New Social Policy Framework for Africa

www.helpage.org

November 3, 2008

Africa

The new Social Policy Framework is a huge step forward in meeting the needs of disadvantaged groups such as children and older people. 

HelpAge International has welcomed the announcement of the first ever Social Policy Framework for Africa agreed at the conference of African Ministers in charge of Social Development in Windhoek, Namibia on 31 October 2008.

The Social Policy Framework will be used by the 53 member states of the African Union (AU) to tackle poverty and inequality, and promote longer and healthier lives for their citizens.

Commitment to invest in social protection

It includes a series of policy recommendations to help member states develop social protection schemes. The schemes will provide disadvantaged groups such as children, older people and people with disabilities with access to social security, healthcare and education.

The new policy framework also addresses other areas such as population and development, HIV/AIDS, gender equality and women’s empowerment, and civil strife and conflict among others.

Setting out a regional plan for improved social protection, the policy reads:

“Investment in and access to social protection is still low in many countries. Social protection and social security will be built gradually, based on comprehensive longer-term national social protection action plans.” 

Measures recommended in the policy include: 

• extending existing social insurance schemes (providing subsidies for those that cannot contribute) 
• setting up community-based or occupation-based insurance schemes on a voluntary basis 
• providing social welfare services and employment guarantee schemes 
• introducing and extending public-financed, non-contributory cash transfer schemes.

A historic step forward

HelpAge International has played an instrumental role in promoting social protection in Africa. In 2006, we worked with the African Union to coordinate conferences in Livingstone, Zambia and Yaounde, Cameroon, where a number of African states made commitments to further social protection. 

This year, we organised a series of national and regional consultations on social protection to take the Livingstone and Yaounde commitments forward. These consultations were supported by the African Union.

The consultations brought together representatives from national governments, civil society organisations, NGOs and bilateral and multilateral agencies. They shared expertise and best practice and looked at the challenges of introducing social protection across the continent. 

Their recommendations fed into a consolidated report which was presented at the conference in Namibia by Eric Kimani, Chairman of HelpAge International. He says:

“The new Social Policy Framework is a historic step forward in meeting the basic needs of older people and other marginalised groups across Africa. Within the framework, social protection mechanisms such as pensions, disability grants and improved access to healthcare and education will be a vital tool in providing these groups with security and support.” 

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