The Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors, the ILO and UNICEF join forces to expand social protection for all through sustainable financing

Joint programme on improving synergies between social protection and public finance management

Brussels/Geneva/New York – 1 December 2020 – The European Union, Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF today presented an innovative partnership on social protection and public finance management.

The multi-country EUR 22.9 million programme – supported through funding from the European Union – was developed in collaboration with eight partner countries including Angola, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Nepal, Paraguay, Senegal, and Uganda. It supports the development of more inclusive, robust and sustainable social protection systems that can also respond to future shocks. This new partnership provides integrated support to national ministries and public agencies on the planning, design, financing and implementation of social protection systems, programmes and delivery mechanisms.

Social protection is a human right, and an investment with high social and economic returns– yet more than half the world’s population do not have access to any social protection1, and  coverage remains particularly low for vulnerable groups such as children, persons with disabilities, women and men who work in the informal economy and migrants.

A key barrier to expanding social protection is the lack of adequate and sustainable financing. A recent ILO report estimates that developing countries would need to invest an additional USD 1.2 trillion2 – equivalent to 3.8 per cent of their average gross domestic product (GDP) annually – to close the massive social protection financing gap and ensure minimum income security and access to health care for all.

“Closing these gaps is both necessary and achievable. With concerted political will, we can make this happen and make social protection a reality for all” said Shahra Razavi, Director of the ILO’s Social Protection Department.

The current COVID-19 pandemic and socio-economic crisis demonstrate the relevance and timeliness of the programme on social protection and public finance management. With the pandemic set to push up to 150 million people3 into extreme poverty, and 150 million children into multidimensional poverty4, it is more important than ever to strengthen and scale up social protection systems, to cushion the impacts of the crisis on workers and their families, and to ensure an inclusive recovery for all.

According to the ILO’s latest global estimates, employment has declined significantly, as measured by a 17.3 per cent reduction in working hours for the third quarter of 2020 compared with the last quarter of 2019. This is equivalent to the loss of 495 million full-time jobs.5 Among the most vulnerable are the almost 1.6 billion informal economy workers who are significantly impacted by lockdown measures and/or working in the hardest-hit sectors.6

To respond to the socioeconomic fallouts of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries enacted social protection responses to support workers, children and families.7 However, these are, for the most part, ad hoc measures of short duration. It is time to build on these experiences to turn the short-term measures into long-term social protection systems for all.

“The sheer scale and depth of financial hardships brought on by the pandemic are set to reverse years of progress in reducing poverty, especially among the most marginalized children and communities. Investments to strengthen and expand the coverage and adequacy of social protection systems are critical to reverse these trends and ensure a sustainable recovery and avert a lost generation”, said UNICEF Associate Director and Global Chief of Social Policy Natalia Winder-Rossi.

In Angola for instance, the project supports a coordinated national dialogue for the formulation of the social protection policy with concrete costing and sustainable financing options; in Cambodia, the project contributes to the development of an Integrated Family Package of cash transfers, with the aim of expanding the coverage and adequacy of the social assistance delivery across life cycle. In Paraguay, the project supports the implementation of the Social protection system ¡Vamos! by providing technical assistance to the Government in public finance management and resource identification for social protection. In addition to the eight partner countries, other countries can request shorter-term advisory services to increase performance of their social protection system and related financing options.

The programme will contribute to increasing public investments in social protection by linking the efforts deployed by the EU and other international organizations to strengthen partner countries’ public finance systems and capacities to increase domestic resources for social protection.

The programme will also contribute to investing better in social protection systems by creating a common roadmap and improving coordination between ministries of finance, technical ministries, social partners and the civil society on policy issues of social protection and public finance.

“We will work closely with national civil society organizations and trade unions to ensure their meaningful participation in social protection dialogues and decision-making processes. As increased social protection financing is built on inclusive dialogues and country-ownership, we hope that the programme will set an example for a new collaborative way of working”, said GCPSF Bart Verstraeten.

