OIT - ILO-GFP-Annual Report 2024 Building social protection floors for all

XX Building social protection floors for all ILO Global Flagship Programme Annual Report 2024International Labour Office • Geneva XX Building social protection floors for all ILO Global Flagship Programme Annual Report 2024© International Labour Organization 2025. First published 2025. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. See: creativecommons. org/licences/by/4.0. The user is allowed to reuse, share (copy and redistribute), adapt (remix, transform and build upon the original work) as detailed in the licence. The user must clearly credit the ILO as the source of the material and indicate if changes were made to the original content. Use of the emblem, name and logo of the ILO is not permitted in connection with translations, adaptations or other derivative works. Attribution – The user must indicate if changes were made and must cite the work as follows: Building social protection floors for all. ILO Global Flagship Programme: Annual Report 2024, Geneva: International Labour Office, 2025. © ILO. Translations – In case of a translation of this work, the following disclaimer must be added along with the attribution: This is a translation of a copyrighted work of the International Labour Organization (ILO). This translation has not been prepared, reviewed or endorsed by the ILO and should not be considered an official ILO translation. The ILO disclaims all responsibility for its content and accuracy. Responsibility rests solely with the author(s) of the translation. Adaptations – In case of an adaptation of this work, the following disclaimer must be added along with the attribution: This is an adaptation of a copyrighted work of the International Labour Organization (ILO). This adaptation has not been prepared, reviewed or endorsed by the ILO and should not be considered an official ILO adaptation. The ILO disclaims all responsibility for its content and accuracy. Responsibility rests solely with the author(s) of the adaptation. Third-party materials – This Creative Commons licence does not apply to non-ILO copyright materials

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ISBN: 9789220419984 (print); 9789220419991 (web PDF) DOI: https://doi.org/10.54394/KJKB8455

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Photo credits Front cover: © Marcel Crozet / ILO Printed in SwitzerlandXX Foreword For the first time since the ILO has started gathering data on effective social protection coverage, more

by the ILO, and any failure to mention a particular firm, commercial product or process is not a sign of disapproval.

Photo credits Front cover: © Marcel Crozet / ILO Printed in SwitzerlandXX Foreword For the first time since the ILO has started gathering data on effective social protection coverage, more than half — or 52.4 per cent — of the world’s population are now covered by at least one social protection benefit, as detailed in the latest World Social Protection Report (2024–2026). While progress is perhaps too slow to keep pace with multiplying global challenges, it is nevertheless an important milestone on the road to universal social protection. Behind that figure, there are billions of people who, through the effective realisation of their human right to social protection, have a better chance of retiring with dignity, of caring for themselves and their loved ones through sickness, of accessing vital healthcare, of providing for their families in situations of transition and crisis.

However, this still leaves almost half of the world’s population at risk of poverty and social exclusion throughout their life cycle, which is especially true for those who are already in a position of increased vulnerability. Workers in the informal economy, who represent the majority of the global workforce, still face great obstacles to accessing social protection. Migrants are often legally or effectively excluded from national systems. People with disabilities still do not enjoy adequate and comprehensive protection that addresses their specific needs. Populations in areas that are prone to climate disasters, or otherwise affected by social and political fragility, report below average coverage rates. Now more than ever, it is imperative no one is left behind and that inequalities are bridged under the egis of adequate, sustainable, equitable, and inclusive national social protection system. The ILO’s Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors remains a fundamental instrument to achieve that vision. With the support of a wide coalition of actors committed to the same goals, including governments, donors, social partners, civil society organizations, the private sector, international financial institutions (IFIs) and UN agencies, the second phase of the Flagship Programme unifies efforts to support constituents in finding solutions to domestic funding gaps, designing innovative

goals, including governments, donors, social partners, civil society organizations, the private sector, international financial institutions (IFIs) and UN agencies, the second phase of the Flagship Programme unifies efforts to support constituents in finding solutions to domestic funding gaps, designing innovative policies for an ever-evolving world of work, and making social protection systems more accessible. If decent work and social justice are to be turned into a reality for all, the ILO and its partners must build on the Flagship Programme’s great achievements to date and continue on the path to universal social protection. Valérie Schmitt Deputy Director, Universal Social Protection Department Head of the SPF Flagship Programme International Labour Office Shahra Razavi Director, Universal Social Protection Department International Labour Office  If decent work and social justice are to be turned into a reality for all, the ILO and its partners must build on the Flagship Programme’s great achievements to date and continue on the path to universal social protection. XX Annual Report 2024 IIIForewordXX Contents Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VIII 1 . Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 A three-pillar approach ............................................ 1 Pillar 1: In-country support ............................................ 1 Pillar 2: Thematic support ............................................ 1

