Social protection policies to face the crisis and for growth

Latin American countries faced the recent crisis by extending the coverage of their social protection programmes in order to benefit workers and their families affected by loss of employment and risked falling into poverty. Given the labour market structure in the region, this effort was made in two dimensions: contributive protection instruments for wage-earners, on the one hand, and measures addressed to the informal sector with effect on low-income families, on the other. In the two foregoing areas, the operation of unemployment insurance and the conditional transfer programmes are noteworthy. However, the importance of social protection extends beyond the urgencies derived from the crisis because, together with economic growth and job creation, it is a key tool for driving development and reducing poverty. Consolidating the developments initiated in these years would help to advance towards higher levels of social protection.