Across the globe, social protection systems have often proved to be a critical and essential shield against vulnerabilities particularly beset by external shocks. For African societies, the COVID-19 pandemic aggravated gaps in formal social welfare systems which in turn intensified pre-existing gendered vulnerabilities. Several African governments’ existing formal social protection interventions’ coverage grappled to meet the increased demands for social assistance during the pandemic. This led to societies falling back to informal social welfare and protection interventions. Drawing from the Social Relations Framework (SRF), this desk-based review sought to interrogate the gender responsiveness of these traditional systems in promoting equitable and social justice outcomes during crises. Key conclusions indicate that traditional social welfare practices are more transformative and sustainable as they are context specific, controlled, and owned by the communities themselves.