2.4.3. Social protection

Indicators: a) GP and LL on social protection in IE identified.

b) Challenges on social protection in IE identified and possible means to overcome challenges identified and analysed.

Data Analysis Methods: Identification of GP and LL on social protection; Analysis of GP and LL to determine adaptability and scalability; Identification of challenges identified during promotion and implementation of social protection and determine if/how these were overcome.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1) Include a range of stakeholders related to the IE in capacity strengthening and decision-making on social protection issues as it helps raise their awareness and strengthens their ownership of related processes. This should include government, employers and workers’ organisations, and other civil society groups and may include other non-state actors such as experts from academia.

References:

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2) Promote discussion in project steering committees or other coordinating bodies on social protection as a means to enhance the capacities of members and address social protection in addressing the IE.

Reference: ILO, 2014, Decent work results of ILO employment promotion interventions: lessons learned from evaluations, 2003-2013, Meta-analysis of evaluations, ILO, Geneva.

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3) Promote the registration of IE workers in social security systems by working directly with IE operators and their workers.

Reference: Raoof Ali, Samia, 2013, Empowering Vulnerable Groups through Education, Employment and Training (EET) – Final Evaluation, Evaluation Summary, ILO, Geneva.

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4) Emphasise the dissemination of information to people dependent on the IE on social protection resources that may be available to them. Where associations of workers dependent on the informal economy cannot provide access to social protection themselves, provide support establishing linkages of IE operators and workers with social protection service through exchanges and meetings. Such events can help foster information sharing on good practices and lessons learned.

References:

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5) Ensure that project beneficiaries are provided with the best available insurance solutions in line with their needs and their disposable assets. Obtain workers’ opinion and insights to understand which option could be considered as the most suitable.

Reference: Madajewicz, Malgosia; Haile Tsegay, Asmelash; Norton, Michael, 2013, Managing Risks to Agricultural Livelihoods: Impact Evaluation of the Harita Program in Tigray, Ethiopia, 2009–2012, Impact evaluation, OXFAM America, Boston.

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6) Consider in project design when carrying out livelihood projects with people dependent on the IE in post-emergency contexts that cash grants may be more preferable than direct distribution of commodities. Cash grants allow beneficiaries to purchase high quality, highly specific products, and avoid the delays experienced in commodity procurement and distribution. Note that those in authority may be suspicious of cash grants, suggesting that people could not be trusted to spend them appropriately.

Reference: Mountfield, Ben; Dalmau, Agnes, 2010, Evaluation Report for Spanish Red Cross Evaluation of Livelihoods Projects Sri Lanka Tsunami Specific Plan, Final evaluation, Spanish Red Cross, Madrid.

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7) Ensure that design of activities to support people dependent on the IE are well coordinated with government social protection programmes.

Reference: ACF International and Welt Hunger Hilfe, 2014, Rapid Food and Livelihoods Security Assessment, Other Evaluation, ACF International and Welt Hunger Hilfe, Berlin – Bonn.

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8) Promote and facilitate the use of multi-stakeholder approaches to develop social protection approaches for people dependent on the informal economy.

Reference: Lund, Francie, WIEGO, 2009, Social Protection and the Informal Economy: Linkages and Good Practices for Poverty Reduction and Empowerment, General background document on issues in our research matrix, OECD, Paris, Good practices extracted from SEWA and StreetNet International projects in India.

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9) Support the clear articulation of access to social protection in employment policies, including for people dependent on the IE.

Reference: ILO, 2014, Decent work results of ILO employment promotion interventions: lessons learned from evaluations, 2003-2013, Meta-analysis of evaluations, ILO, Geneva.

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10) Facilitate the strengthening of capacities and understanding of the linkages between social protection and employment. That includes the importance of social protection as an element that contributes to the protection of workers who are dependent on the IE.

References:

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11) It is important for donors to take into consideration the length of time that is needed to build capacity and/or influence policy, particularly in the lesser known components linked to social protection and workers’ rights.

Reference: Henry, Carla; Dearden, Philip N., 2013, Independent evaluation of the ILO’s strategy to promote sustainable enterprises and decent work, Meta-analysis of evaluations, ILO, Geneva.

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12) Take into consideration that:

Workers dependent on the IE face different vulnerabilities at different periods of their lives, and thus need different mechanisms of social protection at different times
Donors have a special role to play in exploring the potential of mainstreaming social protection for informal workers into existing formal institutions, while continuing to support innovative ways of building independent institutions where appropriate.
Facilitate the fostering of dialogues and coordination between organizations of formal and informal workers, governments, and the corporate sector.

References:

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13) Project design in projects directed to people dependent on the IE need to analyse past and current policies in diverse subject areas that include attention to issues such as social protection even if these are not included in the explicitly stated outputs and activities.

Reference: Kavanagh, Frank; Ognjanov, Galjina; Petrera, Francesco, 2010, Youth Employment Partnership in Serbia (YEPS), Final evaluation, Evaluation Summary, ILO, Geneva.

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14) Note when developing project design that targeted social protection (including safety nets) may offer extremely vulnerable people better alternatives than support for micro-credit. A broad analysis of experience targeting destitute and extremely vulnerable people indicates that social safety net programs and investments in infrastructure and production technology may offer better alternatives than microcredit.

References:

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15) Ensure that there is clarity with regard to conditions under which cash or food is provided in projects that include livelihoods (IE) support in emergency situations. That is, ensure that the conditionality criteria and extent to which they are being met are clear to all stakeholders.

Reference: Holzaepfel, Erica A.; Jacobsen, Karen, 2015, Evaluating the Effectiveness of DOS/PRM Livelihoods Programs in Ethiopia and Burundi, Meta-analysis of evaluations, Social Impact Inc, Washington DC.

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16) Verify if the approaches of the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) to life, asset and health insurance can be adapted to local situations in other countries. Adapt the approaches to local contexts as needed.

SOURCE: RNSF research - Volume 4.2

[1] http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/industry_ext_content/ifc_external_corporate_site/industries/financial+markets/retail+finance/insurance/index+insurance+-+frequently+asked+questions

RNSF - Management Information Tool

Table of contents

2.4.3. Social protection