In addition to supporting inclusive response and recovery amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the project will also contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 10 on poverty and inequality reduction, and the broader Agenda 2030, including goals on gender equality, access to health, education and decent employment and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Further information here.

Source: UNICEF.

Notes:

e-GCSPF # 45 - October 2020
 

Global e-Conference
5, 6 and 8 October 2020

Turning the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity: What’s next for social protection

socialprotection.org organised the Global e-Conference “Turning the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity: What’s next for social protection?”, which took place on October 5, 6 and 8.

The GCSPF promoted the Global Fund for Social Protection and had a virtual booth to interact with participants.

Members of the GCSFP participated in different activities, see the list below.

If you missed any session you would like to have joined or just want to revisit a discussion, the recordings for the event are already available.

Side event 1: A Global Fund for Social Protection

The global community of nations has long decided to ensure the Human Right of all people to social protection. Studies have shown that ensuring a basic level of social protection for all is affordable for most countries and definitely for the global community of nations. A solidarity-based Global Fund for Social Protection could support countries to design, implement and, in specific cases, co-finance national floors of social protection. This side event offers civil society and academic perspectives on the proposal of a Global Fund for Social Protection and gives room to discuss ways and means of turning this idea into reality.

Moderator: Alison Tate - Speakers: • Valérie Schmitt (ILO) • Gabriel Fernandez (APSP) • Markus Kaltenborn (Ruhr University Bochum) • Sulistri Afrileston (ITUC) • Michael Cichon (GCSPF) • Marcus Manuel (ODI)

This session recording is available here.

Tuesday, October 6

RT 2 - Older people's livelihoods and social protection during COVID-19 and beyond
Moderator: Florian Juergens - Speakers: • Rosita Lacson • Nuno Cunha • Aura Sevilla

This session recording is available here.

Virtual Booth Talks 4 - Extending social protection to workers in the informal economy in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond
Speakers: Christina Behrendt • Laura Alfers • Quynh Anh Nguyen

The presentation by WIEGO is available here.

RT 3 - Financing universal social protection during COVID-19 and beyond: A case for national and global solidarity to build social protection systems which are adequate, sustainable and adapted to developments in the world of work
Moderator: Bart Verstraeten - Speakers: • A.K.M Mizanur Rahman • Anousheh Karvar • Ugo Gentilini • Matthias Thorns • Valérie Schmitt • Nenad Rava • Alison Tate

This session recording is available here. Presentationas are available here.

RT 4 - Unemployment protection and its extension to workers in the informal economy
Moderator: Celine Peyron Bista - Speakers: • Laura Alfers • Renata Nowak-Garmer

This session recording is available here.

RT 6 -Different perspectives of the role of the ‘political economy’ in building back better social protection systems for the furthest behind in Covid-19 Times
Moderator. Michelle Winthrop - Speakers: • Patricia Conboy • Sintayehu Demissie Admasu • Stephen Devereux • Michael Samson

This session recording is available here.

Clinic 7B - Linking - and transitioning between - non-contributory (social assistance) and contributory (social insurance) social protection for informal workers and beyond
This clinic will be hosted by the ILO and WIEGO.

This session recording is available here.

Wednesday, October 7

Side event 2: Expanding Social Protection to Decrease Inequality
Moderator: Britta Olofsson - Speakers: • Carin Jämtin • Michael Samson • Joakim Palme • Winnie Fiona Mwasiaji • Ulrika Lång • Gunnel Axelsson Nycander

This session recording is available here. Presentation available here.

Thursday, October 8

Expert panel discussion 2: Implications of the COVID-19 crisis for universal social protection
Moderator: Fabio Veras Soares - Speakers: • Juan M. Villa • Rachel Moussié • Michal Rutkowski • Shahra Razavi • Natalia Winder Rossi

This session recording is available here.

