We are observing a renewed appreciation of social protection: the recent pandemic once again reminded us that rights-based social protection systems, are powerful socio-economic stabilizers and engines of development.

The essential remerging questions in the current debate around the future of social protection systems go back to reflections on different forms of protection, adaptive strategies coordinating social protection with other public policies, diversity of schemes and their design, sustainable solutions to finance these systems.

• Who should benefit from social protection? Poor and vulnerable or all of us?

• What are the main barriers and possible solutions towards extending social protection coverage?

• Who are the architects of social protection systems: lawyers or economists?

• Do all countries can afford comprehensive social protection solutions?

• Is social protection a necessary investment?

• Who are the key actors who make transformative decisions?

• What are the current trends and examples of innovative solutions?

These are only a few of the many questions we invite you to reflect on together with the key speakers of this Masterclass who are ready to tell you their stories.

In this Masterclass you will learn from:

Shahrashoub Razavi

Director, Social Protection Department, ILO

Kroum Markov

Social Protection Policy Specialist, ILO

Valérie Schmitt

Deputy Director, Social Protection Department, ILO

Olena Vazhynska

Programme Officer, Social Protection, Governance and Tripartism, ITCILO

Maya Stern Plaza

Social Protection Legal and Standards Officer, ILO

Veronika Wodsak

Social Protection Policy Specialist, ILO

Christina Behrendt

Head, Social Policy Unit, ILO

Helmut Schwarzer

Head, Public Finance, Actuarial and Statistical Services Unit, ILO

Charles Crevier

Manager, Social Protection, Governance and Tripartism, ITCILO

Who this course is for:

• This course is designed for stakeholders of the International Labour Organization (ILO), including government representatives, employers’ and workers’ organizations; development professionals engaged in social protection initiatives, along with Early-Career Public Policy and Social Development Professionals and NGO and Non-Profit Program Officers, Academic and Research Students in fields such as economics, public health, sociology, and development studies, as well as early-stage researchers exploring social welfare systems.