Kenya
Publications
Situation and Priorities
Social protection situation
The social protection sector has seen considerable progress, with policies shifting towards universal programmes with a lifecycle approach. Spending has increased year-on-year, although there are still significant coverage gaps in numbers and types of benefits, particularly within the informal economy which forms 83.6% of the workforce (2019).
Contributory social protection is administered through the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the National Social Security Fund, which provide access to health care and pensions (old-age, survivors, invalidity) respectively. Coverage of social security and benefit levels remain limited, as well as adequacy of benefits need to be addressed. (In 2019, NHIF has 11 million members; NSSF has 4.2 million) with 460,406 members being newly registered in 2021. In 2018, Kenya introduced a universal social pension for persons over the age of 70, the first such scheme in the East African region. Other targeted social assistance programs for orphans, drought affected household and people with severe disabilities reached 1.2 million households in 2019. New benefits are being designed to benefit workers in the informal economy, such as a maternity income benefit and the voluntary contribution options of NSSF (Haba Haba) launched in 2019 and NHIF supa cover. A strategy for extending social protection to the informal and rural economy is being developed.
COVID-19 and other crises
The economic impact of the coronavirus exposed the gaps within Kenya’s social protection system, where only 10.1% of the population is covered in at least one area. Approximately 1 million social assistance beneficiaries received a one-off payment of 8,000 Kenyan shillings (US$74). However, approximately 1.7 million Kenyans lost their jobs through June 2020, which hastened the demand for the establishment of an unemployment insurance fund, which will benefit formal sector workers. Overall, the effects of COVID-19 has increased the awareness of the importance of a comprehensive social protection system and has presented opportunities for progress in an already conducive political environment.
Government and social partner priorities
The Government of Kenya is playing a proactive role in the development of social protection. The revised National Social Protection Policy and the Social Protection Investment Plan have not yet been formally adopted (as of February 2022), however they will be aligned with ILO Recommendation 202 and Convention 102 and take a universal approach. Priorities include:
- Extension of NHIF to currently uncovered groups (NHIF became mandatory in 2023)
- Transition the NSSF from a provident fund into a full pension fund with higher contribution levels
- Introduction of a universal child grant and disability benefit
- Introduction of a maternity income benefit for women in the informal economy
- Extension of social protection to the informal and rural economy workers
- Extension of the Enhanced Single Registry and associated social assistance programs
ILO Projects and Programmes
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Promoting Pathways to Economic Inclusion and Social Protection for Refugees and Host Communities in Kenya
30.09.2023 - 29.09.2024 USD 2,133,276 United States
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Accelerating action for the elimination of child labour in supply chains in Africa (ACCEL-Africa) - Phase II
30.06.2023 - 30.06.2028 USD 29,702,970 Netherlands
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Country envelopes 2023 global project – Accelerating progress on HIV and AIDS and ending inequalities in the world of work
01.01.2023 - 31.12.2024 USD 890,196 UNAIDS
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PROSPECTS - Inclusive jobs and education for refugees and host communities in Kenya
01.07.2019 - 30.06.2025 USD 16,506,922 Netherlands
Results
Over the past 5 years, the ILO has provided technical guidance during the development of the Social Protection Investment Plan (2018), for the development of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for Social Protection (2019), and the development of the National Social Protection Policy. The ILO has also engaged in advocacy efforts around the extension of social protection to the informal economy.
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An Unemployment Insurance Fund has been established
31.03.2021 KEN101
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A Single Registry for Social Protection and Harmonized Social Assistance Targeting was adopted
31.03.2021 KEN101
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A learning and development strategy for social protection and a community of practice were launched
30.09.2020 KEN101
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A revised Social Protection Monitoring and Evaluation Framework was adopted
30.09.2020 KEN101
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An action plan on developping a compensation system covering occupational diseases and inuries has been adopted
30.09.2020 KEN101
Funding gaps / Support the ILO
US$ 200,000
Support to NHIF on the extension of coverage to currently uncovered populations
US$ 150,000
Support to Government on the implementation of the maternity income benefit
US$ 500,000
Continue work in extending social security to the informal economy, and including ensuring programmes are HIV and disability-sensitive
US$ 300,000
Continue work on enhancing social security benefits – Old age, work injury, maternity protection