A social policy that looks fair on paper can still fail in practice if the economics behind it were never properly tested. Decision-makers are regularly asked to weigh education spending against healthcare, or short-term relief against long-term investment in human capital, without always having the analytical grounding to defend that choice.

This course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy gives participants that grounding. It introduces the core principles of social protection economics through real data analysis and international case studies, so participants can critically assess current government economic and social policies rather than simply describe them, and bring an evidence-based, practical approach to the development debates they are already part of.

Who Should Attend?

• Decision-makers and managers involved in creating development policy processes.

Knowledge and Benefits:

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Think critically and independently about the important aspects of development, social, and economic policy.
• Apply an integrated, aligned-policy approach to strengthen decision-making.
• Address issues of inequality in society through a sounder economic lens.

• Module 1: Why Economic and Social Policy Needs a Foundation

  • The importance of establishing sound economic and social policies.
  • The integrated approach and aligned-policy thinking behind good decision-making.

• Module 2: Reading a Society's Vital Signs

  • Macro-economic challenges and the need for stability.
  • The role of education and investment in human capital, and of health spending.
  • Agriculture, natural resources, demographic trends, and inequality in society.

• Module 3: From Policy Design to Implementation

  • The current development policy environment at a glance.
  • How international and national strategies shape local outcomes.
  • Translating strategy into provincial and local-level action.