Catalyzing Municipal Social Protection in Albania

The ILO/UNICEF joint programme aims to solve the lack of Municipal level ownership over the provision of social protection services to those at the greatest risk of being left behind in their communities.

The Catalyzing Municipal Social Protection ILO/UNICEF joint programme aims to solve the lack of Municipal level ownership over the provision of social protection services to those at the greatest risk of being left behind in their communities. New mechanisms have been created to help address this gap but these are not yet functional. At the same time, central social protection services (cash and disability assistance, national health system) will remain critical, but need to increase their coordination with Municipal authorities, closest to the population.

Key target groups of this programme include: Roma and Egyptian populations; persons with disabilities; vulnerable children; women at risk/victims of violence; isolated/poor rural women; elderly; refugees and migrants. More specifically, the programme focuses on catalyzing a step-change in the quantity and quality of delivery of integrated social care at the municipal level, as part of an effective integrated social protection system.

The programme works in six municipalities to create quality social care plans, to provide incentives to trigger the capitalization of the Social Fund at central level and the increased allocation of resources at municipal level. It assists the implementation of plans in the municipalities by experimenting with better social care and health service coordination and integration, and demonstrating quality integrated activities. 
 
The key sustainable impact will be the proven viability of community-level integrated service provision, and the establishment of a practice of social protection budgeting, both centrally and locally.  Short-term results include improved access to services in the six municipalities for those at risk of exclusion, and practitioners learning better practices across Albania.

The ILO will conduct expenditure and fiscal space analysis to explore financing options for extended social protection coverage and benefits. It will enable national tripartite dialogue with all stakeholders to discuss the establishment of the social protection floor in Albania.