The thematic portfolio on social protection aims to enhance the opportunities for women and young people of working age in the Great Lakes region to access decent work. The programme is funded by the Belgian development cooperation and implemented in Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC. It seeks to advance the Decent Work agenda through labour rights, improved social protection mechanisms, and more inclusive social dialogue. The portfolio is jointly formulated and implemented with the Ministry of Public Service and Labour, as well as other Rwandan public institutions, trade unions, private sector and civil society actors. This dynamic of co-creation ensures a continuous alignment with Rwandan development priorities.
Under the Economic Transformation pillar of the National Strategy for Transformation phase 2 (NST2), Rwanda ambitions to create 1.25 million productive and decent jobs, 250,000 jobs annually over the next five years. Contributing to this ambition, the portfolio promotes the development of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) and enhances employability through skills training, particularly for young workers entering the labour market. Targeting sectors like mining, construction, trade, and manufacturing in the Kivu Belt and the City of Kigali, the programme focuses on workplace learning and formalising informal businesses to create sustainable job opportunities and boost economic resilience.
The portfolio also contributions to the ambitions of NST2 in terms of social transformation. Indeed, the portfolio is enhancing households' capacity to sustainably graduate from poverty and reduce their vulnerability. It also contributes to the reduction of malnutrition and stunting. The Parasocial Workers initiative, a partnership with the Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA), plays a key role in informing households on nutritional needs and practices, tracking children’s health, and supporting vulnerable households. Additionally, pilot initiatives like a maternity leave program, in collaboration with the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), aim to improve the well-being of informal workers.
In Rwanda, the thematic portfolio on Social Protection, spanning for the period of 2022-2027, focuses on women and youth in the districts around the Kivu Belt in the Western Province, and the City of Kigali.
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