Built to Include : Reimagining Social Protection in the Middle East and North Africa

People in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and around the word, are hurting. A polycrisis, including COVID-19 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has had-and is continuing to have-a devasting impact on living standards. But most countries in MENA were already struggling to reduce poverty and vulnerability before this cascade of shocks. This report argues that labor market exclusion is at the root of the problem. Many people cannot find jobs-MENA has the highest youth unemployment rate and the lowest women's labor force participation rate in the world. And most workers are stuck in low-productivity informal jobs with no social protection. This makes them extremely vulnerable to falling into poverty when a shock hits-as the recent crises have pain- fully shown. Reducing labor market exclusion requires, first and foremost, a dynamic private sector that generates productive jobs. Our companion report on jobs in MENA, "Jobs Undone", provides options to do that. How can social protection policies help? They can play a crucial role in reducing labor market exclusion, by facilitating access to productive jobs, protecting workers, and providing a safety net for people who are left behind and are at risk of poverty. And they should do so in an efficient manner, by ensuring financial responsibility and avoiding unintended consequences on decisions regarding work, retirement, and hiring