A socially just transformation through integrated social protection ‘Plus’ programming

Böhl, Mauricio / Alexia Faus Onbargi / Andrew Shepherd / Vidya Diwakar
External Publications (2022)

in: T7 Task Force Social cohesion, economic transformation and open societies, March 2022

Increasingly, the world’s 2-3 billion poor and vulnerable people face multiple overlaying crises – climate-related disasters, conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic and others. The complex challenges resulting from the ambition to become carbon-neutral by 2050 and tackle these crises in tandem will adversely affect vulnerable people and communities as well as groups suffering from intersecting inequalities that can be exacerbated. To achieve its ambitious goals, not least in climate and health, the G7 should lead a global campaign in favour of integrated social protection programmes and the concept of ‘growth from below’ as cornerstones of development strategies. This will enable a green recovery and fair transition towards sustainability in G7 countries and beyond, while helping and protecting vulnerable people and households against at least some of the many risks they face. This approach would not only contribute to reducing poverty rates and preventing impoverishment but also address multidimensional inequalities, working towards the 2030 Agenda’s mandate of leaving no one behind.