This National Social Protection Policy is a nationwide sectoral document developed by the Government of Ethiopia as a complete framework leading to coordinated actions to protect citizens from economic and social deprivation. Given that social protection improves the effectiveness and efficiency of investments in agriculture, hygiene and health, education, and water it accelerates the attainment of the development goals of the country, especially for the most vulnerable members of society.
The main objectives of Social Protection Policy of Ethiopia are the following (i) protect poor and vulnerable individuals, households, and communities from the adverse effects of shocks and destitution; (ii) increase the scope of social insurance; (iii) increase access to equitable and quality health, education and social welfare services to build human capital thus breaking the inter-generational transmission of poverty; (iv) guarantee a minimum level of employment for the long term unemployed and underemployed; (v) enhance the social status and progressively realize the social and economic rights of the excluded and marginalized; and (vi) ensure the different levels of society are taking appropriate responsibility for the implementation of social protect.
To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the following actions will be implemented (i) emergency interventions and targeted cash transfers; (ii) preventive actions designed to avert deprivation or to mitigate the impact of adverse shocks including health and unemployment insurance; (iii) promotive actions that aim to enhance assets and human capital and income earning capacity; and (iv) transformative actions including legal and judicial reforms, budget analysis and policy evaluations to help the nation better manage social protection. The Policy focuses on 4 main areas (1) social safety net; (2) livelihood and employment schemes; (3) social insurance; and (4) addressing inequalities of access to basic services.
For rural poverty reduction, the Policy envisages (i) economic measures such as provision of inputs, seed fairs, and inputs for work; and (ii) protection from the negative effects of shocks (mainly drought and floods) through the establishment of a safety net that can expand in coverage, including to urban areas, and value of transfer.
To enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, main interventions will be directed to (i) economic empowerment of women, gender parity in access to education, health and other basic services, strengthening the capacity of the public sector for gender mainstreaming, strengthening efforts to replace discriminatory norms, attitudes and practices; (ii) micro finance services and skill training for vulnerable groups; (iii) expand credits, grants and other facilities and support to generate income and promote market linkages; (iv) weather index-based insurance and property insurance schemes.
As for the Governance, the document highlights the need for a system that will coordinate social protection programs across the country. The Council of Ministers shall establish a National Social Protection Steering Committee (NSPSC). The NSPSC shall meet twice annually to review the implementation of the policy, strategies and action plans. At the federal level, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, in collaboration with relevant ministries and institutions, shall be responsible to coordinate and undertake the concerned duties and responsibilities.

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