   
   
   

JOIN US TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR ALL

GLOBAL COALITION FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION FLOORS - GCSPF

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The global community of nations has long decided to ensure the Human Right of all people to social protection. Studies have shown that ensuring a basic level of social protection for all is affordable for most countries and definitely for the global community of nations. A solidarity-based Global Fund for Social Protection could support countries to design, implement and, in specific cases, co-finance national floors of social protection. This side event offers civil society and academic perspectives on the proposal of a Global Fund for Social Protection and gives room to discuss ways and means of turning this idea into reality.

The event “A Global Fund for Social Protection” was organised by GCSPF, Africa Platform for Social Protection (APSP), Brot für die Welt, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Alison Tate (ITUC) was the moderator and the speakers were: Valérie Schmitt (ILO), Gabriel Fernández (APSP), Markus Kaltenborn (Ruhr University Bochum), Sulistri Afrileston (ITUC), Michael Cichon (GCSPF) and Marcus Manuel (ODI).

The event took place in the framework of the Global e-Conference “Turning the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity: What’s next for social protection?” organised by socialprotection.org, which took place on October 5, 6 and 8, 2020.

Further information can be found here. This session recording is available here.

The call is available in Arabic, Russian, English, French and Spanish.

The list of signatories is here.

The Press Released “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” is here, (pdf version).

Civil Society Call for a Global Fund for Social Protection to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and to build a better future

Pdf version available here.

We, civil society and faith-based organizations, trade unions and members of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors, in view of the global harm from the COVID-19 pandemic, call on governments worldwide to ensure – through national and global solidarity – that national social protection floors are made available to all people with the help of a Global Fund for Social Protection. National floors of social protection are vital to leave no one behind. They ensure universal access to essential health care as well as basic income security across the life course.

 We recall that

We recognize, that

We call on all governments  

We envisage, that

We therefore call on all governments

Note:

* As enshrined, for example, in articles 22 and 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), articles 9 and 12 of the International Covenant for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), ILO Recommendation 202 (2012) as well as other instruments and confirmed by the Sustainable Development Goals (2015).

Appel de la société civile pour la création d’un Fonds global pour la protection sociale destiné à apporter une réponse à la crise de la COVID-19 et à construire un avenir meilleur

Pdf version ici.

Nous, organisations de la société civile, organisations confessionnelles, syndicats et membres de la Coalition mondiale pour les socles de protection sociale, au vu du préjudice mondial causé par la pandémie de COVID-19, appelons les gouvernements du monde entier à garantir, par le biais de la solidarité nationale et mondiale, que les socles de protection sociale nationaux soient mis à la disposition de tous les individus au moyen d’un Fonds global pour la protection sociale. Les socles nationaux de protection sociale tiennent un rôle de premier plan visant à ne laisser personne pour compte. Ils garantissent un accès universel aux soins de santé essentiels ainsi qu’une sécurité en matière de revenu de base tout au long de la vie.

 Rappelons que :

Nous reconnaissons que :

Nous appelons tous les gouvernements

Nous prévoyons que :

Par conséquent, nous appelons les gouvernements :
à créer un Fonds global pour la protection sociale qui contribuera à mettre un terme aux souffrances humaines évitables, à la pauvreté, aux inégalités extrêmes, à la mauvaise santé et aux décès évitables liés aux crises actuelles et futures, et à investir dans le développement de socles nationaux de protection sociale dans tous les pays grâce au principe de solidarité nationale et mondiale.

Note :

** Comme le stipulent, par exemple, les articles 22 et 25 de la Déclaration universelle des droits de l’homme (1948), les articles 9 et 12 du Pacte international relatif aux droits économiques, sociaux et culturels (1966), la recommandation no 202 de l’OIT (2012) ainsi que d’autres instruments et comme le confirment les objectifs de développement durable (2015).

