Working areas
STEP activities in West Africa started in 2000 (in the framework of STEP-UNF project) and are particularly oriented towards Benin, Burkina Faso and Senegal.
STEP in West Africa works essentially in the consolidation of abilities of set Community based Social Protection Schemes (SPSC), in the support of the development of new SPSC and support to the SPSC federation.
In the three target countries, STEP prioritises the reinforcement of management skills and the improvement of mechanisms and operation supports in the twenty healthcare mutual organizations supported by STEP. The reinforcement of the role of the organizations of workers and employers in the extension of social protection also constitutes one of the priority axis of intervention.
STEP in West Africa also assumes the role of advocating for the extension of social protection and actively supports the creation of a positive institutional and political environment for SPSC. In fact, the States of West Africa that settled for passive observation of heath micro-insurance development since the 90’s, intend at present to intervene actively in the process. This interest is shown through the elaboration of social protection national policies within DSRP II, with a particular stress on the extension of social protection for populations of the informal economy.
Principal objectives
There are three main work axis in West Africa:
- Consolidation of health micro-insurance systems started by community based organizations, organizations of workers and employers;
- Reinforcement of skills and capacities of health micro-insurances and of supporting structures for the diffusion of tools, specially IT, developed by the programme and the training;
- Compilation of information produced by health micro-insurance systems to create a database more accurate of this sector to contribute to the advocating done for national and international actors;
- Follow-up of research-action carried out on innovative experiences;
- Support of heath insurance systems set up by organizations of workers and organizations of employers of the formal sector;
- Development of new social protection schemes for populations excluded from the formal sector;
- Support to social protection national policies.
More information
Various experiences have been set up since the start of STEP programme in West Africa. These experiences have made possible to do the research-action work on the organization and management of Community based Social Protection Schemes (SPSC).
Contacts
ILO/STEP West Africa
8 Cité Pyrotechnique Mermoz
BP 414
Dakar - Senegal
Phone/Fax +221.860.11.25
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