Preliminary findings on access to social health protection for child labour risk populations in Mali

Bamako, March 27, 2024 - A workshop was organized by the ILO ACCEL Africa project with the focus on presenting the preliminary findings of a study concerning access to social health protection for populations at risk of child labour in Mali. This event saw the gathering of significant stakeholders including representatives from the National Directorate for Social Protection and Solidarity Economy, various national confederations, health mutuals, the Ministry of Labor, the National Employers' Council of Mali, regional bodies, and various trade unions.

The primary goal of the workshop was to engage with key stakeholders by sharing insights and preliminary findings from the ongoing study, aiming to enrich the study’s outcomes with diverse feedback and expert contributions.

The study presented at the workshop revealed significant insights into the challenges and barriers that populations at risk of child labour face in accessing social health protection in Mali. It highlighted that economic and geographic constraints, along with a lack of adequate information, severely limit these populations’ ability to benefit from existing social protection frameworks. The findings also pointed to the critical need for systemic changes, including the integration of more inclusive policies and the enhancement of outreach and education programs to ensure that vulnerable groups are not only aware of but can also access the health services available to them.

Throughout the workshop, the discussions centered on understanding the barriers affecting the target populations, comparing field findings with document analyses, and integrating stakeholder perspectives into the project's ongoing efforts to enhance social protection frameworks aimed at eliminating child labour—a known consequence of household poverty.

Key presentations included:

• A detailed mapping of social protection institutions and services in Mali.
• Analysis of access barriers, including social, economic, financial, geographic, and informational challenges.
• Proposals for future initiatives such as risk insurance in agriculture, professional management of health mutuals, and fostering loyalty within social protection services.

Discussion points raised during the workshop addressed methodological approaches, the role of health mutuals, the involvement of agricultural professional organizations, and the need for improved statistical data among other crucial topics.

Moving forward, the workshop underscored the imperative to translate these findings into actionable strategies. There was a consensus on the necessity to streamline access to social health protection services and to design tailored interventions that address the identified barriers. Key recommendations include the development of community-based programs to raise awareness, the improvement of data collection for more targeted actions, and the strengthening of partnerships between government entities, non-governmental organizations, and local communities. These steps are crucial in building a robust social protection system that can effectively safeguard vulnerable populations from the risks associated with child labour.