Social Safeguards in Development Projects: From Policy to Practice is a blended learning programme combining three online modules with an intensive face-to-face training week. The programme builds capacity progressively: online modules establish the conceptual and technical foundations, while the face-to-face component focuses on practical application through case studies, group exercises, and peer learning.

The course covers the full spectrum of core social safeguard themes, including risk assessment and management instruments, stakeholder engagement, labour and working conditions, community health and safety, land acquisition and resettlement, and monitoring and reporting. Content is grounded in internationally recognised environmental and social standards applied by major development finance institutions and multilateral development banks, making it applicable across a wide range of institutional contexts.

The programme is delivered over four weeks: three weeks of online self-paced learning (8 hours per module) with live interactive webinars (2 hours per module), followed by a one-week face-to-face training at the ITCILO campus in Turin, Italy, totalling 60 learning hours. Admission requires relevant professional or academic experience. Participants who complete at least 90% of the programme and pass a final assessment will receive an official ITCILO Certificate of Achievement

The programme is delivered over four weeks: three weeks of online self-paced learning (8 hours per module) with live interactive webinars (2 hours per module), followed by a one-week face-to-face training at the ITCILO campus in Turin, Italy, totalling 60 learning hours. Admission requires relevant professional or academic experience. Participants who complete at least 90% of the programme and pass a final assessment will receive an official ITCILO Certificate of Achievement.

• Module 1 (Online): Foundations of Social Safeguards Management. International and national policy frameworks governing social risks, including the WBG ESF, IFC Performance Standards, and other DFI standards. Social risk screening and assessment, risk categorisation, and the Mitigation Hierarchy. Key social safeguard instruments across the project cycle: ESIA, ESMP, SEP, and ESCP. Introduction to stakeholder engagement and monitoring and evaluation as cross-cutting safeguards functions.
• Module 2 (Online): Labour, Working Conditions, and Community Health and Safety. DFI labour requirements and Labour Management Procedures, including employment terms, non-discrimination, child and forced labour prevention, and contractor management. OHS management systems, ILO fundamental principles, freedom of association, and worker grievance mechanisms. Infrastructure-related community health and safety impacts, inclusive design, disease prevention, road safety, and emergency preparedness.
• Module 3 (Online): Land Acquisition, Resettlement, and Restrictions on Land Use. MDB policies and legal frameworks governing land acquisition and involuntary resettlement, including WBG ESS5, IFC PS5, and other DFI standards. Resettlement planning from scoping to RAP development: socioeconomic baseline, asset valuation, eligibility, and livelihood restoration. Stakeholder engagement and grievance mechanisms in resettlement contexts. Restrictions on land use, economic displacement, and the Livelihood Restoration Framework.
• Module 4 (Face-to-Face): Implementing Social Safeguard Instruments and Management Systems. Five-day intensive training applying learning from the online modules through practical exercises, case studies, and peer exchange. Day 1 covers social risk assessment and instruments; Day 2 stakeholder engagement in practice; Day 3 labour, working conditions, and community health and safety; Day 4 land acquisition and resettlement; Day 5 monitoring, reporting, and closing, with M&E as the integrating thread across all social standards.

By the end of this programme, participants will be able to:

• Explain the international and national policy frameworks governing social safeguards in development projects, and how they interact in practice
• Screen and assess social risks and impacts across diverse project types and contexts, applying appropriate risk categorisation and the Mitigation Hierarchy
• Identify, prepare, and apply the key social safeguard instruments required at each stage of the project cycle — including ESIAs, ESMPs, SEPs, and ESCPs
• Design and implement effective stakeholder engagement processes, including for vulnerable and marginalised groups, and navigate complex stakeholder dynamics
• Apply international good practices on labour and working conditions, occupational health and safety, and worker rights throughout project implementation
• Manage community health and safety risks associated with project infrastructure, including inclusive design, disease prevention, and emergency preparedness
• Plan and oversee land acquisition and involuntary resettlement processes in compliance with international standards, including RAP preparation, livelihood restoration, and grievance redress
• Develop monitoring and reporting frameworks that track safeguards performance across all social standards and support adaptive management