The global demand for the delivery of shock-responsive social protection has perhaps never been greater. During the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world are responding to the socioeconomic shocks with social safety nets and expanded benefits for millions of households. Nearly 200 countries and territories have introduced various forms of social protection to compensate workers for lost income as a result of the extensive lockdowns and the broader economic downturn and to mitigate adverse impacts on the poor and the vulnerable. The systems used to assess, enroll, provide, and manage benefits often make the difference in quick, effective responses. Beyond the current crisis, delivery systems can be a key to resilient longer term provision of social protection.

This webinar highlighted some of the emerging lessons from country experiences with delivering social protection benefits in response to the pandemic and broader experiences on the importance of delivery systems to help build back better, drawing from ongoing programs and the World Bank’s recent publication, the Sourcebook on the Foundations of Social Protection Delivery Systems. The Sourcebook synthesizes real-world experiences, seeking to address concrete “how-to” questions, including: How do countries deliver social protection benefits and services? How do they do so effectively and efficiently? How do they ensure dynamic inclusion, especially for the most vulnerable and needy? How do they promote better coordination and integration—not only among social protection programs but also programs in other parts of government? How can they meet the needs of their intended populations and provide a better client experience? 

Panellists:

John Blomquist, Global Lead for Social Protection Delivery Systems, World Bank

Inés Rodríguez Caillava, Social Protection Specialist, World Bank

Moderator: Margaret Grosh, Social Protection Senior Advisor, World Bank