Joint Project Report: Strengthening Social Protection Systems in the Sahel to Advance the Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A joint project implemented in the Sahel region since 2020 aims to expand and fortify national social protection systems. The initiative is designed to build resilience and foster human capital development among the most vulnerable populations. By integrating cash transfers with complementary services, the project directly addresses multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on poverty eradication, food security, health, education, and gender equality. The project’s core mission is to institutionalize shock-responsive, gender-sensitive, and inclusive social protection, thereby promoting a decent life for all and contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.

Project Objectives and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The project’s transformational aim is to strengthen the foundational elements of national social protection systems. This strategy is intrinsically linked to achieving several key SDGs:

• SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): The provision of regular and predictable cash transfers is a primary mechanism for poverty reduction, ensuring a basic income floor for vulnerable households and mitigating economic disparities.
• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): By supporting food security and preventing nutritional deterioration, the project directly contributes to ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) & SDG 4 (Quality Education): Complementary services linked to health and education facilitate access to essential services, promoting well-being and educational attainment for children and families.
• SDG 5 (Gender Equality): The project incorporates a gender-responsive approach, with targeted interventions to protect women and girls from violence and discrimination, empowering them within their communities.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Pathways to financial inclusion and entrepreneurship are facilitated, promoting sustainable livelihoods and economic resilience.
• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): By strengthening government leadership and institutionalizing national systems, the project fosters social cohesion and builds robust, inclusive institutions capable of managing shocks and conflict.

Methodology and Implementation Strategy

The project employs a multi-faceted approach to maximize impact and ensure sustainability, centered on delivering cash transfers alongside a suite of complementary services.

Core Components

1. Cash Transfers: Direct financial support is provided to vulnerable households to meet immediate needs, reduce poverty, and manage the impact of economic and environmental shocks.
2. Complementary Services: To address the multidimensional nature of poverty, cash transfers are coupled with essential support services, including:
   • Nutrition and health support
   • Education access programs
   • Child protection services
   • Gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response
   • Financial inclusion and entrepreneurship training

The Twin-Track Approach for System Strengthening

Recognizing the fragile context and capacity limitations in the Sahel, the project utilizes a flexible twin-track delivery model to expand coverage and strengthen national systems in alignment with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

• Track 1: Working Through Government Systems: Whenever feasible, the project channels support through existing government social protection programs. This approach reinforces national ownership, builds institutional capacity, and ensures long-term sustainability.
• Track 2: Direct Delivery in Fragile Contexts: In areas where government capacity is overstretched, access is constrained by insecurity, or in the immediate aftermath of a shock, the project delivers assistance directly or via partners. This ensures timely and predictable support for those in greatest need, while remaining aligned with national priorities and response plans.

Project Scope and Phasing

The Joint Project is implemented by UNICEF and WFP in collaboration with the governments of Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad. The implementation is structured in two phases to ensure adaptive programming and build upon initial successes.

• Phase 1 (2020-2026): Initially launched in Mali, Mauritania, and Niger, and expanded to Burkina Faso and Chad in 2024. This phase targets approximately 595,000 households.
• Phase 2 (2025-2028): This phase will build on the achievements and lessons from Phase 1, aiming to reach an additional 35,000 households, bringing the total project reach to nearly 630,000 households.

Analysis of SDGs in the Provided Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article explicitly states that social protection is a “proven investment to reduce poverty.” The entire project, centered on cash transfers and strengthening social safety nets, directly aims to alleviate poverty among the most vulnerable populations in the Sahel.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  The text highlights that the project’s goals include supporting “food security and nutrition” and preventing “the deterioration in the nutritional status of vulnerable households.” This directly connects to ending hunger and malnutrition.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The project delivers complementary services, including “health” services, alongside cash transfers. This indicates a direct effort to improve the health outcomes of the beneficiary populations.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article mentions that social protection is an investment to support “education.” The complementary services provided by the Joint Project also include education, aiming to improve human capital.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  A key objective mentioned is to “promote gender equality.” The project provides “gender-based violence prevention services” and aims to “protect women and children through targeted approaches against violence, abuse, exploitation, discrimination and neglect.”

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The project seeks to “facilitate pathways for financial inclusion, decent work, and social cohesion” through services like “entrepreneurship” support, which aligns with promoting sustainable economic growth and productive employment.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  By targeting the “most vulnerable populations” and aiming for “progressively universal coverage,” the project directly addresses inequality. It focuses on inclusive interventions to ensure no one is left behind.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The project’s core mission is to strengthen “national social protection systems” and build “strong government leadership.” It also aims to improve “social cohesion” and is designed to be “conflict-sensitive,” which contributes to building peaceful and inclusive societies with effective institutions.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The initiative is described as a “Joint Project” involving multiple actors, including UNICEF, WFP, and the governments of Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad. This multi-stakeholder collaboration is a clear example of partnership for sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all.

   The article’s central theme is to “expand and strengthen national social protection systems” and facilitate “progressively universal coverage.” This directly corresponds to implementing social protection systems for the poor and vulnerable.

2. Target 2.1: End hunger and ensure access by all people… to safe, nutritious and sufficient food.

   The project’s goal to “support food security and nutrition” for vulnerable households aligns with ensuring access to sufficient food.

3. Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls.

   The provision of “gender-based violence prevention services” and the aim to “protect women and children through targeted approaches against violence, abuse, exploitation” directly addresses this target.

4. Target 8.5: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all.

   The project’s effort to “facilitate pathways for… decent work” is a direct contribution to this target.

5. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.

   The “transformational aim to strengthen core building blocks of national social protection systems and build capacities among country leadership and governments” is a clear effort towards building effective institutions.

6. Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

   The project is a “Joint Project” between UN agencies (UNICEF, WFP) and multiple national governments, exemplifying a multi-stakeholder partnership to achieve common goals.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 1.3: Proportion of population covered by social protection floors/systems.

  The article provides a specific quantitative indicator for this target by stating its aim to “reach close to 630,000 households (over 595,000 households under Phase 1, in addition to close to 35,000 households in Phase 2).” This number serves as a direct measure of the expansion of social protection coverage.

• Implied Indicator for Targets 2.1, 3.8, 4.1, 5.2, 8.5: Coverage of complementary services.

  While not providing specific numbers, the article implies that progress is measured by the delivery and reach of its complementary services. The text states that these services (Nutrition, health, education, entrepreneurship, child protection, and gender-based violence prevention) are delivered “alongside cash transfers.” The extent to which these services reach the target households would be an implied indicator of progress.

• Implied Indicator for Target 16.6: Functionality of national systems.

  The article describes a “twin-track approach” where support is channeled “through government social protection programmes (Track 1)” whenever possible. An implied indicator of institutional strengthening would be the proportion of aid and support that can be successfully delivered via Track 1, demonstrating the increased capacity and reach of national systems.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: reliefweb.int