The Southern African Social Protection Experts Network, SASPEN, is a not-for-profit loose alliance of stakeholders, scholars and consultants who engage with social protection in the SADC region. It promotes the fostering, expansion and improvement of social protection in SADC countries and engages in dissemination and sensitisation by providing platforms for exchange regarding social protection programmes, frameworks, research and consultancies and by creating network structures to link participants with each other and to relevant institutions. Activities of the network may include country workshops, international conferences, seminars, publications, joint research, dissemination of information.

The network is not membership-based. There are two modes of possible involvement by individuals in the network, affiliation and registration. Both modes require participants to create a user account in the web-based network platform www.saspen.org/network. By so doing, participants become affiliates and are subscribed to the network’s emailing list. Those who furthermore express willingness for active participation in network activities by filling out an expert profile qualify for the status of registered network participant.

Registered participants make themselves visible to other registered network participants and in turn receive access to their profiles. They may thus also be visible to third party institutions in search of expertise or services. Institutions can be affiliated to the network and advertise their engagement and activities.

Participation in the network is free and carries no responsibilities or financial rewards or entitlements. No contractual arrangements involving network participants (or facilitated through platforms provided by the network) will include the network but will be subject to individual parties who may link and/or engage through the network.

The operational affairs of the network are maintained by a voluntary steering committee. The records of the network, its participants and activities, the database of registered affiliates and the communicative infrastructure of the network are kept and maintained by a Network Secretariat.

The work of the Steering Committee and of the Network Secretariat is supported by external funding. An Advisory Council of senior experts engaged in the network, who have through past activities and contributions demonstrated their commitment to the network voluntarily advises the network, the network affairs and the steering committee. Membership of the Advisory Council is a privilege available through co-option by the steering committee.