Social protection refers to a set of benefits available (or not available) from the state, market, civil society and households, or through a combination of these agencies, to the individual/households to reduce multi-dimensional deprivation which could be affecting less active poor persons (e.g. the elderly, disabled) and the unemployed. This broad framework makes this concept more acceptable in developing countries than the concept of social security. Social security is more applicable in the conditions, where large numbers of citizens depend on the formal economy for their livelihood. Through a defined contribution, this social security may be managed. But, in the context of wide spread informal economy, formal social security arrangements are almost absent for the vast majority of the working population. Besides, in developing countries, the state’s capacity to reach the vast majority of the poor people may be limited because of its limited resources. In such a context, multiple agencies that could provide social protection are important for policy consideration. The framework of social protection is, thus, capable of holding the state responsible to provide for the poorest sections by regulating non-state agencies.