Social protection is a human right and a key intervention in protecting against poverty and enabling sustainable growth. As new social protection instruments are designed for new challenges, such as external shocks (climate events, natural disasters, pandemics, wars/conflicts, displacement), there is a need to understand programmes better, and to consider gender implications. This scoping review aimed to review knowledge regarding how social protection is implemented to address gender equality and external shock in Africa and what should be considered in the expansion of these programmes.