Resource information
Over the last several years, the
Government of Togo has made important advances in the area
of social protection. Although Togo has had limited social
insurance and social assistance programs, the economic shock
and natural disasters starting in 2008 brought the need for
better mechanisms of social protection to the fore. The
Government response has focused on measures to address the
needs of the affected populations, while building the
analytical base for developing a national social protection
policy and strategy. For example, several important social
protection programs were launched in the last few years,
including the National Institute for Health Insurance, a
labor intensive public works program for rural areas, a
school lunch program, and a pilot for cash transfer program
targeting vulnerable children. The Government has also
promoted access to basic services by the poor by eliminating
school fees and fees for cesarean sections. As part of
developing the analytical base for a national social
protection policy and strategy, a series of studies and
analyses were carried out over the last two years.
International development partners have supported this
effort and have worked closely with the Government in
developing this basis. This report forms part of the overall
packet of analytical work prepared to support the formation
of a national social protection policy and strategy. The
objectives of this report are to: a) synthesize the
situational analysis on poverty and vulnerability and the
current state of social protection policies and programs
from the set of background documents; and b) assist the
government through providing general orientations and
strategic choices in developing a national social protection
policy and strategy that would integrate the various ongoing
efforts and components of social protection with a view to
achieving the Government's longer-term goal of social
protection for all. This report is organized in the
following sections: section two provides a brief overview of
the objectives, components and importance of social
protection as part a country's economic growth and
poverty reduction objectives. Section three summarizes the
basic situation of poverty and vulnerability in Togo and
identifies vulnerable groups and main risks and shocks.
Section four analyses the current policy and institutional
framework and reviews the main areas of social protection,
in terms of approach, coverage, targeting and expenditures.
Section five proposes basic elements for the Government to
take into consideration in developing a national social
protection policy and strategy. Section six identifies next
steps in finalizing the preparation of a national social
protection policy and strategy.