Llamado de la sociedad civil para crear un Fondo Global de Protección Social para responder a la crisis de la COVID-19 y para construir un futuro mejor

Versión Pdf disponible aquí.

Nosotros, las organizaciones de la sociedad civil, confesionales, sindicatos y miembros de la Coalición Global por los Pisos de Protección Social, a la luz del daño mundial causado por la pandemia de COVID-19, hacemos un llamado a los gobiernos de todo el mundo para asegurar que, a través de la solidaridad nacional e internacional, todo el mundo pueda acceder a pisos nacionales de protección social con ayuda de un Fondo Global para la Protección Social. Los pisos nacionales de protección social son vitales para no dejar a nadie  atrás. Garantizan un acceso universal a la atención médica esencial, así como la seguridad de ingresos básicos a lo largo de toda la vida.

Recordamos que

Reconocemos que

Hacemos un llamado a todos los gobiernos

Esperamos que

Por todo ello, hacemos un llamado a todos los gobiernos
Para crear un Fondo Global de Protección Social que ayude a poner fin al sufrimiento, pobreza, desigualdad extrema, mala salud y a las muertes evitables causadas por la crisis actual y las futuras, y para que inviertan en el desarrollo de pisos nacionales de protección social en todos los países siguiendo el principio de solidaridad nacional y global.

Nota:

*** Así lo recogen, por ejemplo, los artículos 22 y 25 de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos (1948), los artículos 9 y 12 del Pacto Internacional de Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales (1966), la Recomendación 202 de la OIT (2012) así como otros instrumentos, y así lo confirman los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (2015).

Download the Statement in English (pdf format). The Statement is also available in Arabic, Spanish, French and Russian.

We, representatives of UN system agencies, other multilateral and bilateral development agencies, donor governments, and civil society observers that make up the Social Protection Inter-Agency Cooperation Board (SPIAC-B), committed to the realization of SDGs 1.3 and 3.8, call for urgent social protection1 measures to respond to the rapidly evolving COVID- 19 pandemic. COVID-19 is a global health emergency with significant immediate as well as longer-term social and economic implications. It exposes some of the problems caused by inadequate social protection coverage, that prevent people from:

a) accessing adequate healthcare and adopting preventive behaviours;
b) taking time off work when ill (including health workers);
c) caring for children or other relatives when continuing to work in cases where schools have closed and alternative care arrangements (such as by extended family) are no longer possible; and
d) maintaining adequate living standards, including food security when unemployed or when forced to reduce economic activity.

We critically need to increase our efforts to protect and support all people throughout the crisis, both in its health dimension as well as its economic and social repercussions. For this, we can draw on the range of social protection policies and tools at our disposal and on lessons learnt from earlier pandemics and economic and financial crises.

We call for urgent action to:

1. Ensure access to health services and support people in adopting necessary prevention measures
2. Ensure income security and access to essential goods and services and protect human capabilities and livelihoods
3. Prioritize the most vulnerable
4. Mobilize substantial domestic and international financing to protect and enhance fiscal space for health and social protection in all countries
5. Ensure continued/scaled up and coordinated delivery capacities of social protection and humanitarian crisis response programmes
6. Design crisis response measures also with a view to strengthening social protection systems in the medium- and long term

1. Ensure access to health services and support people in adopting necessary prevention measures

Access to good-quality health services is paramount in responding to this pandemic. Social protection plays a key role in enabling access to affordable health care and avoiding hardship. In addition, social protection can also support people in adopting the kinds of behaviour (hand washing, physical distancing, social isolation/quarantine) necessary to control the spread of the virus. This will also contribute to alleviating pressure on national health systems.

