevent other countries from doing so. These challenges are becoming more pronounced amid reduced international development aid and the effects of regional and global shocks, even as such shocks necessitate the expansion of social safety nets to protect poor and vulnerable populations.
This policy seminar will discuss lessons learned from countries and organizations that have implemented large-scale social protection programs. It will bring together government representatives, practitioners, and researchers to share important insights and global, regional, and national statistics related to financing social protection and safety net programs.
Welcoming Remarks
- Daniel Gilligan, Director, Poverty, Gender and Inclusion (PGI), IFPRI
Global Experience and Lessons on Financial Social Protection and Safety Net Programs in LMICs
- Ugo Gentilini, Global Lead for Social Assistance, World Bank
Cases and Experiences from Africa
- Kibrom Abay, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
Panel Discussion: Lessons and Experiences from Selected Countries
- Raafat Shafeek, Assistant Minister for Social Protection, and Exec. Director of Takaful and Karama Program MOSS, Egypt
- Sintayehu Demissie Admasu, Head, Food Security Coordination Office, MoA, Ethiopia
- Lynett Odida, Ag. Secretary, Directorate of Social Development (DSD), Kenya
- Shri K. Sudarshan Chakravarthy, Managing Director, Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (OSCSC) under the Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare (FS&CW) Department, India (invited)
- Tim Conway, Senior Social Development Advisor, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
Closing Remarks
- Clemens Breisinger, Director, CGIAR Science Program on Policy Innovations