Sector Strategy

With a variety of instruments, the World Bank social protection strategy aims to address all of the challenges in Europe and Central Asia.

· Labor market interventions – promotion of liberalized labor market together with well-designed active labor market programs to tackle immediate unemployment issues in addition to redeployment programs for former soldiers in post-conflict countries.

· Pension reform – active support for pension reforms which improve fiscal sustainability, provide adequate pensions, and minimize distortions to the labor market, including introduction of multi-pillar schemes.

· Introduction of new social assistance programs – income-tested benefits, conditional cash transfers and workfare programs.

· Social funds – used to address post-conflict situations and social exclusion by empowering local communities to identify their own needs and deliver social services where they are most needed.