Résumé

Universal social protection is at the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and is also reflected in Pillar 2 of the WHO End TB Strategy (1), which acknowledges social protection and poverty alleviation as integral and essential parts of the global response to TB. During the 2023 High level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the Fight Against Tuberculosis (3) world leaders approved a new political declaration that re-emphasises the critical role of social determinants in perpetuating the cycle of TB and poverty and how these determinants and the socioeconomic consequences of TB are triggered or exacerbated by health and humanitarian crises, including pandemics, disasters and climate change. The 2023 political declaration further emphasises the continued importance of multisectoral action and accountability across the health, nutrition, finance, labour, education and social protection.

This guidance aims to translate existing best practices and current WHO and ILO policies into programmatic actions by providing staff and managers in TB programmes and in ministries of health, along with relevant social protection stakeholders, with:
1. essential notions and the base of evidence to understand how social protection can contribute to ending the TB epidemic;
2. practical advice to plan for inclusive and locally appropriate social protection programmes able to respond to the needs of people affected by TB; and
3. key steps to implement effective social protection strategies and establish strong and sustainable synergies across sectors.