Social protection key to poverty alleviation

China has an unmatched record of achievement in poverty reduction over the past three and a half decades - accounting for 72 percent of the global reduction in extreme poverty. Last month, at the United Nations General Assembly, President Xi Jinping reiterated China's ambitious targets to further reduce poverty, as 7 percent of the developing world's poor still live in China today.

China's success in poverty reduction is the result of a combination of factors, including strong economic growth, attention to antipoverty programs, and improved access to social services and social protection. Establishing a comprehensive social protection system has been key for China's successful poverty reduction. The Dibao program, which provides cash to China's needy, is the backbone of the system. It is also the largest program of its kind in the world.

It is thus no coincidence that this week almost 250 participants from 75 countries are in Beijing to discuss social protection in an urbanizing world and to learn from China's success and more about its remaining challenges. The event offers an opportunity to discuss the role of social protection in urban areas - a dynamic and catalytic role that bolsters upward mobility through better access to safety nets, housing and jobs tailored to urban settings.