Video of the Webinar “Progressive realisation: Building inclusive social protection systems in low- and middle-income countries using the principle of universality”

The video of the webinar “Progressive realisation: Building inclusive social protection systems in low- and middle-income countries using the principle of universality” is now online. The webinar was held on Tuesday, November 22, 2022.

Speakers

Daisy Sibun, Social Policy Specialist at Development Pathways, author of ‘Can a leopard change its spots? A critical analysis of the World Bank’s ‘progressive universalism’ approach to social protection (download the presentation)

Marion Ouma, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Nordic Africa Institute

Stephen Kidd, Principal Social Policy Specialist at Development Pathways

Moderator: Lena Simet, Senior Researcher and Advocate, Human Rights Watch

Background

There is broad consensus that expansion of social protection is a necessary response to the global food and economic crises. But an immediate reaction when universal social protection is proposed is often that “it is impossible, because it is too expensive!” or perhaps “we agree that universal social protection is the ultimate goal, but we must see it as a long-term vision. For now, we must target the poorest”. At this webinar we show how, in actual fact, universal programmes are a feasible and far more effective policy alternative to poverty targeting available to low- and middle-income countries. And, critically, that universality can be affordable if programmes are gradually introduced but maintain the principle of universality in their approach from day one.

Daisy Sibun launched a new paper, ‘Can a leopard change its spots? A critical analysis of the World Bank’s ‘progressive universalism’ approach to social protection (Executive summary). The paper critically analyses the justification through which the World Bank continues to promote poverty targeted programmes, despite its more recent high-level support for the idea of universal social protection, and contrasts it with the human rights-based approach to social protection as promoted by the ILO.

Stephen Kidd presented evidence on how countries can implement universal social protection schemes progressively in an affordable way through the reports Building universal social security systems using the principle of universality and Taking stock of progress: A compilation of inclusive social security programmes in low- and middle-income countries.

This event was co-organised by Act Church of Sweden, Action Against Hunger France, Development Pathways and Human Rights Watch, with the support of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (GCSPF).

Response from the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors to the World Bank’s new Strategy for Social Protection.

Download pdf version.

With this statement, the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (GCSPF), representing more than 120 civil society organisations and trade unions from all over the world, intends to react to the World Bank’s new strategy for social protection, published under the title “Charting a Course Towards Universal Social Protection: Resilience, Equity, and Opportunity for all”.

Recognising the human right to social security, as well as the central role that social protection plays in ensuring adequate standards of living, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth, enhancing resilience, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs), the GCSPF promotes the right of all people to social security and universal Social Protection Floors (SPF).

The GCSPF therefore welcomes the explicit commitment by the World Bank to Universal Social Protection (USP). We further appreciate the strategy’s systems approach to social protection, emphasising that comprehensive and effective coverage requires expansions of interconnected social insurance, social assistance, economic inclusion programmes, and care services. The recognition that social protection is not just an effective tool to fight poverty, but also vital to help people face a wider range of challenges and vulnerabilities throughout their lives, is likewise important. The emphasis that social protection, as well as tax systems, can reduce inequality is also crucial. While ambitious plans to expand coverage are necessary to close the large coverage gaps, the World Bank’s strategy rightly highlights the importance of ensuring the adequacy of benefits and the inclusion of marginalised and vulnerable groups that may face barriers to access. Given the widespread exclusion of informal workers from social protection systems, it is encouraging that efforts to extend coverage to the ‘missing majority’ are central to the World Bank’s new strategy.

The GCSPF also agrees that social spending is a necessary and effective investment in human development, as well as inclusive and sustainable growth. We hope that the new World Bank strategy represents a step up of support from International Financial Institutions on social protection, enabling in particular low-income countries to put in place adequate and comprehensive social protection systems in line with people’s rights. Increased investment in social protection is particularly important in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has decimated the incomes of the world’s poorest people and left low-income countries exposed to the current social, economic and ecological ‘polycrises’.

While the GCSPF appreciates the overall direction of the World Bank’s new social protection strategy, we have a number of serious concerns. Primarily, we are surprised by the lack of references and alignment with human rights and international labour standards. It thus appears as though the World Bank’s vision of universal social protection deviates from internationally agreed commitments and definitions, in particular social security minimum standards set out in ILO Convention 102 and Recommendation 202.

The GCSPF also disagrees with the role that private finance is accorded, as well as the promotion of voluntary private schemes, which are promoted as key mechanisms to expand coverage, in particular for informal workers, and presented as ‘alternatives’ rather than complements to public social security. Given the often low and volatile earnings of informal workers, and following the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, it is questionable whether individual savings accounts alone will offer much protection. The continued promotion of individualised and privatised approaches to social protection is all the more disappointing as the strategy recognises that the previous wave of pension privatisations in Latin America and Eastern Europe “did not lead to the expansion in coverage that early reformers envisioned, and the systems are also increasingly failing to deliver adequate pensions” (page 36). It is therefore crucial that the World Bank re-considers these efforts to individualise and privatise social protection and recognizes that the responsibility to realise the human right to social security cannot fall entirely on individuals but is instead a responsibility of governments. The GCSPF disagrees with the World Bank’s dismissive stance towards public social insurance systems and their ability to include informal workers, which certainly requires adaptations of systems but is clearly possible, as a number of countries are showing.

