Foundations for Social Protection Microlearning

You’ll also see how systems, policies and laws make it last, and the emerging issues shaping its future: gender and inclusion, climate shocks, informal workers and digital delivery. Every lesson uses real examples from East, West, Southern and North Africa.

How it's delivered. Fully online and self-paced on Mizizi, designed for phones and low data. Each lesson takes about 15 minutes: a short video or slides, a plain-language lesson page, an African country example and a quick self-check. New lessons open daily from 3 to 30 November 2026. Each module ends with a short quiz and a practical assignment due at 23:59 East Africa Time. Faculty answer questions in the module discussion forums.

• 1. Explain in plain words what social protection is, and its four functions: protect, prevent, promote and transform..
• 2. Describe the main risks people face at each stage of life, and name a programme that responds to each using the life cycle Approach..
• 3. Tell contributory and non-contributory schemes apart, and explain how a pension system protects older people..
• 4. Describe how a social protection system targets, registers and pays people, and how people complain or appeal..
• 5. Explain why policies, laws and budgets matter, including the African Union Protocol on social protection..
• 6. Discuss emerging issues: gender equality, disability and social inclusion; climate shocks; informal workers; and digital delivery..
• 7. Give at least one example of social protection from each of East, West, Southern and North Africa..

In four weeks of short lessons, you'll go from "what is social protection?" to explaining how it works in your own country, with real African examples to back you up.

• 1. A clear, plain-language understanding of social protection and its four functions.
• 2. A life-cycle map of the risks and programmes in your country.
• 3. A one-page social protection snapshot of your own country or county.
• 4. A group comparison of four African programmes, one from each region.
• 5. A glossary of the key social protection terms.
• 6. A certificate of completion from the Institute for Social Policy.
• 7. A route into the Certified Social Protection Professional (CSPP) course.