1.1 A three-pillar approach ............................................ 1 Pillar 1: In-country support ............................................ 1 Pillar 2: Thematic support ............................................ 1 Pillar 3: Strategic partnerships for success ............................. 2 1.2 Impact and results ................................................ 3 2 . Programme results 2024 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Key results achieved in 2024 ......................................... 5 Most significant results achieved in 2024 .............................. 6 2.1 Summary of country-level results 2024 ........................... 10 Africa ............................................................... 10 Americas ........................................................... 19 Arab States ........................................................ 20 Asia and the Pacific .................................................. 23 Europe and Central Asia ............................................. 27 2.2 Select thematic results .......................................... 30 Extending social security to workers in all types of employment, including those in the informal economy ............................. 30 Expanding social health protection towards universal coverage ........ 32 Financing social protection ......................................... 35 Digital transformation of social protection systems ................... 37 Social protection in climate change and humanitarian crisis contexts .......................................................38 XX Building social protection floors for all ILO Global Flagship Programme IV2.3 Update on building strategic partnerships ........................ 40 UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions (Global Accelerator) ............................. 40 Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (USP2030)  ......................41 Social Protection Inter-Agency Cooperation Board (SPIAC-B) .......... 42 ILO-IMF Partnership ................................................. 43 Partnerships with social partners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Partnerships on health .............................................. 46

ILO-IMF Partnership ................................................. 43 Partnerships with social partners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Partnerships on health .............................................. 46 3 . Managing for results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 3.1 Management arrangements and setup ............................. 49 3.2 Monitoring and evaluation ....................................... 52 Results Monitoring Tool ............................................. 55 3.3 Visibility, communication and knowledge sharing ................. 55 Events ............................................................. 56 Publications ........................................................ 57 Online tools ......................................................... 60 3.4 Resource mobilization ........................................... 61 4 . Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 XX Annual Report 2024 VContentsTable of figures Figure 1: Results indicator for Flagship Programme ..................... 2 Figure 2: Institutional changes and impact achieved (2021-2024) and the ambitions of the Flagship Programme second phase (2021-2025) ................ 3 Figure 3: The ILO’s Global Technical Team on Social Protection ........ 50 Figure 4: Thematic area excerpts and photos from website ............ 50 Figure 5: Excerpt from the Results Monitoring Tool entry for Flagship Programme activities and results ........................55 Figure 6: Sample of ILO reports, guides and other documents published in 2024 ...................................................57 Figure 7: Resources for new projects in 2024, share by partner classification, US$, per cent .........................................62 Figure 8: Resources for new projects in 2024, share by implementation region, US$, per cent ............................... 63 Table of tables Table 1: Impacts on people during implementation of the Flagship

classification, US$, per cent .........................................62 Figure 8: Resources for new projects in 2024, share by implementation region, US$, per cent ............................... 63 Table of tables Table 1: Impacts on people during implementation of the Flagship Programme in 2024 ..................................................4 Table 2: Impacts on people during implementation of the Flagship Programme, 2021-2024 .............................................. 4 Table 3: Institutional changes achieved during implementation of second phase of the Flagship Programme, 2021-2024 ............... 4 Table 4: Institutional results summary, by result type (2024) ........... 8 Table 5: ILO staff working on social protection as of March 2025 ....... 49 Table 6: TSF expert positions prioritized in the second phase of the Flagship Programme .......................................... 51 Table 7: Number of new projects and associated funding approved, 2021-2024, by year ................................................. 61 Table 8: Funding gap of the Flagship Programme as of 31 December 2024 .................................................. 61 Table of boxes Box 1: The Global Flagship Programme and the Global Accelerator ....... 2 Box 2: Social protection statistical bulletins ........................... 15 Box 3: Convention No. 102 ratification campaign ..................... 29 Box 4: Strengthening social protection in Iraq and Lebanon with new European Union support ...................................62 Box 5: New RBSA resources in 2024 ................................. 63 XX Building social protection floors for all ILO Global Flagship Programme VI© Hotli Simanjuntak/ILOXX Acronyms1 1 Acronyms specific to national institutions and projects are defined in their respective entries under sections 2.1 (country results) and 2.3 (strategic partnerships).

