On 29 October 2025, the Global Tripartite Advisory Committee (GTAC), a key tripartite body guiding the ILO's Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All (SPF Flagship Programme), assessed progress and impact achieved so far under the second phase (2021-2025), and discussed the development of the third phase as well as resource mobilization challenges and opportunities. As a tripartite body, the GTAC plays a central role in the governance of the SPF Flagship Programme. It includes government representatives from development partners and priority countries, together with representatives from the Employers' and Workers' Groups.
Ms Shahra Razavi, Director of the Universal Social Protection Department, and Mr Peter van de Rooij, Director of the Multilateral Partnerships and Development Cooperation Department, opened the meeting, highlighting the global recognition of social protection as a key priority for combating poverty, reducing inequalities and facilitating just transitions as well as the importance of continued efforts and partnerships to achieve universal social protection.
Ms Valérie Schmitt, Deputy Director of the Universal Social Protection Department and Head of the SPF Flagship Programme, as well as other members of the SPF Flagship Programme, shared insights on the results and impact achieved, good practices from countries and regions, and the partnerships forged during the second phase (2021-2025). The SPF Flapship Programme has already exceeded its targets, supporting 50 countries in achieving 149 key institutional changes, including new laws, development of schemes, or better monitoring and financing systems for social protection, and extending social protection coverage to nearly 56 million people across partner countries.
Building on these achievements, the meeting focused on shaping the strategy for Phase III (2026-2030), drawing lessons from its current Phase and several consultations with development partners, governments, social partners and ILO experts. The forthcoming strategy, to be finalized by early 2026, focuses on building and strengthening inclusive social protection systems that cover all branches of social security and extend coverage to priority groups such as informal economy workers, refugees, and migrants. At the same time, it also seeks to leverage social protection to support just transitions -driving formalization, greener and more resilient economies, digital transformation, crisis recovery, and responses to demographic change. As drivers for reaching these objectives, the framework emphasizes sustainable financing and policy coherence, promoting domestic resource mobilization, private-sector engagement, and evidence-based advocacy to expand social protection investment. The session concluded with an update on resource mobilization efforts, outlining progress made and remaining funding gaps.
