We’re excited to share a new visual output from the MENASP Network’s “strengthening social protection, security and welfare in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region” project—a set of infographics that bring together key findings from the AHRC GCRF-funded project Strengthening Social Protection, Security and Welfare in the MENA Region. These visuals offer a high-level, accessible summary of the links between social policy, conflict prevention and peacebuilding across the region.
Based on multi-country research and wide-ranging collaborations, the infographics explore how fragmented social protection systems, governance challenges and international interventions intersect with patterns of exclusion, instability and resilience. Rather than treating social policy and conflict as separate spheres, this work highlights the ways in which inclusive and well-designed policies can either mitigate or reinforce political tensions.
Across the MENA region, marginalised groups—including informal workers, refugees, people with disabilities and migrant domestic workers—face significant barriers to accessing social services and protections. The research points to how these gaps are often widened in times of crisis and conflict, and how geopolitical dynamics and climate change further complicate the policy landscape.
The infographics also reflect on the importance of legitimacy, equity and local ownership in building sustainable peace through social policy. Policy recommendations include designing inclusive welfare systems, avoiding identity-based exclusions, strengthening local institutions, and learning from regional frameworks that limit external interference in internal conflicts.
These visuals are intended not only as research summaries, but also as tools for policy dialogue, teaching and advocacy—connecting academic insight with practical impact. They showcase how evidence and collaboration can help shape better outcomes for people across the region.