Towards Universal Social Protection (USP) by 2030 in Eastern Africa

This interactive workshop aimed to connect representatives from governments, employers, workers and civil society organizations within and between countries and to start identifying common challenges and encouraging peer-to-peer learning (including from other USP2030 members beyond the region and invited experts), thereby paving the way towards a regional community of practice. OBJECTIVES In line with USP2030’s mission to accelerate progress towards achieving SDG 1.3, the workshop provided an overview of topical debates and challenges in the achievement of universal social protection globally and in the region. This enabled participants to deepen the conversation on key topics in social protection, while engaging in a more focused and interactive digital learning environment, fostering further reflection and knowledge sharing among participating country delegates. The training objectives of the course were to: • Expose participants representing governments, workers, employers and organizations of other persons concerned to key debates on topical issues around universal social protection in Eastern Africa and more widely, notably the extension of social protection to workers in the informal economy, and links to formalization and sustainable and equitable financing strategies; • Jointly identify common challenges and to engage in peer-to-peer-learning, including from other USP2030 members; • Allow participants to get to know each other and start building a community of practice within and beyond countries; • Define a charter of personal commitments to start promoting changes towards extending social protection within the participant’s sphere of influence. CONTENT Day 1: Looking back: addressing key challenges in extending social protection coverage Day 2: Focus on learning and knowledge sharing Day 3: Looking ahead: Advancing the universal social protection agenda in Eastern Africa NUMBER OF HOURS: The Second Subregional Workshop on Towards Universal Social Protection (USP) by 2030 in Eastern Africa (20 - 22 June 2022) consisted of 6 hours of learning.