The African Social Development Review 2011

This paper examines how the most recent poverty reduction strategies and national development plans in fourteen African countries have addressed social protection. The findings show that some of the countries did not integrate social protection in their national plans and strategies. Also, the use of transformational social protection instruments is not intensive, yet it is this developmental type of social protection that can result in moving from their vulnerable status. The overall major challenge for many countries has been allocation of adequate resources to ensure that the identified social protection priorities identified in the PRSP/NDP are translated into reality on the ground. The paper calls on Member States to a) ensure that all the aspects of social protection are adequately mainstreamed into the PRSPs and NDPs; b) include mitigation and adaptation of the impacts of climate change; c) develop sustainable source of funding for social protection, and d) collect reliable data that can be used to develop and monitor policies
on social protection.