This section of the training explains what social protection is.
The Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and P4SP define social protection as programs that address risk, vulnerability, inequality, and poverty through a system of transfers to people in cash or in kind (e.g. food or vouchers).
But there is no one agreed definition of social protection – it varies depending on the country or the organisation. Let’s look at some other examples:
The Social Protection Inter-Agency Cooperation Board, a global coordination mechanism for social protection, agreed that:
Social Protection is defined as the set of policies and programs aimed at preventing or protecting all people against poverty, vulnerability, social exclusion throughout their lifecycles, placing a particular emphasis on vulnerable groups. Social protection can be provided in cash or in-kind; through non-contributory schemes, such as providing universal, categorical, or poverty- targeted benefits such as social assistance; contributory schemes (commonly social insurance), and by building human capital, productive assets, and access to jobs.1
Pacific countries have different definitions of social protection too.
Here are some examples:
Click the pins on the map to learn three examples on definitions of social protection in Pacific countries.
2. Nauru Department of Finance. (2023, May 30). National Social Protection Strategy 2022-2032.
3. Ministry of Finance, Samoa. (2023) National Social Protection Policy Framework 2023.
4. Kingdom of Tonga. (2023). National Social Protection Policy (2023 - 2033).
In your own words, how would you describe social protection and what does it mean in your country?
Around the world, and in the Pacific, most people agree that social protection includes at least two core pillars - social assistance and social insurance:
Click the arrows to learn more about social assistance and social insurance and see examples of what these can include
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But wait, these definitions are all so confusing. |
We agree! Many definitions are hard to understand, with a lot of technical words. Let’s try to talk about it more simply...
Social protection is money or other help that is given to a person often from the government:
Click the images to see more information.
The purpose of social protection is to make sure that:
Here are some examples of social protection:
A strong social protection system can help people to deal with things that happen at different stages of their life, and provides a safety net for those in need.
Click the play button to watch the video.
How does your community help people who do not have enough money?
In the Pacific, there is a strong tradition of supporting each other. For example through churches, remittances or customary practices, such as the wantok system in countries in Melanesia and Fa'asamoa in Samoa.
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There are lots of myths and perceptions related to social protection that you may have heard before. Here is one example. If the Government gives people money, it will ruin traditional support systems. True or False? |
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If you want to learn more about what social protection is, here are some online training courses that you can enrol in for free.
Click the buttons to access these courses.