Depending on context, immediate responses may include:

  1. Making sure that all people, including the most vulnerable, can obtain necessary health services. Measures can include free access to services, free access to health insurance schemes for all participants of existing cash transfer programmes, waiving eligibility requirements (including citizenship documentation), or creating exemptions from co-payments or fees for specific services (e.g. for COVID-19 testing and treatment), introducing or expanding mobile services to serve hard-to-reach populations;
  2. Ensuring access to clean water, soap and needed medical supplies, as well as contraceptives, including during physical isolation;
  3. Ensuring medical and care staff are adequately protected and equipped, including with masks, gloves or disinfectants;
  4. Facilitating physical distancing policies by ensuring basic goods and services remain accessible for all, in particular for high risk groups and people in self-isolation;
  5. Adapting delivery mechanisms of social protection programmes in line with physical distancing requirements such as waiving requirements for in-person visits to social protection offices, introducing or scaling up electronic payments or applications for benefits, bi- monthly instead of monthly delivery, waiving conditionalities (such as attending schools or health clinics);
  6. Ensuring adequate paid sick leave, sickness benefits or other income support in cases of sickness, quarantine and self-isolation2, 3.

2. Ensure income security and access to essential goods and services and protect human capabilities and livelihoods

Beyond protecting people from the short to medium term health impacts of the pandemic, it is vital to adequately protect individuals, households and businesses from the adverse social and economic repercussions of the crisis. This will protect human capabilities and livelihoods as well as provide counter- cyclical economic stimulus to support economic recovery. Actions to consider in addition to actions outlined above include:

  1. Providing cash transfers to meet basic needs. This can include establishing or scaling up cash transfer programmes, family leave policies, paid sick leave, unemployment benefits, partial unemployment- /short-time work benefits; pensions or child grants ensuring that all vulnerable households are adequately protected regardless of their employment status; and considering delivery of humanitarian cash transfers through social protection systems or, where this is not possible, expansion of social transfer coverage through humanitarian cash transfers;
  2. Ensuring access to basic supplies, services and food security through in-kind support in addition to cash transfers. This can include adapting distribution mechanisms of school meals where schools are closed; delivery of food and basic supplies to individuals, in particular to older persons, persons in self-isolation or where markets have collapsed; responding to childcare, eldercare, maternity and sexual and reproductive health needs;
  3. Where possible, extending or introducing gender-responsive family friendly workplace policies to flexibly respond to caring responsibilities, including in employment guarantee schemes/public works programmes.

3. Prioritize the most vulnerable

The Leave No One Behind agenda is a central promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs and should also guide response measures to COVID-19. With regards to the health dimension of the COVID-19 crisis, older people, those with compromised immune systems, underlying health conditions (including respiratory diseases, diabetes, lung disease and heart disease), face a higher risk of severe infection.

In addition to those who are medically vulnerable as outlined above, other groups are especially vulnerable to the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic.

These include older people, people already living with other underlying health conditions (including HIV), girls and women, persons with disabilities (physical and mental), workers who are self-employed or in non-formal employment (including rural and domestic workers), the homeless, those living in fragile contexts and protracted crises, forcibly displaced people, refugees, migrants (particularly those without documentation), care workers (paid and un-paid), ethnic/indigenous groups, chronically poor persons, children, young people, sex workers or prisoners.

Across contexts, women are disproportionately responsible for unpaid and informal care-work, and social protection responses must be sensitive to the gendered burden of care arising from the COVID19 epidemic.

Reaching these groups through response measures requires effectively cooperating with local civil society and workers and employers organizations. Moreover, gender-based violence typically heightens in emergency contexts and during times of high stress. This is of particular concern in the context of widespread self-isolation, reduced access to income and curtailed access to support services.

Depending on context, in addition to measures outlined above, immediate responses may include:

  1. Conducting comprehensive national and sub- national vulnerability and needs assessments to better understand the specific needs, risks and barriers that different groups face;
  2. Adapting and continuing entitlements and services delivery, introducing measures to address the specific needs of different vulnerable groups during the crisis, including adequate social service responses, case management and referrals to ensure that vulnerable and at-risk groups are not neglected or harmed;
  3. Taking measures to avoid adverse coping strategies and protecting productive assets. This may include early cash transfers or distribution of agricultural inputs to avoid families having to eat seeds or sell livestock; facilitating access to credit or distribution of productive inputs to ensure the continuity of small- and medium- sized enterprises; ensuring flexible responses to changing childcare and eldercare needs; maintaining investment in children’s education and development.

