Accelerating impact: a gender lens on adaptive social protection in the Sahel

This policy note offers actionable recommendations for enhancing the gender-responsiveness of adaptive social protection (ASP) programs and delivery mechanisms across the Sahel. Such programmes are highly valuable in their advancement of gender equality and women’s empowerment by widening women’s economic opportunities; enhancing their access to education, knowledge, and skills; improving their well-being, voice, and agency; and increasing their protection from gender-based violence (GBV). This document summarizes the findings of a recent guidance note, highlighting specific examples and good practices across ASP instruments and the social protection delivery chain, before providing key recommendations for policymakers and practitioners to systemically integrate a gender lens. 

The six key recommendations are as follows:

1. Use gender expertise and analysis to identify the context-specific vulnerabilities, risks, and barriers women and girls face in accessing and benefiting from ASP programs.
2. Design or adapt social registries to provide opportunities for equal access to benefits.
3. Ensure program eligibility criteria consider women’s and girls’ specific vulnerabilities and needs.
4. Ensure benefits are accessible to women.
5. Strengthen the gender focus of monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
6. Build the skills of government and implementing partners.