Social protection and social welfare: African perspective

This presentation, made at a UNICEF conference, highlights critical issues in the intersections between rising HIV prevalence in Africa and growing interest in providing social protection, to fill the gaps where national social welfare programmes should be. The author considers a number of examples, including: social pensions in southern Africa; Ethiopia's productive safety net programme; and unconditional cash transfers in east and southern Africa. The author argues that a comprehensive social protection agenda should engage with interventions that support livelihoods, protect and build assets and minimise the risk of long-term dependence on external support.

The author concludes with two points. Firstly, there needs to be a move beyond the "charity model" of social welfare, to a recognition that adequate social protection is a basic right of citizenship that must be realised as soon as possible. Secondly, there needs to be a move beyond the international division of responsibility for social welfare in Africa, to a more sustainable model that is nationally owned by accountable governments and that is driven by the real needs of vulnerable citizens. The author outlines how this will require finance, administrative capacity and political will to build appropriate systems, rather than stand-alone projects. [adapted from author]