Summary

This report aims at assisting the Government of Kenya in designing an integrated National Social Protection Policy, and is based on an assessment of the existing social protection schemes for both formal and informal economy workers and their families. The report identifies that there are i) significant gaps in social protection coverage, particularly for informal economy workers and their families ii) important deficits in access to benefits in kind and cash for those who are covered and iii) insufficient levels of benefit provided.

Focusing on the areas of health insurance, old-age pensions and social assistance, the report outlines possibilities for reform and an approach for the development of a national social protection policy which i) focuses on key principles of social protection, mainly affordability at national and household level, accountability and sustainability ii) maximizes fiscal space, iii) increases capacity for implementation and monitoring of reforms and iv) improves social dialogue. Based on preliminary ILO projections and the promising economic situation in Kenya, it determines that a comprehensive national social protection policy could be successfully implemented and progress towards the Millennium Development Goals significantly accelerated.