Section 1 - The Single Window Service concept

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Section 1 - The Single Window Service concept

The Single Window Service (SWS) concept stems from the guiding principles enshrined in the Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202). The SWS advocates coordination and monitoring of all social protection and employment programmes through empowerment of the sub-national administration.

The SWS is a “one-stop shop” for the delivery of social protection programmes and employment services. Embedded in government institutions and operated by the sub-national administration, the SWS is linked to the central level via a formalized reporting system. This reporting mechanism should ensure the transparency and traceability of the social protection system. It also facilitates better coordination between the local level (responsible for service delivery) and the central/national level (responsible for policy development, planning, monitoring and evaluation). 

The SWS performs the following tasks:

• Information dissemination on existing programmes;
• Enrolment facilitation in the SSDM and applications to social programmes;
• Maintenance of the management information system;
• Assistance in the appeals process; and
• Provision of services.

Families or individuals register in a single office at sub-national level. An assigned “case manager” assesses the vulnerabilities and skills of potential beneficiaries, develops a personalized plan with them covering skills development, enterprise creation or job placement, channels information on all social services they are entitled to, provides support for registration to the schemes, delivers social protection ID cards, facilitates access to benefits in cash or in kind, and collects contributions (if any).

Similar mechanisms have already been successfully implemented in countries including India, Brazil, Chile, South Africa, and Pakistan

For more information on the Single Window Service