COVID-19 coronavirus disease DCI Digital Convergence Initiative EU European Union FAO United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization GTAC Global Tripartite Advisory Committee of the Flagship Programme GTT ILO Global Technical Team on social protection ILO International Labour Organization IMF International Monetary Fund ISPA Inter-agency Social Protection Assessment ISSA International Social Security Administration ITC-ILO International Training Centre of the ILO ITUC International Trade Union Confederation MIS Management Information System MOOC massive open online course MSMEs micro, small and medium enterprises MUL Multi-donor Programme of the Flagship Programme OECD Organization Economic Cooperation and Development P4H Providing for Health Initiative PFM public finance management RAP Rapid Assessment Protocol RBSA Regular Budget Supplementary Account RMT Results Monitoring Tool SDG Sustainable Development Goals SHP social health protection XX Building social protection floors for all ILO Global Flagship Programme VIIISPARKS Social Protection Action Research and Knowledge Sharing SPF social protection floor SPF-I United Nations Social Protection Floors Initiative SPIAC-B Social Protection Inter-agency Cooperation Board TEG Technical Exchange Group of the Providing for Health Initiative TSF Technical Support Facility UHC universal health coverage UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNFCCC Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund UNRC United Nations Resident Coordinator UNSDCF UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework UNSG United Nations Secretary-General US$ United States dollar USP universal social protection WFP World Food Programme WHO World Health Organization XX Annual Report 2024 IXAcronyms© Ion Buga/ILOXX 1 . Introduction Since 2016, the ILO Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All (Flagship Programme) has been supporting Member States in strengthening their social protection systems. Rooted in international social security standards and inclusive social dialogue, the Programme helps countries develop sustainable, universal, and comprehensive social protection systems that address life cycle risks, support people as they face transitions and socio-economic shocks, and contribute to the reduction of poverty,

in international social security standards and inclusive social dialogue, the Programme helps countries develop sustainable, universal, and comprehensive social protection systems that address life cycle risks, support people as they face transitions and socio-economic shocks, and contribute to the reduction of poverty, vulnerability, inequality, and social exclusion in concert with a whole range of other national policies. Through strategic partnerships, the programme enhances national ownership of universal social protection and promotes the application of international social security standards. Its ultimate goal is to guarantee the human rights to social security and an adequate standard of living for all. In 2024, the Flagship Programme supported reforms and other initiatives that led to significant improvements in the social protection coverage, adequacy, and comprehensiveness of 18 million people across the world. The ILO has supported the achievement of 41 institutional changes, through the adoption of new social protection strategies and policy frameworks in 10 countries and territories, the establishment or operationalisation of new social protection schemes or programmes in 10 countries, and interventions that improved the operations of the social protection system in 21 countries. At all levels, the Flagship Programme has continued its essential support function to social protection extension and system strengthening, cementing the gains of previous years and enabling progress going forward. Anchored in international social security standards, in particular the ILO Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202) and the ILO Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), the Flagship Programme strategy is guided by a complementary and inter-related three-pillar approach. 1 .1 A three-pillar approach Pillar 1: In-country support The Flagship Programme supports target countries and territories to develop national social protection systems following a three-step approach: X Step 1. Adopting national social protection strategies X Step 2. Designing and reforming schemes anchored in law X Step 3. Improving operations See Figure 1 for a visual representation on institutional

territories to develop national social protection systems following a three-step approach: X Step 1. Adopting national social protection strategies X Step 2. Designing and reforming schemes anchored in law X Step 3. Improving operations See Figure 1 for a visual representation on institutional changes and their expected impact on people. Each step is envisioned to lead to sustainable and long-lasting changes in the social protection system with the last step contributing to effective social protection delivery and coverage. Pillar 2: Thematic support The Flagship Programme supports the three-step approach at country level by providing specialised knowledge on 16 thematic areas in order to support Member States in building national social protection systems that are comprehensive and adequate, universal and robust. A first group of thematic approaches focuses on the extension of social protection to cover specific risks or population groups.

