Social protection can play a key role in reducing poverty and inequality. Growing recognition of this potential impact has led social protection to rise up the agenda of policymakers and donors in the international development community.

This briefing aims to provide the foundations for the European Parliament’s debate on social protection and what can be done to promote it. After reviewing basic definitions in the introduction, it highlights the main alternative approaches to social protection and policy options.

The paper identifies the main issues associated with the expansion of inclusive social protection. It then reviews recent initiatives to coordinate social protection efforts in the international development community and discusses the potential role of the EU in promoting inclusive social protection in developing countries.