National Social Protection Policy of Ethiopia.

This National Social Protection Policy is nationwide sectoral document developed by the Government of Ethiopia as a complete framework leading to coordinated actions to protect citizens from economic and social deprivation. Given that social protection improves the effectiveness and efficiency of investments in agriculture, hygiene and health, education, and water it accelerates the attainment of the development goals of the country, especially for the most vulnerable members of society.
The main objectives of Social Protection Policy of Ethiopia are the following (i) protect poor and vulnerable individuals, households, and communities from the adverse effects of shocks and destitution; (ii) increase the scope of social insurance; (iii) increase access to equitable and quality health, education and social welfare services to build human capital thus breaking the inter-generational transmission of poverty; (iv) guarantee a minimum level of employment for the long term unemployed and underemployed; (v) enhance the social status and progressively realize the social and economic rights of the excluded and marginalized; and (vi) ensure the different levels of society are taking appropriate responsibility for the implementation of social protect.
For rural poverty reduction, the Policy envisages (i) economic measures such as provision of inputs, seed fairs, and inputs for work; and (ii) protection from the negative effects of shocks (mainly drought and floods) through the establishment of a safety net that can expand in coverage, including to urban areas, and value of transfer.
To enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, main interventions will be directed to (i) economic empowerment of women, gender parity in access to education, health and other basic services, strengthening the capacity of the public sector for gender mainstreaming, strengthening efforts to replace discriminatory norms, attitudes and practices; (ii) micro finance services and skill training for vulnerable groups; (iii) expand credits, grants and other facilities and support to generate income and promote market linkages; (iv) weather index-based insurance and property insurance schemes.