Research for social protection

Sonja Keller and Holger Willing, research fellows at IZNE, have been conducting interviews at the South South Learning Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as presenting the research project. During the current phase of the research project, the IZNE research team aims to shed light on the role of international policy networks for reforming social protection systems in low and middle-income countries.

Titled "Designing and Delivering Social Protection and Labor Systems", the conference offers a great opportunity, since government representatives from over 70 countries of the global south are expected to participate. Keller and Willing are part of the GIZ delegation.

Well-functioning social protection systems are seen as an important approach to poverty reduction. Many low and middle-income countries have therefore started to expand their social protection systems. At the same time this issue is being discussed globally, and countries exchange experiences and best practices. It is within this context that the research project focusses on the following questions: Which conditions shape international policy learning in the field of social protection? How are these processes organised? What is their potential to influence policy change?

The project is directed collaboratively by Christof Kerstin (GIZ) and Prof. Dr. Katja Bender (IZNE). The research team consists of Sonja Keller and Holger Willing (both IZNE).