Even though the strategy is framed around universal social protection, it underplays existing efforts of governments to provide universal protection. The strategy claims that governments “have played a role in increasing access to risk management tools, but only in limited ways. [...]. First, they provide social assistance to a limited portion of the population who are either income-poor or vulnerable” (page 18). This ignores the fact that numerous countries across the income spectrum have made significant progress towards USP and introduced universal child benefits and social pensions.

While rightly emphasising the importance of reaching excluded and hard-to-reach groups, the strategy fails to recognise that universal programs tend to be the most effective way to reach all and leave no one behind. More generally, the strategy lacks a clearly articulated and credible pathway for the progression from largely poverty-targeted to universal systems. Therefore, we call on the World Bank to develop, through meaningful consultation, concrete action plans at national levels to move towards universality. It is concerning that in the recent past, the World Bank has discouraged or opposed the introduction of universal programs in many contexts. Moreover, we are worried that the World Bank is blurring the conceptual distinction between means-tested and universal benefits in an effort to reconcile the discrepancy between its endorsement of USP and its continued operational focus on narrowly targeted ‘safety nets’. While the strategy is less explicitly advocating for poverty-targeting than previous documents and refers to ‘progressive realization’ rather than “progressive universalism” the World Bank’s approach still fails to live up to the principles of social protection standards. Indeed, the persistent focus on poverty-targeting is evident in the promotion of ‘social registries’. While recognising significant challenges in their design and implementation, the strategy does not present convincing arguments or evidence that “dynamic inclusion” can overcome these challenges.

Despite welcoming the necessity of addressing unpaid care and domestic work, it is concerning that the World Bank appears to assume that the default provider of care services should be the private sector, with the state merely regulating or providing financing. Indeed, public care services are presented as if they were needed only in case of particular difficulties in the household. The GCSPF reiterates that care and education services should be publicly organised and accessible to all. The strategy could offer a more critical framing of the burden of unpaid domestic work, recognising the role of patriarchy, and that the impact of austerity on households is often cushioned by women absorbing both paid employment and domestic responsibilities simultaneously.

Finally, while appreciating the opportunities to engage with the World Bank during the development of the strategy, we regret that it was shared only in its final form, with no possibility to react to it. In addition, the finalised version did not take on board the comments provided by civil society in the process.

The strategy closes by stressing the importance of partnerships and collaboration between governments, donors, civil society, labour unions, and the private sector to achieve universal protection. As civil society, we intend to do our part by holding duty bearers to account, amplifying the voices of the people, and supporting the realisation of universal and rights-based social protection for all. We call on the World Bank to ensure the meaningful participation of civil society, unions and workers’ organisations in the operationalisation of the strategy at all levels.

November 2022.

e-GCSPF #78 - November 2022
 

Launch of the "Global Solidarity Funding For Social Protection" Report

   
 

UNU-MERIT will host the virtual launch of the “Global Solidarity Funding For Social Protection” report.
Date: 08 November 2022 - Time: 14:00 - 15:30 CEST - Registration.
During the launch event, key stakeholders from FES, ILO, World Bank and UNU-MERIT will jointly discuss topics of financing and extending social protection floors. The exchange will focus on the opportunity and cost of implementing a global mechanism for cofinancing social protection floors. Read more

   
   
 

How low- and middle- income countries can implement universal social protection progressively

   
 

There is broad consensus that expansion of social protection is a necessary response to the global food and economic crises. But an immediate reaction of countries when approached with the solution of universal social protection is “we can’t afford that!”. Today, the teams at ACT Church of Sweden, Development Pathways and Action Against Hunger show how, in actual fact, universality can be affordable.
Daisy Sibun will be launching a new paper, ‘Can a leopard change its spots? A critical analysis of the World Bank’s ‘progressive universalism’ approach to social protection’. The paper scrutinises the justification through which the World Bank continues to promote poverty targeted programmes, despite its more recent high-level support for the idea of universal social protection, and contrasts it with the human rights-based approach to social protection as promoted by the ILO. Tuesday, November 22, 2022 - 2 PM - 3 PM CET - Register - Read more

   
   
 

Webinar presentation and recording: Work Bank, IMF and Universal Social Protection following COVID-19: The Good, the Bad and the Unclear

   
 

Representatives from different CSOs, unions and workers’ organisations shared their perspectives on whether, and if so, how, IFIs have changed their position on social protection in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on newly published evidence, we discussed what is new regarding IFI’s engagement on social protection, what counts as progress, and what are areas where IFIs may continue to fall short on realising the right to social protection for all. Watch the recording

   
   
 

USP2030: Principles for Financing Universal Social Protection

   
 

The Financing Working Group of the Global Partnership on Universal Social Protection (USP 2030) realeased a joint statement on key principles for financing social protection.
Universal social protection is an essential means to prevent and reduce poverty and inequality and is at core of the social contract that connects the state with the society, contributing to more inclusive, equitable, stable, and peaceful societies. With the ongoing economic effects of COVID-19, the unfolding cost of living crisis, and the ever-growing impacts of climate breakdown the need for social protection has never been greater. And yet large and entrenched coverage gaps remain, with a lack of available and accessible financing a major bottleneck in achieving universal social protection. In light of this challenge the USP2030 working group on financing has jointly agreed the following key principles to guide the international and national financing of social protection Read more

   
   
 

Global Inequality: Don’t Look Up!

