The Social Protection for Inclusion, Resilience, Innovation, and Transformation (SPIRIT) Program is providing targeted technical assistance to Ukraine in an effort to rebuild inclusive and resilient social systems. The program addresses unmet social needs by focusing on employment services, early childhood development, disability support, veteran reintegration, and pension reform.
SPIRIT aims to strengthen Ukraine's social service infrastructure by modernizing safety nets and improving citizen engagement. The initiative is also working on legislative reforms, digital transformation of services, and more coordinated delivery across sectors.
A partnership between the World Bank, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UNICEF, and various Ukrainian stakeholders—including government ministries, the private sector, civil society organizations, and local communities—drives SPIRIT. The program supports Ukraine’s reform efforts as well as its agenda for European Union accession. Funding comes from the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction, and Reform Trust Fund (URTF) with financial backing from the FCDO.
Implementation involves collaboration with multiple ministries such as Social Policy, Veteran Affairs, Education and Science, Health, Economy; State Employment Services; civil society; academia; private sector entities; and local governments.
As of fall 2025, SPIRIT has used its technical expertise to attract new investment financing for social protection initiatives and early childhood development. The program employs comprehensive assessments and analytics to ensure that policy reforms are coherent across sectors. It also works to coordinate donor activities while embedding mechanisms for citizen engagement.
According to the organizers:
"SPIRIT focuses on strengthening inclusive employment, social service systems, safety nets, and long-term social security, while improving citizen engagement and monitoring living conditions."
Early achievements of SPIRIT include optimizing resource allocation for state employment services through a digital platform; supporting laws aimed at veteran reintegration and entrepreneurship; modernizing disability services by creating integrated assessment frameworks across ministries; developing a joint IMF-World Bank pension reform proposal now under consultation with the Ministry of Social Protection; and establishing legal frameworks that allow local support structures greater flexibility in delivering services.
The program continues to work toward building institutional foundations that can support sustainable growth in Ukraine through innovation in legislation and service delivery.