The paper contains a joint statement by the Social Protection Interagency Cooperation Board (SPIAC-B), a coordination mechanism comprising of a broad swath of intergovernmental and bilateral agencies engaged in social protection, drawing from the lessons drawn in the social protection response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its aim is to consolidate the gains made in putting social protection at the core of COVID-19 response and recovery strategies, inform the implementation of actions geared towards strengthening social protection systems so that they can better respond to future shocks, and advocate for further commitment and resources to make universal social protection a reality as part of the Leave No One Behind and 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Key points:

1. Social protection systems are indispensable to overcoming the worst consequences of the global pandemic and to be prepared for future shocks.
2. Yet, the COVID pandemic has exposed significant gaps in access to and coverage provided by social protection systems 
3. Effective extension of social protection to all requires attention to the special needs and the realities of previously excluded groups, especially those facing long-term and structural inequalities
4. Financing gaps to guarantee adequate social protection need to be closed through domestic resource mobilization and, where necessary, international support
5. Delivering social protection requires innovative approaches and the participation of all relevant stakeholders in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of social protection systems