   
 

By Francine Mestrum, Global Social Justice (Brussels)
Today, inequality is high on the international agenda. After the hype on poverty – Millennium Development Goals -, U.N. organisations and the Bretton Woods institutions play a major role in producing and distributing knowledge on the different dimensions of inequality and on how it is shaping today’s world and its perspectives on development.
In this contribution, I want to examine what knowledge these institutions create and disseminate about ‘inequality’ and how this knowledge has evolved since their inception – the end of the Second World War and the start of a decolonisation process with an associated development project. Read more

   
   
 

World Bank Guidance for Universal Social Protection is Lacking

   
 

By Lena Simet
The World Bank published their new Social Protection and Jobs sector strategy, also known as the SPJ Compass. The strategy makes a strong commitment to USP. However, its guidance on how countries can get there is problematic.
Human Rights Watch and others, including a recent study by the nongovernmental organization Development Pathways, have found that poverty targeted programs fall short in protecting human rights, are prone to mismanagement and corruption, and that they can stigmatize people in poverty. Everyone has the right to social security, which is key to securing other economic and social rights, in particular the right to an adequate standard of living, which includes the rights to food and to adequate housing. Read more

   
   
 

October SP&PFM e-News

   
 

Read here the October SP&PFM e-News! This newsletter communicates about ongoing activities and results from the Improving Synergies Between Social Protection and Public Finance Management programme (SP&PFM). SP&PFM is a joint collaboration between the EU, ILO, UNICEF and the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (GCSPF), which provides medium and shorter-term support to 24 countries aiming to strengthen their social protection systems and ensure their sustainable financing. Read more

   
   
 

Contributions to the discussion on Social Protection in South America

   
 

With the aim of strengthening the political incidence of civil society in favor of social protection in South America, a cycle of conferences with the participation of various organizations of civil society (e.g. feminists, trade unions, ecumenical, etc.) and experts in the field took place. It is necessary an official care policy which contemplate supports and complements care work and defends the recognition of the "right to care", gender equality and human development. Likewise, ways of financing social protection are explored, including the creation of a global fund. The following videos (in Spanish) of the conferences are on line.
1. “Thinking about social protection from care”. Speakers: MA.(Econ) Soledad Salvador (Uruguay), Licenciada en Ciencia Política Patricia Cossani Padilla (Uruguay), PhD. Hildete Pereira de Melo (Brazil) and PhD. Corina Rodríguez Enríquez (Argentina). Moderator: BA(Econ) Alma Espino (Uruguay).
2. “Community care in times of COVID-19”. Speakers: MA.(Soc) Norma Sanchís (Argentina), Mag Ec. Natalia Moreno (Uruguay), BSc. (Psych) Alma Colin Colin (Mexico) and Mag. Florencia Cascardo (Argentina). Moderator: BA(Econ) Alma Espino (Uruguay).
3. “When the State misses the appointment: the (un)sustainability of life”. Speakers: Mag. Graciela Rodríguez (Brazil), Soc. Rosario Aguirre (Uruguay), Dra Verónica Serafini (Paraguay) and Dra. Alison Vasconez (Ecuador). Moderator: Mag Soledad Salvador (Uruguay).
4. “What the pandemic left us: necessary transformations”. Speakers: Roberto Bissio (Uruguay), PhD Lucía Pérez (Mexico) and PhD Valeria Esquivel (Argentina). Moderator: BA (Econ) Soledad Salvador (Uruguay).
These activities were organized by Ciedur, Red de Género y Comercio, Social Watch and the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors.

   
   
 

Kazakhstan: Families Struggle to Enjoy Basic Rights

   
 

A new Human Rights Watch report on Targeted Social Assistance (TSA) in Kazakhstan finds that the country's main social assistance program has very rigid eligibility criteria and means tests that exclude many people in need of support. The report calls on the government to make changes in the program to eliminate errors in determining eligibility and arbitrary barriers that leave out qualified people and increase the benefits amount to ensure that people have adequate protection of their basic economic rights. Read more

   
   
 

Third virtual OECD Policy Dialogue on Social Protection and Development

   
 

The Third Virtual OECD Policy Dialogue on Social Protection and Development on Social protection in times of growing vulnerability and poverty crises will take place via the Zoom videoconferencing platform, on 29 & 30 November 2022 from 13:00PM to 16:30PM (Paris time).

Register here for the 29 November sessions and

register here for the 30 November sessions
.
   
   

JOIN US TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR ALL

GLOBAL COALITION FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION FLOORS - GCSPF

For comments, suggestions, collaborations contact us at:

info@socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org

To stop receiving this newsletter send a message with the subject "unsubscribe" to:

info@socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org

The webinar will be held on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 from 1 to 2 pm UTC.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpduytrT4iHtbO32hiC4pBLg0g0sH4AkEy

Background

There is broad consensus that expansion of social protection is a necessary response to the global food and economic crises. But an immediate reaction when universal social protection is proposed is often that “it is impossible, because it is too expensive!” or perhaps “we agree that universal social protection is the ultimate goal, but we must see it as a long-term vision. For now, we must target the poorest”. At this webinar we show how, in actual fact, universal programmes are a feasible and far more effective policy alternative to poverty targeting available to low- and middle-income countries. And, critically, that universality can be affordable if programmes are gradually introduced but maintain the principle of universality in their approach from day one.

Daisy Sibun will be launching a new paper, ‘Can a leopard change its spots? A critical analysis of the World Bank’s ‘progressive universalism’ approach to social protection (Executive summary). The paper critically analyses the justification through which the World Bank continues to promote poverty targeted programmes, despite its more recent high-level support for the idea of universal social protection, and contrasts it with the human rights-based approach to social protection as promoted by the ILO.

