ESCWA Publication: E/ESCWA/CL2.GPID/2023/GLOSSARY.1
Country: Arab region
Publication Type: Information material
Cluster: Governance and Conflict Prevention
Focus Area: 2030 Agenda
Initiatives: Reforming social protection systems
SDGs: Agenda 2030
Keywords: Social protection, Glossaries, Arab countries, Languages, Translation, Terms and phrases, Vocabulary, Arabic language, English language, French language, Terminology
Trilingual Glossary of Key Social Protection Terminology - Volume 1
March 2023
The world of social protection has become ever more technical and complex in recent years. Along with this, a vast nomenclature proliferated that at times appears confusing or overlapping. Even in professional contexts, the terminology of social protection is not always used in a uniform manner, which at times can render discussions between policymakers and technical experts to be rather confounding.
In the Arab region, this complexity is amplified by the multifaceted Arab language, which requires speakers to be even more precise in formulating to ensure meanings are conveyed as intended. Additionally, in several Arab countries, French is used as the preferred language in political and technical discussions and publications.
Against this background, this trilingual glossary aims to promote a common understanding and usage of key social protection terminology to reduce ambiguity. While far from complete and expected to evolve over time, the glossary aims to reduce complexity for policy makers and technical experts across the language barriers by using a plain language for definitions and accurate translations into Arabic and French, using the United Nations (UN) standard vocabulary. The definitions and concepts included in the glossary were selected from the daily practice of the social protection themes at UNESCWA, in addition to those commonly used in relevant literature.
It should be noted that this edition of the Glossary of Social Protection Terms is the first one and will be continuously revised and updated in line with developments in the language and technical vocabulary of social protection.
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2030 Agenda
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The world of social protection has become ever more technical and complex in recent years. Along with this, a vast nomenclature proliferated that at times appears confusing or overlapping. Even in professional contexts, the terminology of social protection is not always used in a uniform manner, which at times can render discussions between policymakers and technical experts to be rather confounding.
In the Arab region, this complexity is amplified by the multifaceted Arab language, which requires speakers to be even more precise in formulating to ensure meanings are conveyed as intended. Additionally, in several Arab countries, French is used as the preferred language in political and technical discussions and publications.
Against this background, this trilingual glossary aims to promote a common understanding and usage of key social protection terminology to reduce ambiguity. While far from complete and expected to evolve over time, the glossary aims to reduce complexity for policy makers and technical experts across the language barriers by using a plain language for definitions and accurate translations into Arabic and French, using the United Nations (UN) standard vocabulary. The definitions and concepts included in the glossary were selected from the daily practice of the social protection themes at UNESCWA, in addition to those commonly used in relevant literature.
It should be noted that this edition of the Glossary of Social Protection Terms is the first one and will be continuously revised and updated in line with developments in the language and technical vocabulary of social protection.
