世界银行-关注极端贫困人口和最贫穷五分之一人口社会保护的覆盖率_充足性和融资差距_2025年社会保护状况报告背景文件_1（英）-2025_91页_1mb

Summary

This report evaluates progress in emerging and developing economies (EDEs) across three key areas of social protection and labor systems: coverage, benefit adequacy, and financing. Between 2010 and 2022, the average coverage of social protection increased by 10 percentage points, with over half of the population in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) receiving benefits. However, 4.7 billion people were covered, leaving 1.6 billion uncovered, and 2 billion remained uncovered or inadequately covered, especially among the poorest. Benefit levels are insufficient, limiting poverty reduction, while social assistance spending is low in LICs, hindering coverage goals.

Social assistance is the primary driver of coverage gains, yet coverage gaps are more pronounced in LICs and Sub-Saharan Africa. Pro-poor targeting is moderate and improves with income levels, with LICs lagging significantly. Social insurance coverage gaps are highest in LICs, while labor markets often lack inclusive programs. Financing levels are constrained in low-income countries, requiring expanded fiscal space to close gaps. Poorly targeted programs leave large inequities, especially for the extreme poor and the poorest quintile.

Policy options to reduce gaps include enhancing efficiency of cash transfers, improving pro-poor targeting, and increasing domestic and international financing for social protection in LICs. LICs face the most challenges, while MICs and HICs have made progress. The report calls for a progressive approach to achieving universal social protection by prioritizing the poorest through targeted fiscal reforms and international support.

JEL Codes: H53, I38, J28, O15
Keywords: Social protection system, coverage gap, social protection spending, adequacy gap, social protection targeting