These areas include: universal social health protection; unemployment protection; old-age pensions; extending social security to workers in informal economy, migrants, refugees, and host communities; disability inclusive social protection systems; just transition to a more environmentally sustainable economy and society; leveraging social protection to promoting gender equality. A second group of thematic approaches focuses on building robust and sustainable social protection systems. These areas include social dialogue; building national systems for statistics and monitoring; financing social protection; building rightsbased social protection systems; actuarial valuations; digital transformation; adaptive social protection; and, culture of social protection.

XX Annual Report 2024

11. IntroductionX Figure 1: Results indicator for Flagship Programme Increased adequacy Source: ILO, “ILO Flagship Programme” 2 ILO, 2023, Building Social Protection Floors for All: ILO Global Flagship Programme, 2021-22 Report Pillar 3: Strategic partnerships for success To support pillars 1 and 2, the ILO has further strengthened partnerships with development partners, UN agencies, IFIs, employers’ and workers’ organizations, civil society organizations and

Pillar 3: Strategic partnerships for success To support pillars 1 and 2, the ILO has further strengthened partnerships with development partners, UN agencies, IFIs, employers’ and workers’ organizations, civil society organizations and academia. Through initiatives such as USP2030, the UN Social Protection Floors Initiative (SPF-I) and the UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions (Global Accelerator), the ILO is able to multiply its impact, work towards providing harmonized and joint messaging on social protection and coordinated support to countries, and increase the dissemination channels for the learning outcomes of the Flagship Programme2. X Box 1: The Global Flagship Programme and the Global Accelerator The Flagship Programme and the Global Accelerator are complementary initiatives with mutually reinforcing aims: the former to support the building and strengthening of national social protection systems from the regulatory framework to benefit delivery, and the latter to overcome social protection coverage and financing gaps through integrated policy and financing. The Flagship Programme ensures that countries develop solid foundations for social protection in terms of their policies, legal frameworks, financial arrangements, and operational capacities, forming the necessary basis for the achievement of universal social protection. Relying on the ongoing support and progress achieved since 2016 under the Flagship Programme, the Global Accelerator complements and aims to accelerate social protection coverage extension by working on integrated policy approaches that contribute to the creation of decent jobs and the formalization of employment. It also aims to close social protection financing gaps through direct engagement with ministries of finance, public development banks, and public and private investors, and to position social protection as an investment in just climate, digital, demographic and other transitions with high returns for the environment and the economy. Without the Flagship Programme and its continuous and long-term support to the building of robust and universal social protection systems, it would not be possible for the Global Accelerator to advance its priorities. That is why continued support to Flagship Programme countries and initiatives is essential for the success of the Global Accelerator and other similar initiatives throughout the multilateral system.

