1. Presentation by Hjördis D’Agostino Ogendo
European Commission Europe Aid Cooperation Office SOCIAL PROTECTION IN DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION: EC PERSPECTIVE Show and Tell Seminar Genève, 12 May 2010
Presentation by Hjördis D’Agostino Ogendo
Directorate E: Quality of Operations
Unit 3: Social and Human Development & Migration
Sector: Employment, Social Inclusion and Protection

2. Scope of ESIP Employment, Social Inclusion and Social Protection
AIDCO/E3-ESIP: since 2005 supporting quality of operations for Employment, Social Inclusion and Protection promoting Social Cohesion and Stability
SCOPE: Strong interlink between social protection and employment: economic, employment and social policies are mutually reinforcing/social dialogue as key for reform success
MODALITIES: achieve poverty reduction; impact on MDG1 by puting in place policies that support and encourage a comprehensive social protection system and work/employment (in particular in the informal economy)
ESIP is a well established non yet visible field of intervention of the EC

3. ESIP: type of interventions
Employment (demand driven Vocational Training, employment services, labour market information systems)
Social Inclusion (social services, post war rehabilitation, rights awareness, women and youth empowerment…)
Social Protection (supporting social security/social protection reforms, capacity building for basic services, respect of core labour standards…)
Social Dialogue (partners capacity building, role of social dialogue in sector reforms)

4. Social protection is a social ….
Promote social cohesion and stability – redistribution system as reducing inequalities
Endorse a human rights approach
…and an economic necessity
chock absorber of crisis;
reduces poverty and supports pro-poor economic growth (impact on human development, access to education and health etc) – “social protection as a productive factor”

5. EU political context European Consensus for Development (2005)
Communication and Council Conclusions on ‘Promoting Decent Work for all (2006)
Staff working paper on “Promoting Employment through EU Development Cooperation” (2007) and
Council conclusions including on social protection
Communication and Council Conclusions “Supporting Developing Countries in coping with the crisis” (April 2009)

6. 2009 Communication on Supporting developing countries in coping with the crisis
2009 Council conclusions committs EU to support developing countries in their efforts in setting up or strengthen social protection systems and programmes
Ad hoc Vulnerable Flex mechanisms
€500 in 2009 and 2010 to support ACP countries to safeguard social spending

7. EU political context continue
Communication 12 point EU Action plan in support of the MDG (April 2010)
European Report on Development 2010 focuses on poverty, inequality, social protection in (primarily) sub-Saharan Africa

8. Promoting Social Protection in EC Development Cooperation
1. Provide guidance and support to EU staff in Delegations
for increasing understanding and knowledge on social protection issues
and improving their skills for sector policy dialogue
with national authorities and partners
Training course for staff on social protection
Capacity for Development (web site)

9. Promoting Social Protection in EC Development Cooperation
2. Support home-grown reforms of social protection and programmes in the framework of development cooperation
(through Delegations)

10. Examples on EC support
Different aid modalities/different entry points
General Budget Support: Cape Verde
Sector budget support: Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan [Rwanda]
Joint management with international organisations ie ”implementation agencies” eg ILO/UNDP in Syria;
Multi-donor trust fund in Ethiopia to support PSNP

11. Investing in people
Joint management with ILO "Improving social protection and promoting employment" (pilot countries: Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ethiopia and Honduras)
The purpose is to contribute to the development of a coherent and integrated social protection and employment policy framework
On-going evaluation of call for proposals: Support for social inclusion and social protection of workers in the informal economy and of vulnerable groups at community level

12. EC COOPERATION Workshops
joint EC/ILO Regional seminars on Employment, Social Protection and Decent Work (latest for ACP in 2009)
study and seminar on Social Protection.
Autumn 2009 on ENP South (study is available)

13. Upcoming events
Study and Workshop on social protection for Central America, October 2010
Workshop on “Employment and Decent work in Africa,
Dakar, 30 June-2 July 2010
within partnership on Migration, Mobility and Employment
in the framework of Africa-EU strategy

14. EC COOPERATION Increase the EC profile at international level
Work closer with stakeholders (EU member states, international organisations, civil society etc..)

15. Challenges for future EU cooperation
Raise Awareness on need to move towards a long term own-home grown fiscally sustainable Social Protection [what is the role of EC/EU]
Training for government staff in partner countries
Affordability – how to find fiscal space for social protection;
How to extend social protection for people in the informal economy/rural areas
European vision on Social Protection at EU level [policy document in 2011]?

16. Look for more information in:
DG Development and Relations with ACP
EuropeAid on Europa

17. EuropeAid/E3
ESIP
Thank you