Stephen Kidd will present evidence on how countries can implement universal social protection schemes progressively in an affordable way through the reports Building universal social security systems using the principle of universality and Taking stock of progress: A compilation of inclusive social security programmes in low- and middle-income countries.

Speakers

Daisy Sibun, Social Policy Specialist at Development Pathways, author of ‘Can a leopard change its spots? A critical analysis of the World Bank’s ‘progressive universalism’ approach to social protection

Marion Ouma, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Nordic Africa Institute

Stephen Kidd, Principal Social Policy Specialist at Development Pathways

Moderator: Lena Simet, Senior Researcher and Advocate, Human Rights Watch

The flyer is here.

This event is co-organised by Act Church of Sweden, Action Against Hunger France, Development Pathways and Human Rights Watch, with the support of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (GCSPF).

For more information: Gunnel Axelsson Nycander (Act Church of Sweden) and/or Pauline Pruvost-Czapek (Action Against Hunger France)

TALLER PRESENCIAL
FORTALECER LOS CUIDADOS Y LA SEGURIDAD SOCIAL
APORTES A LA DISCUSIÓN SOBRE PROTECCIÓN SOCIAL EN AMÉRICA DEL SUR

Como cierre de este ciclo realizaremos un Taller Regional presencial “Protección Social, Cuidados e Igualdad de Género: Desafíos frente a las Políticas de Austeridad” se realizará el miércoles 9 de noviembre de 2022 en Buenos Aires, Argentina. El taller se realizará paralelamente a la XV Conferencia Regional sobre la Mujer de América Latina y el Caribe de CEPAL.

El taller tiene por objetivo generar un espacio de reflexión para e intercambio de mejores prácticas internacionales, desafíos y oportunidades en la materia entre expertos/as, sindicalistas, integrantes de organizaciones feministas, académicos/as y activistas. En la reunión se examinarán las experiencias sobre nuestras luchas comunes por la justicia económica y de género, y sobre todo el rol del Estado y de las políticas públicas, así como el rol del monitoreo y los mecanismos de la rendición de cuentas.

El Taller Presencial “Protección Social, Cuidados e Igualdad de Género: Desafíos frente a las Políticas de Austeridad” se realizará el miércoles 9 de noviembre de 2022 en Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Participarán Dão Santos (Brasil), Ana Falú (Argentina), Verónica Serafini (Paraguay), Valeria Esquivel (Argentina), Lucía Cirmi (Argentina), Alma Espino (Uruguay). El taller se realizará en español.

La ponencia de Verónica Serafini (Paraguay) se encuentra aquí, la ponencia de Lucía Cirmi (Argentina) se encuentra aquí.

El enlace para registrarse es: https://bit.ly/InscripcionLink

Descargue el folleto en pdf y aquí, la agenda se encuentra aquí.

Para recibir más información visite aquí y/o envíe un mail a: info@socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org.

Las actividades son organizadas por Ciedur, Red de Género y Comercio, Social Watch y Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors.

The slide presentation and the webinar's recording of the webinar the “Work Bank, IMF and Universal Social Protection following COVID-19: The Good, the Bad and the Unclear” are now available. The webinar took place on 20 October, 2022.

In the webinar World Bank, IMF and Universal Social Protection following COVID-19: The Good, the Bad and the Unclear, representatives from different CSOs, unions, and workers’ organisations have shared their perspectives on whether, and if so, how, international financial institutions (IFIs) have changed their position on social protection in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on newly published evidence, we discussed what is new regarding IFI’s engagement on social protection, what counts as progress, and what are areas where IFIs may continue to fall short on realising the right to social protection for all.

Speakers

Lena Simet, Senior Researcher on Poverty and Inequality, Human Rights Watch

Tavengwa Nhongo, Executive Director, African Platform for Social Protection

Daisy Sibun, Social Policy Officer, Development Pathways

Evelyn Astor, Economic and Social Policy Advisor, International Trade Union Confederation

Ghislaine Saizonou Broohm, Coordinator of the Department of Equality and Social, ITUC Africa

Florian Juergens-Grant, Project Manager, Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing

Moderator Rachel Moussié, Director of Programmes, Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing

OrganisersAction Contre La Faim, ACF (Action Against Hunger), Act Church of Sweden, The Africa Platform for Social Protection, APSP, Development PathwaysInitiative for Policy Dialogue, Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors, Human Rights Watch, International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC, African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC-Africa/CSI-Afrique and Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing, WIEGO.

Resources

Act Church of Sweden, Action Against Hunger France, Development Pathways, Can a leopard change its spots?

ITUC response to the World Bank’s Social Protection and Job Compass

ITUC response to the IMF’s Framework on Social Spending

Human Rights Watch: IMF/World Bank: Targeted Safety Net Programs Fall Short on Rights Protection

WIEGO and ITUC Africa: Building Forward Better: Investing in Africa's Workers (also in French and Spanish)

WIEGO: World Bank’s Push for Individual Savings Provides Little Protection for Crisis-hit Workers (also in French and Spanish)

Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD), Global Social Justice (GSJ), International Confederation of Trade Unions (ITUC), Public Services International (PSI), ActionAid International, Arab Watch Coalition, Bretton Woods Project, Eurodad, Financial Transparency Coalition, Latindadd, Third World Network (TNW)

Wemos: END AUSTERITY. A Global Report on Budget Cuts and Harmful Social Reforms in 2022-25

Development Pathways and Act Church of Sweden, Social registries: a short history of abject failure

Read more here and at socialprotection.org

CICLO DE CONFERENCIAS:
“FORTALECER LOS CUIDADOS Y LA SEGURIDAD SOCIAL”
APORTES A LA DISCUSIÓN SOBRE PROTECCIÓN SOCIAL EN AMÉRICA DEL SUR

English version available below.

