S O C I A L P R O T E C T I O N F O R S U S TA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T - S P 4 S D

P R E FA C E

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Over the last few decades, Latin American

countries have experienced a boom in social
protection policies. This increase has been
fuelled by the expansion of fiscal space as the
result of steady economic growth. While many
of these countries had already had some type of
social security system in place, most still lacked
effective policies to reduce poverty and few had
public programmes offering social assistance.

In this context, exchanges among countries

and the support of international agencies
for the systematization and dissemination
of experiences has been of key importance.
The transfer of technology on public policies,
carried out intensively in the region on the
basis of solidarity, has been the main source of
knowledge for the development of new social
protection policies and systems.

Cash transfer programmes rapidly emerged in

countries all over the continent, followed by
other social assistance programmes focusing
on vulnerable individuals and families. This
set of programmes progressively moved from
a programme-oriented approach to a systems
approach to providing services to the most
vulnerable populations. This included the poor
and extremely poor, people with disabilities, the
homeless, individuals with drug use disorders,
immigrants, ethnic minorities, children and
women who are victims of domestic violence,
sexual assault and other forms of violence,
among others. Evidence shows that social
policy contributed to poverty reduction and, in
some cases, to the reduction of socio-economic
inequalities in countries in the region. Likewise,
such policies had a decisive role in the
improvement of living conditions, as well as
education levels and mother and child health.

In the second decade of the 21st Century,

we have witnessed the emergence of new
policies and systems of social protection in
Africa. Economic growth has proportioned an
expansion in fiscal space that allows for greater
investment in social policies. Such investments
are demanded by the population, which aims
to participate in this economic development as
not only spectators, but also participants in the
thriving continent that continues to grow and
has the potential to be the new frontier of the
worlds economic development.

Evidently, the design of policies or systems

varies according to the context and capacity
of each country. Even within a country,
there is great heterogeneity in the quality
of services offered. This process has rapidly
shown interested countries that even when the
implementation of public policies is strongly
inspired by a model existing in another
country, their experience will always be unique.
No two countries will share the same specific
conditions namely in terms of context and
capacities, which have an impact on success.
Experience has demonstrated that variations in
the quality of social protection services is often
better explained by the capacity levels of each
administrative unit, village and city, rather than
the design of the policies and programmes
themselves.

The experience of other continents that have

already been through periods of accelerated
growth shows that generating wealth in not
necessarily inclusive. Consistent processes of
inequality reduction depend on both successful
economic policies and robust social policies.
Several innovative experiences are taking
place in Africa, as can be seen in Senegal,
Ghana and Ethiopia, among other countries.
The African Union has promoted efforts to
share experiences among the countries of the
continent and engaged political leaders in
debates on the agenda for development in the
region.
Africans are interested in learning more about
the successful experiences of countries, such
as that of Brazil, which serve as a reference and
guide for developing their own pathways to
social protection solutions.
The partnership between the Government of
Brazil and the Government of Senegal, the
African Union Commission, UNDP World Centre
for Sustainable Development (RIO+ Centre),

UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa and

the Lula Institute provided the opportunity for
a high-level debate at the International Seminar
on Social Protection in Dakar. In addition to
Brazil and Senegal, there were representatives
from Cape Verde, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana,
Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger,
Zambia and Zimbabwe at the event.
The recommendations adopted in Dakar were
endorsed by the 70 ministers present at the First
Session of the Specialized Technical Committee
on Social Development, Labour and Employment
of the African Union. Finally, in June 2015, the
recommendations were also welcomed at the
25th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the
Heads of State and Government of the African

Tereza Campello,
Former Minister of Social Development and Fight
Against Hunger (2011-2016)

Union. The convergence in the technical debate

and the repercussion of the discussions in
Dakar on high-level political forums within the
African Union show that there are exceptional
opportunities for cooperation between Brazil
and African countries and, more importantly,
within Africa. This publication registers the
inputs and results of the International Seminar
in Dakar. It reveals a theoretical alignment
regarding the social agenda that is necessary to
both African countries and Brazil, especially in
regards to social protection. We hope that this
will spark an increase in partnerships among
participant countries, and that this space of
cooperation may continue to welcome those
interested in developing social protection
schemes on both sides of the Atlantic.

Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko,

AU Commissioner for Social Affairs

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