Utafiti Sera House on Social Protection in Kenya

In 2016, PASGR with funding from the Department for International Development, UK (DFID) conducted a pilot study on Social Protection in 5 African countries. The study revealed that direct cash transfers programmes are one of the most effective means of combatting and preventing poverty. Although African governments are increasingly endorsing and funding Social protection progammes, there is still lack of buy-in with regards to cash transfers and lack of exchange of best practices for social protection planning and implementation.

The Utafiti Sera house on Social Protection in Kenya builds on the pilot phase of the Utafiti Sera Programme which run from 2015 – 2017. The current house reconstituted in January 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya. The house is hosted by the African Platform for Social Protection (APSP) and supports government efforts in tackling poverty through social protection programmes. So far, forums have been convened around to five policy areas namely: legislation on social protection; universalism as a way of reducing targeting errors; exit/graduation mechanisms; financing mechanisms; and effective coordination of social protection. At the request of the Ministry of Labour and Social Services, the house provides evidence on social protection best practices and a space for unassuming, non-partisan debates and policy engagement among key stakeholders on how best secure and coordinate the various social protection programmes currently being implemented in Kenya.

House Activities and Resources

Forum Reports:

Utafiti Sera High Level Policy Forum Report on a Legal Framework for Social Protection

Utafiti Sera Report on High-Level Consultative Meeting with the State Corporations Advisory Committee (SCAC) on the Draft National Social Protection Coordination Bill

Utafiti Sera Forum Report on Social Protection in Kenya (phase 1)

1st Utafiti Sera Forum on Social Protection: Stakeholders’ Mapping Report

APSP County Forum on Social Protection

News Articles and Blogs:

Wanambisi, P. (2018) Pay to elderly restores dignity to people shunned as a burden, The Star, Kenya.

For rights-based social protection approach, a better law is critical

Policy Briefs:

Utafiti Sera Policy Brief on Strengthening Kenya’s Social Protection Agenda through Research, Programming and Policy

Utafiti Sera Policy Brief on the Need for a Comprehensive Legal Framework for Social Protection

Infographics:

Utafiti Sera Infographic Series