Lo que la pandemia nos dejó, transformaciones necesarias

En el contexto de la pandemia por COVID 19, Ciedur, Social Watch y la Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors, con el apoyo de la Red de Género y Comercio organizaron un ciclo de Conferencias en el marco del proyecto “Fortalecer los Cuidados y la Seguridad Social” para, desde una perspectiva de Derechos Humanos, de equidad de género y con un enfoque feminista, generar aportes a la discusión sobre protección social en América Latina, con un abordaje integral que presenta el tema desde distintos ángulos.

La cuarta videoconferencia, que cierra este ciclo, “Lo que la pandemia nos dejó, transformaciones necesarias”, propone ubicar el tema de los cuidados en el debate global; éste se ha vuelto un tema presente a nivel internacional debido a la pandemia y organismos internacionales y multilaterales están planteando transformaciones al respecto. Esta videoconferencia, contó con la participación de Roberto Bissio (Uruguay); Dra. Lucía Pérez Fragoso (México), Dra. Valeria Esquivel (Argentina) y la moderación de Mag. Soledad Salvador (Uruguay). Descargue aquí la presentación de Roberto Bissio.

Estuvieron presentes más de 35 organizaciones académicas, sindicales, ecuménicas, feministas, gubernamentales, ONG, coaliciones y redes globales, regionales y nacionales de diferentes países, entre los que se encuentran Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, España, Guatemala, México, Perú y Uruguay y tuvo lugar el 13 de octubre de 2022.

Roberto Bissio plantea que “la sociedad humana está basada en los cuidados” y agrega que “el derecho humano a los cuidados es algo que recién comienza a plantearse como un derecho específico”. Actualmente, la feminización de los cuidados a nivel global y las desigualdades de género que ello conlleva es incuestionable. En el sistema de salud el 70% del personal son mujeres y en los servicios de enfermería esta cifra se eleva al 90% y enfatiza que el 76% de los trabajos de cuidados no remunerados recaen en las mujeres, lo que significa ni más ni menos que 2.000 millones de mujeres. “Ahí está la externalidad que hace posible el capitalismo, no sería posible el trabajo remunerado que genera seguridad social, protección y demás, si no fuera por el trabajo equivalente full-time de miles de millones de mujeres que lo hacen sin remuneración”. Asimismo, menciona el “deber ser” de los cuidados de acuerdo a la doctrina oficial establecida por ONU Mujeres y OIT que establecen el sistema de las “5 R”: reconocer, recompensar, reducir, redistribuir y reivindicar.

Señala que en la reunión anual del Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI), con el Banco Mundial, (Washington, octubre de 2022), el Fondo aprobó un documento público en donde lanza su nueva estrategia institucional de género aprobada por la Junta Directiva que es constitutiva de las políticas de este organismo, por la cual se plantea que la reducción de la desigualdad es urgente y necesaria. En palabras del FMI ello supone: “mejora el bienestar económico y el crecimiento”, “mejora la resiliencia y estabilidad en la balanza de pagos”, “promueve mayor estabilidad en el sistema bancario”, “mejora la competitividad y el desempeño empresarial”. Paradojalmente, reducir la desigualdad de género significaría revertir los múltiples factores que la producen (acceso a la educación, salud, seguridad social, tecnología y bienes, redistribución de cuidados, entre otros), en donde las políticas de austeridad deberían ser ´borradas´ para una real transformación hacia la equidad de género1. Sin embargo en el “mundo real” dice el experto, “no hay un solo país que vaya a aumentar el gasto público en los próximos tres años”2 y añade que “las medidas de austeridad están de moda, y una de las cosas más importantes que dice este informe es que son innecesarias” 3. Esto acarreará una brutal contracción a nivel global debido a la reducción del gasto público simultáneo en todos los países del mundo, algunos condicionados por las políticas de imposición del FMI y otros por el mercado financiero y las agencias evaluadoras de riesgo que penalizan a los países que no recortan el gasto público, aún frente a emergencias sociales como la pandemia. Según Oxfam Internacional, mientras la pandemia genera más milmillonarios la mayoría de la población mundial podría caer en la pobreza extrema y asimismo informa que la mitad de los países más pobres han cortado gastos en salud durante la pandemia. El informe de Isabel Ortiz y Mattew Cummins muestra que 85% de la población mundial vivirá bajo medidas de austeridad en 2023 y al menos 75% en 2025. También señala que la asesora en género del FMI, Ratna Sahay, reconoce que es “absolutamente cierto” que la austeridad la pagan las mujeres, aunque lo importante para este organismo son los “equilibrios fiscales”, sin importar las estrategias para lograrlos; el FMI habla de brechas, frente a lo cual Roberto Bissio dice, “más políticas universales y menos focalizadas, hablar menos de brechas y más de derechos”. Por otro lado, en la agenda internacional, Naciones Unidas propone entre 2023 y 2025 redefinir el contrato social en donde la inclusión de los cuidados y los temas de género sean parte central de esa nueva conceptualización. Para cerrar su exposición agrega, “todo esto debería restablecer el cuidado no como una política social, no como una mejora de los sistemas existentes, sino como un principio civilizatorio, como la condición humana necesaria de la justicia social, de la justicia ambiental y de la justicia de género”.

