Africa platform for Social protection (APSP) hold dear citizen inclusivity and participation in state services that directly impact on their quality of life .This helps in improving transparency and better resource utilization.
By staying involved, citizens can hold leaders accountable and help build a fairer, more effective social protection system.
Here’s how citizen involvement benefits them:
Care Economy (e.g., unpaid caregivers, domestic workers)
- Ensures recognition of unpaid care work (mostly done by women).
- Advocates for better wages, rights, and protections for domestic workers.
- Pushes for policies like paid maternity leave and childcare services.
Informal Economy (e.g., street vendors, casual laborers)
- Ensures access to social protection like health insurance, pensions, and other subsidies.
- Reduces discrimination in accessing public services.
- Ensures that governments create policies that are inclusive of informal workers and domestic care workers who are often invisible, undervalued and unrecognized.
Gender
- Ensures gender-sensitive policies in social protection.
- Encourages equal pay, especially for reproductive healthcare and other care work
- Advocates for inclusive programs that address specific gender needs.
Youth and Children
- Ensures proper funding for education, healthcare, and child protection.
- Promotes youth employment programs and skills training.
- Protects children from child labour, exploitation, and abuse.
Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)
- Ensures access to disability-friendly services, assistive devices, and inclusive education.
- Pushes for enforcement of laws that protect their rights and provide financial support.
- Involves PWDs in decision-making so policies reflect their real needs.
Outcome of Citizen Engagement and why it matters
- Better Services – When citizens monitor and give feedback, governments are more likely to improve healthcare, education, and other essential services.
- Prevents Corruption – Public participation reduces the risk of funds being misused or stolen.
- Fair Distribution – It helps ensure that resources reach the people who need them most, rather than being given unfairly to a few.
- Stronger Trust – When citizens see that their voices matter, they trust the government more and engage in positive change.
