Since August 2020, UNICEF and ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳have been supporting the governments of Mali, Mauritania and Niger (and of Burkina Faso and Chad since 2024) in their social protection response to multiple shocks, through the joint project: Responding to COVID-19 through Social Protection Systems in the Sahel: Responding to the socioeconomic impacts of multiple shocks' (2020-26). A second phase of the project, 'Supporting Social Protection Systems in the Sahel' (2025-28) builds on existing gains and focuses on supporting the set-up of, and bridging the gap towards, national social safety net programmes that can reach scale.