Por su parte, Lucía Pérez interpela “¿Cuáles fueron las políticas fiscales que hubieron durante la pandemia y cuáles son las transformaciones que consideramos imprescindibles? Lo que dejó la pandemia es que ahondó todas las desigualdades existentes y en América Latina, gravísimamente”. Respecto a las políticas fiscales que se aplicaron en algunos países de la región, expresa que fueron transferencias monetarias, a las que considera fundamentales en tiempos de emergencia, pero sólo dieron buenos resultados en los países que tienen bien diseñados los sistemas de protección social y agrega que, “todos los subsidios fueron temporales e insuficientes en América Latina, no llegaron a más de dos o tres por ciento del PBI. Las que más perdieron empleos fueron las mujeres por los sectores en los cuales suelen trabajar, y en ningún país hubo apoyo directo hacia ellas”. Con relación a las transformaciones necesarias es fundamental evaluar los sistemas públicos de cuidados existentes, en donde el Estado como garante de las “5 R”, debe asumir su corresponsabilidad. Para ello es imprescindible crear “un mecanismo evaluador que promueva la transparencia en la información, en la asignación de recursos, en las propuestas metodológicas y que genere protocolos de cómo deben ser los servicios de cuidados para su reglamentación”. Asimismo, es necesario diseñar políticas públicas de cuidados que generen empleo formal y brinden servicios de calidad y cantidad de cobertura adecuada, en donde la sociedad esté presente con nuevos mecanismos, tales como la promoción de cooperativas y nuevas formas de organización comunitaria que no impliquen explotación del trabajo femenino. En simultáneo, considera que es “muy importante poner sobre la mesa cómo debe ser la participación del mercado, dado que las empresas privadas de cuidados tienen un móvil muy diferente al público y social, pero aún en el capitalismo, se puede presionar desde los gobiernos para exigir su corresponsabilidad de manera muy bien reglamentada, y no dejarlas libradas a la ley de la oferta y la demanda”. Además es imprescindible realizar reformas fiscales “que reduzcan las desigualdades en la distribución del ingreso y en la distribución del trabajo de cuidados”, para lo cual se deben aumentar los ingresos gravando con impuestos directos y progresivos a la riqueza y aplicar políticas de gasto que sean contra cíclicas, no perpetuando las transferencias monetarias.

En su exposición, Valeria Esquivel expresa que a nivel mundial, “en términos de cuidados y de género hubo un redescubrimiento y la necesidad de prestación de servicios de cuidados”. Sin embargo, las políticas que se proponen para “cerrar las brechas de género“, tal como las de austeridad del FMI, tienen un impacto negativo especialmente sobre las mujeres, siendo una estrategia planteada a nivel discursivo que no brinda herramientas para su reversión, sino todo lo contrario; y añade que, “es un discurso sobre el cuidado y sobre la equidad de género desenganchado de la economía; cuando las economistas feministas lo ven como temas que están en la estructura de la economía y que ésta funciona, como funciona, basada en estas inequidades de género, reforzándolas”. El FMI propone una perspectiva privada de la noción de derecho que iguala oportunidades, pero no resultados, porque “el enorme impacto que tendría el ingreso de las mujeres al mercado de trabajo para el crecimiento de la productividad” sólo es posible si aumenta la demanda laboral, pero las políticas de contracción del gasto público a nivel global implican una recesión aún mayor “con el objetivo de controlar la inflación mundial”. Por el contrario, una mirada transformadora sobre los cuidados, en tanto derecho asociado al bienestar, a la autonomía y al disfrute de cuidadoras/es y de quienes los reciben, “hacen del cuidado un tema en sí mismo, en donde muy enfáticamente hemos propuesto que las inversiones en cuidados podría tener múltiples beneficios en términos de equidad de género y podría también revertir la expectativa de recesión mundial”, finaliza. Debemos organizarnos e involucrarnos porque hay otras salidas a este shock de desigualdades.

Notas:

1 The Care Contradiction: The IMF, Gender and Austerity, ACTIONAID International 10th October 2022. Disponible en: https://actionaid.org/sites/default/files/publications/The%20Care%20Contradiction%20-%20The%20IMF%20Gender%20and%20Austerity.pdf

2 END AUSTERITY A Global Report on Budget Cuts and Harmful Social Reforms in 2022-25 Isabel Ortiz, Matthew Cummins, September 2022. Disponible en: https://assets.nationbuilder.com/eurodad/pages/3039/attachments/original/1664184662/Austerity_Ortiz_Cummins_FINAL_26-09.pdf?1664184662

3 Idem

Descargue el folleto en pdf y también aquí.

Para recibir más información visite aquí.

Las actividades son organizadas por Ciedur, Red de Género y Comercio, Social Watch y Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DISCUSSION ON SOCIAL PROTECTION IN SOUTH AMERICA

With the aim of strengthening the political incidence of civil society in favor of social protection in South America, it was proposed a cycle of conferences with the participation of various organizations of civil society (e.g. feminists, trade unions, ecumenical, etc.) and experts in the field. Within the framework of the general issues of social security, with new proposals, such as minimum social protection, and from a consistent perspective of ensuring the sustainability of life, it is arises an innovative approach. For that it is necessary an official care policy which contemplate supports and complements care work and defends the recognition of the "right to care", gender equality and human development. Likewise, ways of financing social protection are explored, including the creation of a global fund.

