A forum on social protection in fragility and conflict was held in Rome in October 2024. Its aim was to strengthen social protection action in acute, rapid onset and protracted conflicts, recognising social protection as an essential component of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) nexus. The overarching objective of the forum was to strengthen buy-in among stakeholders that social protection in situations of fragility and conflict is not only possible, but imperative to meet basic needs and reduce the burden on the humanitarian system; and that it is essential to mobilise collective action, collaboration, and coherence across HDP actors to strengthen the delivery of social protection in these settings.

Conflict is the main driver of humanitarian needs and a major impediment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Core social protection systems have the potential to build the resilience of households, communities and societies to recurrent shocks, sustain investments in meeting basic needs, and to address food insecurity in times of conflict. Yet, there has been limited focus on the importance of building and sustaining social protection systems during conflict. The forum aimed to address this gap and seize an opportune moment to shift course on how the global aid architecture operates.

The forum aimed to develop lessons from new approaches emerging from practice about how to better support local and national systems, integrate displaced people and develop more flexible, hybrid models to support social protection, even when working with governments is challenging – all in a context of increasing development financing and the commitment of a broad array of actors to do more in settings of fragility and conflict.

The intersections between climate shocks and conflict, and the need for climate finance to reach those living in fragile and conflict-affected settings, are increasingly recognised. Policy processes, including the G20 Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, the Global Network Against Food Crisis, COP28, the Global Refugee Forum, and USP 2030 all offer opportunities to take the agenda forward at global levels, and to reinforce country-level delivery through a stronger focus on fragility and conflict.