• UN System & Rural Women
  • Introduction
  • Education & Training
  • Health
  • Access
  • Food Security
  • Social Protection
  • Decent Work
  • Markets
  • Climate Change
  • Policy
  • Decision-making
• FAO
  • Comparative Advantage
  • Good Practices 1
  • Good Practices 2
• IFAD
  • Comparative Advantage
  • Good Practices
• ITC-ILO
  • Comparative Advantage
• SPFII
  • Comparative Advantage
  • Good Practices
• UNCTAD
  • Comparative Advantage
• UNDP
  • Comparative Advantage
  • Good Practices
• UNESCO
  • Comparative Advantage
• UNFPA
  • Comparative Advantage
  • Good Practices 1
  • Good Practices 2
• UN Women
  • Comparative Advantage
  • Good Practices
• WFP
  • Good Practices
• WHO
  • Comparative Advantage
  • Good Practices
• Joint Efforts
• Facts & Figures
• Related News
• Related Resources

Overview: Social Protection

Mothers and children at a mobile clinic in Khemisset Province, Morocco. (Photo: UN/John Isaac)

Access to adequate social protection is recognized as a basic right essential for ensuring widespread human welfare. It is also central to contributing to an enabling environment for growth, social stability and economic performance. Yet, poor rural women often lack information about, or access to social services (e.g. cash transfers, maternal protection, social security pensions, unemployment benefits, etc.) or even basic identification documents that could help them access such services.

FAO, IFAD, and ILO are working together on social protection issues, particularly in relation to rural women. UN Women also works on improved access to social protection for both home-based workers and migrant returnees, both areas of importance to rural women's empowerment. It also supports the provision of legal support to rural women on issues of land, family and civic code, inheritance, and social assistance. ITC-ILO conducts training and learning programmes that include coverage of social protection, social dialogue and labour standards.