Summary (English)

This paper attempts to highlight the major contribution that social protection can and needs to make to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The cross-sectoral character and challenge of achieving the MDGs have been established in the international development discussion and is presented in the papers discussed at the Development Committee. The crucial contribution by Social Protection to reduce the vulnerability of poor and non-poor segments of the population and hence to pave the way for the achievements of all MDGs has found much less attention. This non-technical exposition aims at presenting these crucial links at conceptual and empirical levels in client countries, and ends with a key message: without due consideration to risks in the development process and the provision of appropriate social risk management mechanisms, including social protection, the MDGs will not be achieved.