The third videoconference “What the pandemic left us: necessary transformations” was held on Thursday, October 13, 2022.

Speakers: Roberto Bissio (Uruguay), Dr. Lucía Pérez (Mexico) and Dr. Valeria Esquivel (Argentina). Moderator: Mag Soledad Salvador (Uruguay).

The flyer is available here and here.

To receive more information visit here.

These activities are organized by Ciedur, Red de Género y Comercio, Social Watch and Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors.

CICLO DE CONFERENCIAS
FORTALECER LOS CUIDADOS Y LA SEGURIDAD SOCIAL
APORTES A LA DISCUSIÓN SOBRE PROTECCIÓN SOCIAL EN AMÉRICA DEL SUR

English version available below.

Con el objetivo de fortalecer la incidencia política de la sociedad civil en favor de la protección social en América del Sur realizaremos un ciclo de conferencias con la participación de organizaciones diversas de la sociedad civil (e.g. feministas, sindical, ecuménicas, etc.) y expertas y expertos en la materia. En el marco de los temas generales de la seguridad social, de las nuevas propuestas, como los mínimos de protección social, y desde una perspectiva consistente en asegurar la sostenibilidad de la vida se plantea un abordaje innovador a la temática.

La videoconferencia “Lo que la pandemia nos dejó: transformaciones necesarias” se realizará el jueves 13 de octubre de 2022 a las 14 horas de Argentina / Brasil / Uruguay / GMT-3. Consulte la hora local aquí.

Participarán Roberto Bissio (Uruguay), Dra. Lucía Pérez (México) y Dra. Valeria Esquivel (Argentina). La moderación estará a cargo de MA.(Econ) Soledad Salvador (Uruguay). Las actividades se realizará en español.

El enlace para inscribirse es: https://bit.ly/PandemiaTransformaciones

Descargue el folleto en pdf y también aquí.

Para recibir más información visite aquí y/o envíe un mail a: info@socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org.

Las actividades son organizadas por Ciedur, Red de Género y Comercio, Social Watch y Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DISCUSSION ON SOCIAL PROTECTION IN SOUTH AMERICA

With the aim of strengthening the political incidence of civil society in favor of social protection in South America, it is proposed a cycle of conferences with the participation of various organizations of civil society (e.g. feminists, trade unions, ecumenical, etc.) and experts in the field. Within the framework of the general issues of social security, with new proposals, such as minimum social protection, and from a consistent perspective of ensuring the sustainability of life, it is arises an innovative approach. For that it is necessary an official care policy which contemplate supports and complements care work and defends the recognition of the "right to care", gender equality and human development. Likewise, ways of financing social protection are explored, including the creation of a global fund.

The videoconference “What the pandemic left us: necessary transformations” will be held on Thursday, October 13, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. of Argentina / Brazil / Uruguay / GMT-3, you can confirm your local time here.

Speakers: Roberto Bissio (Uruguay), PhD Lucía Pérez (Mexico) and PhD Valeria Esquivel (Argentina). Moderation will be in charge of BA (Econ) Soledad Salvador (Uruguay). The activities will be carried out in Spanish.

The link to register is: https://bit.ly/PandemiaTransformaciones

The flyer is available here and here.

To receive more information visit here and/or send an email to: info@socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org

These activities are organized by Ciedur, Red de Género y Comercio, Social Watch and the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors.

e-GCSPF #76 - September 2022
   
   
   
 

Global People's Assembly

   
 

The Global People's Assembly is a self organised space during the United Nations General Assembly high level week. Our aim is to bring the voices of the people to the forefront, at a time where decision makers engage in high level debate without people's involvement.
This year's Global People's Assembly will take place online from Tuesday 20th September - Thursday 22nd September 2022. Read more
Tavengwa Nhongo (APSP and member of the coalition core group) will participate in the African Assembly on Tuesday 20th September, 2 pm EDT, to speak on the right to universal social protection in Africa and the call for the global fund.
Florian Juergens-Grant (WIEGO) will participate on behalf of the GCSPF at the session Leave No Woman Behind on Wednesday 21st September - 9 to 10 am EDT.

   
   
 

Contributions to the discussion on Social Protection in South America

   
 

With the aim of strengthening the political incidence of civil society in favor of social protection in South America, a cycle of conferences with the participation of various organizations of civil society (e.g. feminists, trade unions, ecumenical, etc.) and experts in the field. It is necessary an official care policy which contemplate supports and complements care work and defends the recognition of the "right to care", gender equality and human development. Likewise, ways of financing social protection are explored, including the creation of a global fund. These activities are in Spanish.
The videoconference “When the state misses the appointment: the (un)sustainability of life” will take place online on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. GMT-3.
The videoconference “What the pandemic left us: necessary transformations” will take place online on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. GMT-3.
These activities are organized by Ciedur, Red de Género y Comercio, Social Watch and the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors.

