The Future of Social Protection – Where Next?

Social protection is one of the success stories of development policy in the early twenty-first century, leading to questions about its future direction. Evidence suggests that social protection is likely to experience further expansion in the future, becoming a response to income inequality and social inequities as well as to poverty and vulnerability. It will become increasingly systems-based, with national governance receiving more attention, and it will continue to be shaped by economic shocks and political crises. Ultimately, however, the direction of social protection will vary across countries and evolve over time, as capacities to deliver fluctuate and as governments and political ideologies change. In light of these developments, the Centre for Social Protection has identified several important recommendations for policymakers.