Resilient people, resilient systems: The essential role of social protection in a polycrisis world

Abstract Resilience, increasingly emphasized in both development and humanitarian discourses, is a complex concept that is often treated simplistically, leading to residualist or reactive interventions that do not consider the structural causes of vulnerability. Moreover, there is often confusion between “people‐centred” and “systems‐centred” approaches. This article argues for a holistic approach. Resilient individuals, households and communities (IHC) are a desired outcome that can only be achieved by building social protection, disaster risk management (DRM) and food systems that are efficient, sustainable and resilient. Resilient social protection systems must be constructed to deliver appropriate, adequate and timely support that builds the resilience of all IHC, in the context of rising shocks, stressors and polycrisis. This article presents resilience‐building through social protection not as a static endpoint, but as a continuum within the broader humanitarian‐development trajectory. These two perspectives – resilient people and resilient systems – delineate three core pathways of social protection’s contribution to resilience outcomes: enhancing IHC assets, strengthening systemic capacities, and coordinating with other sectors and systems. Two case studies are analysed. Brazil’s integrated approach includes delivering adequate and comprehensive social protection to realize the human right to adequate food, but also strengthening delivery mechanisms using the social registry and coordinating with DRM and other sectors. India’s Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) builds absorptive and adaptive resilience, by choosing community public works projects that drought‐proof rural livelihoods against climate risks. Although innovative ideas are being piloted through MGNREGS, an important conclusion of this article is that projectized responses should not be introduced if they divert attention and resources away from strengthening the core social protection system and extending coverage.