universal social protection systems, it would not be possible for the Global Accelerator to advance its priorities. That is why continued support to Flagship Programme countries and initiatives is essential for the success of the Global Accelerator and other similar initiatives throughout the multilateral system. The ambition of the Flagship Programme is to change the lives of millions of people. During the Phase I (2016–20) of the Flagship Programme, 21 countries were able to extend social protection coverage to more than 20 million people. Given the success of Phase I, the ambition of Phase II (2021-2025) of the Flagship Programme is to achieve institutional changes in all 50 priority countries while increasing the legal and effective coverage, as well as the comprehensiveness and adequacy of social protection, for an additional 60 million people. Figure 2 demonstrates the aim with progress made so far on institutional changes in individual countries and impact on the lives of people. XX Building social protection floors for all ILO Global Flagship Programme 2X Figure 2: Institutional changes and impact achieved (2021-2024) and the ambitions of the Flagship Programme second phase (2021-2025) 43 40 66 40 30 10 Ambition 2021-2025 Achievement 2021-2024 26m 20m 30m 16m 14m 10m Impacts on people (millions m) Number of institutional changes achieved in countries Source: ILO, “ILO Flagship Programme” The first four years of the second phase of the Flagship Programme have already achieved significant results, surpassing the ambition of the second phase in nearly every result category. Between 2021 and 2024, the Flagship Programme achieved 149 institutional changes across the three results areas and improved access to social protection that benefited nearly 56 million people. It also provided support to many more countries through on-demand technical assistance on 16 thematic areas, and built good practices guides that were widely shared with policy makers, social partners and social protection practitioners. The development

changes across the three results areas and improved access to social protection that benefited nearly 56 million people. It also provided support to many more countries through on-demand technical assistance on 16 thematic areas, and built good practices guides that were widely shared with policy makers, social partners and social protection practitioners. The development and implementation of strategic partnerships were also instrumental in progressing towards universal social protection (USP). 1 .2 Impact and results In 2024, over 18 million people witnessed meaningful improvements in the coverage, adequacy and comprehensiveness of their social protection benefits following legal and other reforms supported by the Flagship Programme. These advancements span across various types of social protection schemes, including pensions, social health protection, disability benefits and social assistance programmes (see Table 1). The target countries in the second phase of the Flagship Programme continued to demonstrate strong results, achieving 41 institutional changes in 31 countries in 2024 alone. National social protection strategies and policies were adopted in 10 countries, while social protection schemes or programmes were also introduced or reformed in 10 countries. At the same time, measures to improve the operations of social protection programmes were adopted in 21 countries, including strengthening their administrative and financial governance. Table 3 shows the institutional changes achieved in the past four years of the implementation of the second phase of the Flagship Programme. XX Annual Report 2024

31. IntroductionX Table 1: Impacts on people during implementation of the Flagship Programme in 2024

Type of impact Branch of social security Number of persons Coverage extension (additional persons covered) 7,182,500 Legal coverage 4,610,000 Old-age pensions 4,610,000

Effective coverage 2,572,500 Old-age pensions 1,218,000 Disability benefits 52,500 Health protection 1,302,000 Increased adequacy (higher benefit levels) 11,000,000 Health protection 7,000,000 Social assistance 4,000,000 Increased comprehensives (more life cycle risks covered) 85,000 Health protection 85,000 Total persons impacted in 2024 18,267,500 X Table 2: Impacts on people during implementation of the Flagship Programme, 2021-2024 Impacts 2021-22 Impacts in 2023 Impacts in 2024 Total impacts 2021-2024 Flagship Programme ambition 2021-25 Legal coverage (extension) 19,000,000 1,900,000 4,610,000 25,510,000 20 million Effective coverage (extension) 11,600,000 1,430,000 2,572,500 15,602,500 30 million More comprehensive and adequate social protection 330,000 3,000,000 11,085,000 14,415,000 10 million Total 30,930,000 6,330,000 18,267,500 55,527,500 60 million X Table 3: Institutional changes achieved during implementation of second phase of the Flagship Programme, 2021-2024 Institutional changes Total results achieved in 2021-2023 Results achieved in 2024 Total results achieved in 2021-2024 Flagship Programme ambition 2021-25 Step 1: Strategy adopted 33 10 43 10

Step 2: Scheme design/law 30 10 40 30 Step 3: Improving operations 45 21 66 40 Total institutional changes achieved 108 41 149 80 XX Building social protection floors for all ILO Global Flagship Programme 4XX 2 . Programme results 2024 In 2024, the Flagship Programme played a pivotal role in strengthening social protection systems, driving 41 institutional changes across 31 countries and territories. These reforms spanned three key result areas, as detailed in Table 4. A significant milestone was the adoption of national social protection strategies in 10 countries (in Albania, Lebanon, Madagascar, Suriname and elsewhere), developed together with social security institutions