Access to social protection is not only a moral imperative, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international agreements, but also a critical ingredient for economic growth. Investing for an educated and healthy workforce can foster transitions from low productivity jobs to decent, high productivity jobs. Social protection serves as a stabilizer in times of crisis, providing much-needed income that can maintain or even boost demand and consumption during economic downturns. These positive impacts on workers and the resilience of national economies make social protection systems an attractive investment for many countries and one that will support them in their efforts towards sustainable economic growth.