Social protection for pastoral livelihood systems in Ethiopia

Abstract

Social protection has emerged as a robust response to shocks, particularly in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, in both the Global North and South. It has gained prominence over the past few decades as a development instrument to mitigate disaster, redress inequalities and build social justice. In this introductory chapter, the authors set the scene for the thinking explored in the book, looking critically at the multifaceted nature of social protection and safety net policies and practices in Ethiopia and beyond. The chapter addresses some critical development questions: which social protection policies and programmes are relevant to the social, political and economic systems of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the Horn of Africa; what are the underlying pre-conditions for safety net programmes to have significant livelihood impacts; what are the key domestic and global factors, and the institutional frameworks or setups, that either hinder or promote national goals and the Sustainable Development Goals.