WHO Emphasises Community-Led Social Protection for Emergency Preparedness
Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the importance of placing communities at the centre of emergency preparedness and response, noting that strong social protection systems are essential for reducing the impact of crises on vulnerable populations.
The global health body made the call in a report released Friday following an international discussion held on January 29, 2026, where more than 750 participants from 170 countries joined a virtual webinar.
The event, organised by WHO and UNICEF, was titled Ready and Resilient: Community Social Protection for Preparedness and Response.
Participants included policymakers, humanitarian organisations, civil society groups, community representatives and development practitioners.
According to WHO, communities should not only be seen as recipients of aid during emergencies but also as active partners in protection and resilience building.
The initiative forms part of the WHO Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Community Protection Framework, which promotes community-centred protection strategies.
The framework encourages multisectoral coordination, ensuring that social and economic protection systems complement health responses during crises.
Experts at the meeting stressed the importance of collaboration across sectors such as health, education, livelihoods and governance in preparedness planning.
They noted that vulnerable populations including children, adolescents, people with disabilities and individuals living with non-communicable diseases often face heightened risks during emergencies.
Participants also emphasised integrating social protection programmes with health services and local governance systems to ensure continuity of essential services.
Cash and Voucher Assistance programmes were identified as effective tools for helping families overcome financial barriers to accessing healthcare during outbreaks.
The discussion further underscored the need to strengthen community leadership and existing local networks to improve preparedness.
WHO concluded that strengthening community-based social protection is not only a matter of equity but also a strategic investment in resilient and emergency-ready health systems.
About the Author
Korede Abdullah 
Otamere Gladness 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 