The Social Protection Policy is oriented toward an ambitious long-term vision, from a perspective of 20 years. By 2040, Somalia will have progressively established a functional social protection system which delivers predictable assistance through the lifecycle, according to a consensus across Somali society identifying the most vulnerable.

Vulnerability in Somalia is multidimensional and poor households are more likely to be deprived beyond monetary poverty, including literacy and education attainment, labour force participation, access to quality housing and improved water and sanitation. For example, nearly half of the population does not reach the average consumption of food items, confirming the dire living standards of most Somalis. Thus, in addition to seven in ten people being below the poverty line, a further one in ten people are vulnerable to falling below the poverty line during a shock. In this context, the Shock Responsive Safety Net for Human Capital Project (SNHCP) – BAXNAANO builds a bridge beyond the humanitarian approach, addressing Somalia’s immediate food security and nutrition issues, while also laying the foundations for human capital investment over the longer-term by ensuring a shock Responsive Safety Net.