WIEGO and StreetNet International have been collaborating for the past 3 years on a programme of work on social protection in the sub-Saharan Africa region. The aims of this programme have been firstly to improve knowledge and understanding of social protection amongst StreetNet affiliates, and secondly to provide opportunities for affiliates to network to improve and advance their advocacy efforts on social protection at both national and regional level. Finally, the programme aims to facilitate the development of a StreetNet regional platform of demands on social protection.

To this effect the programme has produced research on both worker-driven social protection schemes  and those driven by the state. Based on this research, it has run an online basics of social protection course for affiliates which included the development of advocacy strategies by the attending organizations, and in October 2022 hosted an exchange visit to Kenya for affiliates to learn from the region’s best practices in the provision of social protection by the state.

The final activity in this programme of work is the hosting of a regional conference, which has the specific aims of:

• The development of a cross-sectoral Africa regional position on social protection for self-employed informal workers; and a follow-up action plan for regional activities and advocacy.
• Promoting networking and alliance building around social protection, particularly with the trade union movement at regional level, as well as with selected governments.
• Promoting learning around worker-driven social protection schemes through an exchange visit with the Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON), as a complement to the earlier exchange visit held in Kenya.

The conference will be combined with a field visit to a worker-driven co-operative scheme run by the Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON) as a complement to the earlier exchange visit to Kenya.