In November 2012, UNDP, UNICEF and WFP organised a high-level social protection policy dialogue with the Government of Swaziland and other development partners. Stephen Devereux made two presentations at this event. Subsequently, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) appointed a technical committee to develop a Joint UN Programme for Social Protection in Swaziland.
The Government of Swaziland has committed to the development of a social protection strategy to contribute towards the fight against absolute poverty, malnutrition, unemployment, and vulnerability. Existing social protection programmes are fragmented and there is a need for a national vision for social protection. In this context, a second national dialogue was convened in August 2015, to provide a platform to further sensitise stakeholders on their roles, especially civil society; and to explore modalities for operationalising effective social protection schemes with lessons from other countries. The ultimate objective of the national dialogue was to generate background material towards developing a draft national policy and strategy on social protection.
Stephen Devereux made three presentations at this event, and designed and facilitated a half-day workshop on building a social protection system in Swaziland.