   
   
 

End Austerity Activism Festival

   
 

The End Austerity Activism Festival is a 3-day virtual event that will take place from Wednesday 28th of September through Friday 30th of September 2022.
It will officially launch the End Austerity Campaign, calling on activists and organisations from all around the world to denounce the new wave of austerity spreading across the world, amid the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the food and energy crisis brought about by the Ukraine war.
The Campaign will call for more ambitious recovery packages to focus on a feminist, green and care-led recovery rather than corporate hand-outs and social protection cuts, resisting an economic model that puts profit before people and the planet. Read more
The session End Austerity now! will take place on Wednesday 28 September 2022 / 13 - 15 hs
Organised by FTC and Global Social Justice
The session Can the Leopard change its spots will take place on Wednesday 28 September 2022 / 16:30 - 18 hs
Organised by Act Church of Sweden, Development Pathways and Action Against Hunger France

   
   
 

"The Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World: Highlighting the Contributions of Older Women"

   
 


2022 International Day of Older Persons Celebration
The United Nations International Day of Older Persons aims to enshrine and promote the rights of older persons, and to engage and mobilize advocates to protect those rights.
Monday, October 3, 2022 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT
ECOSOC Chamber (OR LIVE on webtv.un.org) Read more

   
   
 

How low- and middle- income countries can implement universal social protection progressively

   
 

There is broad consensus that expansion of social protection is a necessary response to the global food and economic crises. But an immediate reaction of countries when approached with the solution of universal social protection is “we can’t afford that!”. Today, the teams at ACT Church of Sweden, Development Pathways and Action Against Hunger show how, in actual fact, universality can be affordable.
Daisy Sibun will be launching a new paper, ‘Can a leopard change its spots? A critical analysis of the World Bank’s ‘progressive universalism’ approach to social protection’. The paper scrutinises the justification through which the World Bank continues to promote poverty targeted programmes, despite its more recent high-level support for the idea of universal social protection, and contrasts it with the human rights-based approach to social protection as promoted by the ILO.
Friday, October 7, 2022 - 2 PM - 3 PM CEST, Confirm local time here Read more

   
   
 

Programme Improving Synergies Between Social Protection and Public Finance Management: Welcome to the newsletter!

   
 

This new series will communicate the ongoing activities and results of the Programme Improving Synergies Between Social Protection and Public Finance Management (SP&PFM). SP&PFM is a joint collaboration between the EU, ILO, UNICEF and the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors. It provides medium and shorter-term support to 24 countries aiming to strengthen their social protection systems and ensure their sustainable financing. Read more

   
   
 

Social Protection Podcast: The trade-offs of targeting

   
 

Targeting is one of the most widely debated topics in social protection. Who should receive support from social protection systems? How do we identify the ‘right’ people, and reach them?
In this episode we talk about some of the key trade-offs most frequently invoked when making decisions about targeting social protection and ask our guests about the latest thinking on how to reconcile these challenges and dilemmas.
Guests for this episode are: Rachel Sabates-Wheeler (Research Fellow, IDS) and Matthew Wai-Poi (Senior Economist, World Bank) Listen here

   
   
   
   

JOIN US TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR ALL

GLOBAL COALITION FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION FLOORS - GCSPF

For comments, suggestions, collaborations contact us at:

info@socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org

To stop receiving this newsletter send a message with the subject "unsubscribe" to:

info@socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org

Date: Friday 7th October 2022 - Time & Time Zone: 2-3 pm CEST
You can confirm your local time here.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpduytrT4iHtbO32hiC4pBLg0g0sH4AkEy

Background

There is broad consensus that expansion of social protection is a necessary response to the global food and economic crises. But an immediate reaction when universal social protection is proposed is often that “it is impossible, because it is too expensive!” or perhaps “we agree that universal social protection is the ultimate goal, but we must see it as a long-term vision. For now, we must target the poorest”. At this webinar we show how, in actual fact, universal programmes are a feasible and far more effective policy alternative to poverty targeting available to low- and middle-income countries. And, critically, that universality can be affordable if programmes are gradually introduced but maintain the principle of universality in their approach from day one.

Daisy Sibun will be launching a new paper, ‘Can a leopard change its spots? A critical analysis of the World Bank’s ‘progressive universalism’ approach to social protection (Executive summary). The paper critically analyses the justification through which the World Bank continues to promote poverty targeted programmes, despite its more recent high-level support for the idea of universal social protection, and contrasts it with the human rights-based approach to social protection as promoted by the ILO.

Stephen Kidd will present evidence on how countries can implement universal social protection schemes progressively in an affordable way through the reports Building universal social security systems using the principle of universality and Taking stock of progress: A compilation of inclusive social security programmes in low- and middle-income countries.

Speakers

Daisy Sibun, Social Policy Specialist at Development Pathways, author of ‘Can a leopard change its spots? A critical analysis of the World Bank’s ‘progressive universalism’ approach to social protection

Marion Ouma, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Nordic Africa Institute

Stephen Kidd, Principal Social Policy Specialist at Development Pathways

Moderator: Lena Simet, Senior Researcher and Advocate, Human Rights Watch

The invitation is available here and the flyer is here.

This event is co-organised by Act Church of Sweden, Action Against Hunger France, Development Pathways and Human Rights Watch, with the support of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (GCSPF).

For more information: Gunnel Axelsson Nycander (Act Church of Sweden) and/or Pauline Pruvost-Czapek (Action Against Hunger France)

Civil Society Call for a Global Fund for Social Protection

Over 200 civil society organizations and trade unions unite to call for a Global Fund for Social Protection to protect the most vulnerable during COVID-19 and beyond.

Read the Call

SP&PFM Programme

The programme Improving Synergies Between Social Protection and Public Finance Management provides medium-term support to multiple countries aiming to strengthen their social protection systems at a national level and ensure sustainable financing. The programme aims to support countries in their efforts towards achieving universal social protection coverage.

This initiative is implemented jointly by the ILO, Unicef, and the GCSPF.

Read more

Subscribe to our newsletter: 

@2024 Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram