Côte d’Ivoire
Project implementation period: February 2021 – March 2022.
The Government of Côte d’Ivoire has adopted a series of measures to reduce the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these measures have impacted the world of work, affecting particularly entrepreneurs and workers in the informal economy, given the precarious nature of their activities and the absence of appropriate social protection. The Government has thus taken a series of support measures, including the Support Fund for Informal Sector Actors (FAASI) and the Special National Solidarity and Humanitarian Support Fund.
The Directorate General of Social Protection (DGPS), one of the main actors in this national support plan, is responsible for ensuring the social protection of workers, particularly in the informal economy, during this period of crisis. It has thus developed the programme “Increasing social coverage of informal sector workers in Abidjan” aimed at accelerating the implementation of reforms initiated in Côte d’Ivoire in the field of social protection, in particular the deployment of Universal Health Coverage (CMU) and the Social Regime for the Independent Workers (RSTI).
The project “Supporting the response to the COVID-19 crisis in Côte d’Ivoire: an opportunity to extend social protection to workers in the informal economy” provides technical support to the implementation of the DGPS programme, mobilising the necessary expertise. It therefore aims to accompany the social partners and stakeholders in laying the foundations for an effective and sustainable system of social protection extended to entrepreneurs and workers in the informal economy, by strengthening knowledge, existing social protection mechanisms and social dialogue.
Key achievements 2021-22
- Experiences and lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis response plans were documented and recommendations for improving and extending social protection measures in response to the COVID-19 crisis were validated through dialogue between the government, workers’ and employers’ organizations.
- A technical report analysing the institutional and operational frameworks of existing social protection schemes (CMU & RSTI), including strategic interventions for the extension of social protection to workers in the informal economy, was submitted to the government.
- Adapted mechanisms to facilitate registration of workers and collection of contributions for the health insurance scheme (CMU) and the social security scheme for the independent workers (RSTI) have been developed and are being implemented by the government. This constitutes an improvement in the capacity of the social protection system to respond to future shocks.
- A training session was organised in July 2021 on monitoring the social protection situation and strategies for extending social security to workers in the informal economy.
- A meeting of the National Social Protection Platform was organised immediately after the training session and validated recommendations to improve the implementation of the CMU and RSTI. The meeting also adopted a methodology for monitoring social protection in the country.
- A tripartite training and awareness-raising workshop on the extension of social security schemes (CMU, RSTI) to workers in the informal economy was organised in July 2021 and attended by representatives of informal economy workers’ organisations. The two social security schemes (CMU and RSTI) were presented and discussed. Recommendations were adopted to improve their implementation and the collaboration between social security institutions and workers in the informal economy.
Resources
- Report: Capacity building for national actors on monitoring the social protection situation in the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire (July 2021)
- Report: Awareness-raising workshop on the extension of social security schemes (CMU, RSTI) to workers in the informal economy (July 2021)
- Study on the capitalization of national support plans for entrepreneurs and workers in the informal economy in Côte d’Ivoire (August 2021)
- Report: Restitution workshop on the capitalization study of national support plans for entrepreneurs and workers in the informal economy in Côte d’Ivoire (September 2021)
- Validation report “Analysis of the institutional and operational frameworks of existing social protection programmes and mechanisms (CMU & RSTI) for a better coverage of workers and entrepreneurs in the informal economy (February 2022)
- Study “Analysis of the institutional and operational frameworks of existing social protection programmes and mechanisms (CMU & RSTI) for a better coverage of workers and entrepreneurs in the informal economy” (March 2022)
- Report “Digital collection solutions for social security contributions. Definition of the mechanisms and modalities for the collection of contributions due under the CMU and RSTI of certain professional categories” (March 2022)
- Report “Definition of the mechanisms and modalities for the collection of contributions due under the universal health coverage and the social regime for self-employed workers of certain professional categories” (March 2022)
- Report “Cashew nut industry: Definition of the mechanisms and modalities for the collection of contributions due under the universal health coverage and the social regime for self-employed workers of certain professional categories” (March 2022)
Events
- Capacity building for national actors on monitoring the social protection situation in the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire (July 2021): Article Koaci News | Article Agence Ivoirienne de Presse | Article Opera News
- Awareness-raising workshop on the extension of social security schemes (CMU, RSTI) to workers in the informal economy (July 2021): Article Agence Ivoirienne de Presse; TV Reportage
- Restitution workshop on the capitalization study of national support plans for entrepreneurs and workers in the informal economy in Côte d’Ivoire (September 2021): Article Agence Ivoirienne de Presse | Article Fratmat.info | Reportage TV Business 24 | Reportage TV Infos.net
- Validation workshop on the analysis of institutional and operational frameworks of existing social protection programmes and mechanisms (CMU & RSTI) for a better coverage of workers and entrepreneurs in the informal economy (February 2022): Reportage TV Business 24 (minute 07:23) | Article Le Matin.
Project partners
The project’s implementation will be done in partnership with the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection (MESP) through the General Directorate of Social Protection (GDSP) and the General Directorate of Employment (GDE), the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), professional organizations and employers’ and workers’ organizations as well as the European Union Delegation (EUD) in Côte d’Ivoire.
Contacts
Siaka Diane, ILO, National Project Coordinator: diane@ilo.org
Dramane Batchabi, ILO, Social Protection Specialist: batchabi@ilo.org
Workers in the informal economy, Cote d’Ivoire
Restitution workshop on the capitalization study of national support plan for entrepreneurs and workers in the informal economy (Sept 2021)
Report on improving social protection coverage for workers and entrepreneurs in the informal economy
The lessons learned from the pandemic are that countries can no longer allow themselves not to put in place social protection measures. The study on the capitalisation of national support plans for entrepreneurs and workers in the informal economy in Côte d’Ivoire allows for a better understanding of how to provide a framework and support informal economy workers towards formalisation but also towards social protection, which is above all a right.
Participants of workshop discussing the social protection situation in the country (July 2021)
Study on the capitalisation of national support plans for entrepreneurs and workers in the informal economy in Côte d’Ivoire (August 2021)