12. AFRONOMICS: The Future of Work in Africa - The Role of Social Protection

"The role of social protection in helping workers, especially the most vulnerable, transition into the jobs and technologies of the future." The 2019 World Development Report focused on the Future of Work on a global scale, highlight... view more "The role of social protection in helping workers, especially the most vulnerable, transition into the jobs and technologies of the future." The 2019 World Development Report focused on the Future of Work on a global scale, highlighting the real tension between job losses in “old” manufacturing sectors that are susceptible to automation, and potential job gains driven by innovation in “new” sectors. Our Africa-focused companion report, released in July 2019, finds that Africa has a chance to take a different path – if governments and businesses can take advantage of digital technologies, and if the right policies and investments are in place. Part two of this two-part podcast examines the role of social protection in helping workers, especially the most vulnerable, transition into the jobs and technologies of the future. Host Albert Zeufack welcomes Zainab Usman, Social Scientist in the Office of the Chief Economist for Africa at the World Bank, and co-author of the World Bank’s recent Future of Work in Africa report. view less

Learning Mode:
Podcast
Topics: Social Assistance, Social Inclusion, Vulnerable Groups, Social Protection and Labor, Economic and Social Mobility, Labor Markets, Informal Sector, Active Labor Market Policies, Private Sector Development, Entrepreneurship, Cash Transfers, Changing Nature of Jobs, Climate Change and Vulnerable Groups, Safety Nets, Informality, Passive Labor Market Policies, Informal Employment, Efficiency of Resource Allocation, Employability, Skills and Jobs, Social Protection and Growth
Regions:
Africa
Keywords:
Africa, Social Protection, unconditional cash transfers, social policy expenditure, revenue mobilization, spending efficiency, job transition, Poverty, vulnerability, pension and safety nets, Social Protection and jobs, Future of Work, Cash Transfers, informality, social assistance, Pensions, Informal Economy, Training Hubs, Private Sector, CSR, corporate social responsibility
Language:
English
Length:
00:15:00

Presenter Info

Zainab Usman

Public Sector Specialist, Africa Zainab Usman is currently at the Office of the Chief Economist, Africa Region, as a Public Sector Specialist. She joined the World Bank in 2016 as a Young Professional in the Social, Urban, Rural, and Resilience (SURR) and later the Energy and Extractives (EEX) Global Practices. Her interests are in the governance and institutions around natural resources management, energy sector reforms, and economic policy in Africa as well as south-south economic relations. She holds a Ph.D. in International Development from the University of Oxford.