Escaping the middle-income trap through decent and productive jobs and social protection: a proof of concept

The joint programme titled "Escaping the middle-income trap through decent and productive jobs and social protection: a proof of concept" supports critical interventions necessary to advance the vast Government reform programme toward systemic improvement in the Georgian social protection system and contribute to Georgia's meeting the requirements of the EU accession process. Despite investments and technology transfers, the country has seen little job creation and significant poverty. To avoid the "middle-income trap," reforms are needed to share prosperity and enable access to productive employment. Funded by the Joint SDG Fund, the programme is jointly implemented by the ILO, UNICEF, and the World Bank and leverages the complementarities of the three organizations. The project embedded into the activities of the Working Group (WG) of the Tripartite Social Partnership Commission (TSPC), thereby using an existing coordination structure in the areas of employment and social protection. The expected results contribute to Outcome 2 and its corresponding Output 2.3 in the draft UN-Georgia Cooperation Framework (2026-2030): The social protection system has increased capacities to identify and respond to population needs and socio-economic changes, including unexpected shocks, thereby reducing life-cycle vulnerabilities for all. Expected Key Results include: • Better quality, data-driven, actionable policy proposals that support the activation of the working-age population and transitions to formal employment. • Improved institutional and stakeholder coordination for the delivery of integrated social protection and employment policy interventions. • A stronger monitoring and evaluation framework that supports social dialogue, evidence-based policy reforms, advocacy, and financial planning.

Project symbol

GEO/25/50/UND

Admin unit

DWT/CO-Budapest

Start date

14/09/2025

End date

14/09/2027

Total allocation

180000

Total expenditure

Status

Active

23809

Development Partners

Multi Partner Trust Fund Office, UNDP

Country/Countries

Georgia

Outcomes

Outcome 7: Universal social protection
Outcome 3: Full and productive employment for just transitions