In recent years, many Arab countries devoted substantial efforts to reforming their social protection systems by extending the coverage, reducing fragmentation and improving sustainability of social insurance systems, introducing targeted social assistance schemes, improving access to basic health services and establishing integrated registries and information systems.

Acknowledging the significant efforts made by the governments of most countries to transform their social protection systems, ESCWA is producing the first regional report dedicated to social protection reform in the Arab region. The report will provide a good opportunity to showcase success stories, highlight recent achievements of the region and discuss remaining challenges. The report encourages a systems approach to social protection and calls upon governments to better integrate different parts of social insurance, social assistance, and health care, including through the establishment of integrated management information system