4. Mobilize substantial domestic and international financing to protect and enhance for health and social protection in all countries

Supporting a strong and rapid social protection response will require urgent allocation of sufficient resources. Governments and the international community are already increasing fiscal allocations in response to the growing awareness of the health, social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crucially, this must be done without placing excessive strains on national budgets or crowding out spending on other vital services. While some countries have the ability to create this fiscal space, others with debt and public health system distress and related challenges will need support from the international community. Actions to consider include:

  1. Prioritizing social protection in the application of counter-cyclical fiscal tools to support household incomes and help enterprises in retaining workers, thereby stabilizing aggregate demand and mitigating the effects of the economic downturn;
  2. Reorienting and increasing global financial support for countries to expand social protection systems;
  3. Exploring new global solidarity financing mechanisms to support countries with insufficient fiscal space;
  4. Ensuring international financial flows to low income countries are sustained even during the COVID-19 crisis.

5. Ensure continued/scaled up and coordinated delivery capacities of social protection and humanitarian crisis response programmes

The pandemic may disrupt the delivery of existing social protection programmes and services, for example due to staff illness, limited mobility for service providers and participants or other physical distancing measures. Countries need to quickly introduce coordinated measures that will allow social protection systems to continue to operate effectively during the pandemic. In settings where many steps along the implementation chain are carried out manually, COVID-19 mobility restrictions can severely impede benefit delivery. The following measures are thus recommended:

  1. Where possible, ensuring that contingency plans and adaptation measures are put in place (see examples under sections 1 and 2), including continuity of financial services or scaling up infrastructure capacities (e.g. information and communication technologies, and health infrastructure);
  2. In sub-national, national and global response efforts, ensuring that the responses of the public sector, social protection providers, civil society and humanitarian actors are coordinated, information and assessments of needs and responses are shared freely, and existing social protection delivery mechanisms for channelling humanitarian aid are used where advantageous.

6. Design crisis response measures also with a view to strengthening social protection systems in the medium- and long-term

Countries that already have well-functioning social protection systems in place are in a much better position to respond to crises. Action taken in response to the COVID-19 crises should therefore not only aim to meet immediate short-term needs but build structures that contribute to early recovery and the extension of social protection systems also in the medium to longer-term; in line with SDG goal 1.3 of implementing nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and substantially increasing coverage of the poor and vulnerable. Actions to consider include:

  1. To the extent possible, building on and improving existing national administrative and delivery structures of social protection systems to implement crisis response measures (see examples under sections 1 and 2), rather than creating parallel ones;
  2. Working across the social protection – humanitarian nexus and strengthening local capacities when implementing relief operations;
  3. Developing short-term emergency measures with a view to extending social protection coverage and protecting people from longer-term impacts of the pandemic as well as future shocks;
  4. In the aftermath of the crisis, taking measures to build social protection entitlements anchored in national law that cover life cycle risks, including those related to health costs, sick leave and unemployment.

The SPIAC-B will support global and national responses to the COVID-19 pandemic by monitoring and aggregating emerging evidence and practices from SPIAC-B members and their constituents. We will facilitate rapid learning from this response so that countries can apply those lessons and develop effective context-specific responses in the short and long-term. For example, SPIAC-B agencies have produced and will periodically update this COVID-19 online community. Learning is further facilitated by the range of social, political and international partners providing information on the latest challenges, crafting effective responses and supporting implementation. A list of materials already published is included in the Annex.

