In an era marked by cascading global challenges—rising fuel prices, food insecurity, and financial instability—countries across Africa and Asia-Pacific are coming together to strengthen one of the most vital policy levers: social protection.
From July 8 to 10, 2025, over 70 policymakers and experts will gather in Livingstone, Zambia for an Interregional Training Workshop on Strengthening Capacity for Evidence-Based Social Protection Policies. Hosted by the Zambian Government and jointly organized by ECA, ESCAP, and UN DESA, the workshop aims to equip national stakeholders with tools and strategies to build resilient, inclusive, and data-driven social protection systems.
Why Now?
According to the latest World Social Protection Report, 47.6% of the world’s population still lacks access to any social protection benefit. The situation is even more pressing in Africa, where only 19% of people are covered. With the triple crisis (fuel, food, and finance) pushing millions deeper into poverty—especially women, children, and informal workers—the need for reform has never been more urgent.
What’s on the Agenda?
The three-day workshop is built around peer learning, digital innovation, and financial sustainability, focusing on:
- Day 1: Tools and innovations for adaptive social protection, including digital registries, data systems, and financing strategies.
- Day 2: Country progress reports from project nations like Namibia, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia, as well as lessons from non-project countries like Ghana, Malawi and Rwanda.
- Day 3: Forward-looking discussions tied to the upcoming World Summit for Social Development 2025 and real-world case studies on sustainable social protection implementation.
Key digital tools featured include:
- Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)
- Social Protection to Leave No One Behind (SP2LNOB) App
- Social Protection Simulator
Who’s Participating?
The workshop will host senior government officials from both project countries (Namibia, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, Cambodia, Maldives) and non-project countries, along with experts from the UN system and civil society organizations. A key goal is cross-regional learning—amplifying what works, identifying gaps, and creating a shared roadmap for adaptive and inclusive social protection.
Looking Ahead
The insights and outputs from this workshop will contribute to shaping the outcomes of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar from 4-6 November 2025. At its heart, the event is about leaving no one behind—even in the face of mounting global crises.