• The World Bank

    Social Protection Response Umbrella Program (SPR)

    A global partnership to deliver social protection and employment support at scale

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    Rapid Social Response Retrospective

    15 years of impact, learning, and partnership: helping countries protect people and build resilience

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Around the world, families turn to social protection when crisis strikes but they also need support that helps them move forward. The Social Protection Response (SPR) Program brings countries and partners together to strengthen social protection and labor programs so people can recover from shocks, find economic opportunities, and build more secure futures.

Launched in 2023, SPR turns a global promise—reaching 500 million people with social protection and employment support by 2030—into action. Building on 15 years of experience from the Rapid Social Response Program, SPR brings together evidence, innovation, and practical support to help countries deliver lasting impact for people at scale.

The SPR supports five core pillars of work.  The program uses data and diagnostics to identify priorities, supports innovation and testing to show what works, and translates lessons into evidence-based tools that strengthen system design and delivery. Through knowledge sharing, countries learn from one another, while hands-on technical support helps governments put reforms into practice. Together, these pillars guide SPR’s efforts to support learning, advocacy, and financing solutions in addressing today's pressing challenges.

With support from the Government of Norway and the Gates Foundation, SPR helps countries scale nutrition-sensitive social protection programs, strengthening food systems, expanding economic opportunities, and improving preparedness for food crises.

As of January 2026, SPR supports 29 grants and provides on-demand technical assistance to advance food nutrition and security across 27 country teams.  

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SPR supports countries in fragile and conflict-affected settings to protect human capital, create jobs, and rebuild resilience. Financed by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), this work include a specific focus on addressing risks faced by women and girls.

As of January 2026, SPR supports 8 grants and provides on-demand technical assistance across 7 country teams. 

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With support from the European Commission, SPR helps countries modernize social protection systems through digital identification, social registries, payment platforms, and management systems, making programs faster, more inclusive, and more transparent.

As of January 2026, SPR supports 14 grants and provides on-demand technical assistance to strengthen the delivery infrastructure for social services across 11 country teams. 

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SPR leads the M-GA: a global partnership that brings together the United Nations and the World Bank to strengthen collaboration on jobs and social protection. Supported by Germany, Ireland, and Spain, this initiative promotes the expansion of decent employment opportunities and universal social protection worldwide.

As of January 2026, SPR supports 34 grants and provides on-demand technical assistance to advance joint action on jobs and social protection across 31 country teams.

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SPR promotes inclusive, scalable solutions to employment challenges by engaging the private sector, supporting mobility, and expanding workplace-based learning opportunities, especially for women, youth, migrants, refugees, and other underserved groups.

SPR will host the next generation of investments to advance World Bank Group partnerships on international labor mobility, includng Global Skills Partnerships, and on youth employment leveraging the Solutions for Youth Employment network.

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  • Social Protection Response

    Social Protection Response Program

    A global partnership scaling social protection and employment support to reach 500 million people.

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