Minister Says Conference Instrumental to Ensure Social Protection

May 26, 2023

BY BETELHEM BEDLU

ADDIS ABABA- The two- day conference was extremely vital to inform and guide what government could do in strengthening social protection financing and system, so said Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MoWSA ).

“The past two days were so engaging that provided us a great deal of opportunities to review and learn from the global with a focus on its strategic nation-building role in the transition to green and sustainable development,” MoWSA ErgogieTesfaye(PhD) said .

The two- day conference was concluded on Wednesday. She added that it has provided an opportunity to identify key and strategic issues in the area of policy framework and coordination, financing and maintaining adequacy coverage and inclusion, among others. The strategic issues discussed would serve as a roadmap to strengthen the social protection system in Ethiopia to enhance their contributions to nation building and sustainable development, she underlined.

Ministry of Health (MoH) State Minister Dereje Duguma (MD) said on his part that social protection has significantly contributed towards addressing the extreme negative effects of severe poverty, drought, malnutrition and illnesses. One of the biggest Social protection programs in Ethiopia that is implemented through multiple sectors is the Productive Safety Net Program, as to him. However, it has also been facing a number of challenges, as to him.

Thus, he called upon stakeholders to strengthen role of social protection in resilience building and social cohesion, support Ethiopia’s social protection systems aligned with the SDG contribution, and utilize the social protection to address economic and social vulnerability. Furthermore, the social protection interventions and systems also need to address the emerging challenges of urban destitute, migration and internal displacement, and others.

It was learnt MoWSA Minister on the ocassion awarded appreciation certificates for the development partners like UNICEF Ethiopia, WB, WFP, ILO, IOM and Save the Children Ethiopia for their special support to the realization of the Conference.

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 26 MAY 2023