UNFPA Representative in Egypt Yves Sassenrath underlined universal health coverage and essential data are two pillars of an efficient social protection system, in a panel discussion at the Global Congress on Population, Health and Human Development on October 23.

The panel was opened by Dr. Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity, and included Dr. Adel Abdellatif, Human Development Expert and UNDP Former Executive Director, Dr. Imane Helmy, Senior Economist at World Bank’s Poverty and Equity Global Practice, Mr. Fekadu Terefe, Programme, Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development Specialist at UNDP.

Titled "Beyond Income Inequality: Recalibrating Growth Strategies for Stronger, More Inclusive Social Protection Systems,” the panel tackled the main constraints and challenges standing in the way of inclusive social protection systems as well as innovative approaches connecting inequality data and social protection.

“Universal health coverage is a pillar of any social protection system,” Sassenrath said, “poverty and discrimination prevent access to basic health services.”

He explained that investing in the health of women and girls therefore is key for social protection.

Sassenrath also highlighted the power of data when discussion social protection systems, saying we need to “make the invisible, visible.”

“We need to ensure a reliable inclusive and efficient social protection system, and that is only possible if based on essential data,” he said.  

UNFPA Representative in Egypt Yves Sassenrath underlined universal health coverage and essential data are two pillars of an efficient social protection system, in a panel discussion at the Global Congress on Population, Health and Human Development on October 23.

The panel was opened by Dr. Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity, and included Dr. Adel Abdellatif, Human Development Expert and UNDP Former Executive Director, Dr. Imane Helmy, Senior Economist at World Bank’s Poverty and Equity Global Practice, Mr. Fekadu Terefe, Programme, Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development Specialist at UNDP.

Titled "Beyond Income Inequality: Recalibrating Growth Strategies for Stronger, More Inclusive Social Protection Systems,” the panel tackled the main constraints and challenges standing in the way of inclusive social protection systems as well as innovative approaches connecting inequality data and social protection.

“Universal health coverage is a pillar of any social protection system,” Sassenrath said, “poverty and discrimination prevent access to basic health services.”

He explained that investing in the health of women and girls therefore is key for social protection.

Sassenrath also highlighted the power of data when discussion social protection systems, saying we need to “make the invisible, visible.”

“We need to ensure a reliable inclusive and efficient social protection system, and that is only possible if based on essential data,” he said.