Annex to SPIAC-B Joint Statement on the Role of Social Protection in Responding to the COVID19 Pandemic

Key resources and links – by agency in alphabetical order:

  1. ADB Insititutional website on COVID-19 response
  2. FAO Institutional website on COVID-19
  3. DFID Shock Response Social Protection Toolkit
  4. DFID Shock Response Social Protection Research
  5. EU Social Protection Across the Humanitarian Development Nexus
  6. HelpAge International Guidance and advice for older people, care homes and for protecting older people during the COVID-19 pandemic
  7. IFRC, UNICEF and WHO Guidance to protect children and support safe school operations during COVID-19
  8. ILO Institutional website on COVID-19 and the world of work: impacts and responses
  9. ILO Website on Social Protection Response to COVID
  10. IPC-IG/GIZ/DFAT/socialprotection.org COVID-19 Online Community including collection of materials, webinars, discussion space
  11. ISSA Website on Coronavirus – Social Security Responses
  12. ITUC Institutional COVID-19 response page
  13. OECD Tackling the Corona Virus (COVID-19) - information page including a series of briefs
  14. OECD ELS Policy Brief: Supporting people and companies to deal with the Covid-19 virus, Options for an immediate employment and social-policy response
  15. OECD ELS Policy Brief: Beyond Containment: Health systems responses to COVID-19 in the OECD
  16. OHCHR COVID-19: Who is protecting the people with disabilities?
  17. The Council of Global Unions Statement on economic and workplace measures in response to COVID-19
  18. UNAIDS Rights in the time of COVID-19: lessons from HIV for an effective, community-led response.
  19. UNESCO COVID-19 Educational Disruption and Response Monitor
  20. UNESCO Distance Learning Solutions – overview of freely accessible learning applications and platforms
  21. UNESCO Global COVID-19 Education Coalition
  22. UNICEF Shock-Responsive Social Protection guidance
  23. UNICEF, ILO Family-friendly policies and other good workplace practices in the context of COVID-19: Key steps employers can take
  24. WHO Website on COVID-19
  25. World Bank Coronavirus Response Information Webpage
  26. World Bank Global Review of Social Protection Responses to COVID-19

Social Protection Interagency Cooperation Board. SPIAC-B is composed of 25 intergovernmental agencies and 10 government bodies. 11 civil society organizations act as observers. For more information see: https://www.ilo.org/newyork/at-the- un/social-protection-inter-agency-cooperation-board/lang-- en/index.htm

Notes:

1 Social Protection is defined as the set of policies and programs aimed at preventing or protecting all people against poverty, vulnerability, social exclusion throughout their lifecycles, placing a particular emphasis on vulnerable groups. Social protection can be provided in cash or in-kind; through non-contributory schemes, such as providing universal, categorical, or poverty- targeted benefits such as social assistance; contributory schemes (commonly social insurance), and by building human capital, productive assets, and access to jobs.

2 In line with Recommendation (No. 134) on Medical Care and Sickness Benefits, which states that sickness benefits should also include persons “isolated for the purpose of quarantine.”

3 Convention 102 on minimum standards for social security details universal benchmarks and procedures for scaling-up family, old-age, sickness, employment and other programmes.

Report of the interactive, evidence based panel “The right of all to roofs & floors: Affordable housing and social protection” with international experts who explored the latest evidence on the human rights dimensions and interlinkages between the implementation of universal social protection systems, including floors, to combat and ultimately do away with homelessness and ensure adequate housing for all, and simultaneously address inequality. The side event took place on Wednesday 12 February 2020.

Organisers:  Winifred Doherty and Sylvia Beales, Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors
Moderator: Paul Ladd – Director, UNRISD
Keynote speaker: Juha Kaakinen – Director, Y Foundation, Finland. The presentation is here.

Panellists

Daniel Zavala Porras – Ministro Consejero, Mission of Costa Rica to the UN.
Maren Jiménez – Social Affairs Officer, UN Department of Social and Economic Affairs (UNDESA). The presentation is here.
Joanna Padgett Herz – