A woman with hijab holding a young child inside a traditional home.

Conference

Universal social protection in a changing world: Advancing social development and decent work

This conference will explore how to make universal social protection a reality in the current global context of structural transformations, growing needs and financing constraints, bringing together governments, workers, employers, civil society and international partners.

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Amid overlapping crises and profound transformations—including climate change, demographic shifts, digitalization, food price volatility, conflict and rapidly changing labour markets—strong social protection systems are increasingly essential to promote decent work, strengthen social contracts, and enable societies to navigate change. Yet growing geopolitical tensions, weakening multilateral cooperation, constrained public budgets and declining official development assistance (ODA) threaten progress.

At the same time, momentum for universal social protection remains strong. International commitments, including those made by the International Labour Conference, the 2nd World Summit for Social Development and the 2025 Financing for Development Conference, reflect growing political recognition, stronger normative frameworks and increasing evidence of social protection’s impact.

Against this backdrop, the conference will examine how the ambition of universal social protection can be advanced amid increasing needs, constrained financing and shifting geopolitical realities. It will take stock of the evolving landscape and help shape a forward-looking narrative for social protection capable of responding to global transformations and mobilizing renewed political commitment.

All sessions will include government, workers, employers and civil society representatives. The final session also includes donor and UN representatives.

Agenda

08:30-9:30	Registration
09:30-9:45	Opening
9:45-10:15	Keynote conversation: Advancing Social Justice; Universal Social Protection in a Changing Geopolitical Landscape Lucas Chancel, Co-Director, World Inequality Lab, Paris School of Economics Jayati Ghosh, Co-chair of the Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation
10:15-10:45	Panel discussion Moderator: Shahra Razavi, Director, Labour and Social Protection Department, ILO Peter Ombasa, National Social Protection Secretariat (NSPS), Kenya Eric Mwezi Manzi, Deputy General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation Employers’ representative Wanga Zembe-Mkabile, Chief Scientist, South African Medical School
10:45-11:15	Break
11:15-12:30	Building social protection systems: fostering sustainability, solidarity, resilience, social inclusion and supporting decent work Moderator: USP2030 representative Government representative Workers' representative Employers’ representative Ms Renata Nowak-Garmer, Social Protection Programme Director, WIEGO
12:30-14:30	Lunch
14:30-15:30	Formulating and implementing national social protection policies in a changing world Moderator: Adea Kryeziu, World Bank ILO presentation on NSPS analysis Government representative Workers' representative Employers' representative Ms Priscilla Gavi, Executive Director, HelpAge, Zimbabwe
15:30-16:00	Break
16:00-17:00	Closing panel – who can do what when and how ? Moderator: Jonas Becker, FES Government representative Beatrice di Padua, Economic and Social Policy Advisor, ITUC Employers’ representative UN representative Mr Tim Conway, Senior Social Protection Advisor, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office FCDO, UK Renata Nowak-Garmer, Social Protection Programme Director, WIEGO