SOCIAL PROTECTION IN WCA: TRENDS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES, PRIORITIES Social protection global technical team retreat Geneva, 15-17 mars 2017

SOCIAL PROTECTION MECHANISMS TRENDS Most of countries have developed social protection policy or strategy Universal Health Coverage very high on the SP agenda in most of countries South-South exchanges taking place between countries to learn on strategic options to extend social protection to workers in informal economy POLICY AND STRATEGY Implementation of a diversity of Safety net programs for poor in most of countries : Donor depandancy and very low coverage Social insurance still limited to formal sector workers (less than 10% of active population) Gabon has the most advanced SPF system in Central Africa: Almost 60% of health coverage and a diversity of safety programs for children and poor persons Extension of SP coverage in Senegal through PNBSF (Programme National de Bourses de Sécurité Familiale), and new scheme to cover health and retirement risks being soon piloted for production units in informal economy (RSPC: Régime simplifié pour petits contribuables), Senegal. SOCIAL PROTECTION MECHANISMS Existence of InterAgency group or taskforce on social protection in some countries (CMR, DRC, STP, NER, SEN, CPV, …) Various development agencies from industrialized ountries providing support to social protection provision (USAID, AFD, SIDA, DANIDA, GIZ, …) PARTNERSHIPS

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Importance of informal sector Fragility of Central African states due to conflicts Multiplicity of development partners in the field of social protection, with multiple cases of uncoordinated interventions OPPORTUNITIES High political commitment for social protection in most of countries Existence of inter-agency groups on social protection Increasing confidence to ILO on social protection

PRIORITIES OF ACTION Increase resources mobilization to support the implementation of national policy Develop adjusted mechanisms and tools to extend social protection to informal and rural sector workers Reinforce partnerships with UN Agencies involved on social protection

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