Asia-Pacific Achieves Milestone in Social Protection Coverage, But Faces Urgent Challenges Amid Climate Change

The World Social Protection Report 2024-26: Universal social protection for climate action and a just transition, highlights both progress and significant disparities among countries in the region.

The Asia-Pacific region reached a historic milestone in 2023, with 53.6% of its population now covered by at least one social protection benefit, according to a new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO). This surpasses the global average of 52.4%, but 2.1 billion people in the region remain unprotected against various socio-economic risks.

The World Social Protection Report 2024-26: Universal social protection for climate action and a just transition, highlights both progress and significant disparities among countries in the region. While Eastern Asia saw a 15.2 percentage-point increase in coverage since 2015, Southern Asia still lags behind, with a substantial gender gap in access to benefits.

Challenges include the financial sustainability of social protection systems, which only account for 11.8% of the region’s GDP, far below the global average of 19.3%. The report emphasizes that robust social protection systems are critical for supporting climate change mitigation efforts and ensuring a just transition towards a green economy.