Steen Lau Jorgensen

Social risk management : a new conceptual framework for social protection and beyond

This paper proposes a new definition and conceptual framework for Social Protection grounded in Social Risk Management. The concept repositions the traditional areas of Social Protection (labor market intervention, social insurance and social safety nets) in a framework that includes three strategies to deal with risk (prevention, mitigation and coping), three levels of formality of risk management (informal, market-based, public) and many actors (individuals, households, communities, NGOs, governments at various levels and international organizations) against the background of asymmetric information and different types of risk. This expanded view of Social Protection emphasizes the double role of risk management instruments—protecting basic livelihood as well as promoting risk taking. It focuses specifically on the poor since they are the most vulnerable to risk and typically lack appropriate risk management instruments, which constrains them from engaging in riskier but also higher return activities and hence gradually moving out of chronic poverty.

Seeking Guidelines for Poverty Reduction in Rural Zambia

Abstract Poverty profiles typically provide policy makers with information about the characteristics of the poor without giving guidance as to the types of programs best suited for reducing poverty. A method is described in this paper for extending the typical poverty profile to analyze and quantify the constraints faced by poor smallholders in rural areas. The method is applied to rural Zambia, where poverty is widespread and deep. The extension provides timely information for the design of poverty-reducing policies.

Climate change: Challenges for social protection in Africa

This paper explores the role of social protection in helping Africa adapt to climate change. The increase in covariate (environmental and health) risks due to ongoing and future climate changes, and the demonstrated adverse impacts of such risks, make it important to scale up interventions to reduce household vulnerability. Efforts under way to gear up adaptation to climate change in Africa must be responsive to the needs of the poor. Social protection can contribute to this with its established frameworks for vulnerability reduction. Particular instruments to consider include social funds for community-based adaptation, safety nets designed flexible to respond to climatic shocks and natural disasters, and skills development, micro finance, and assisted migration for changing livelihoods.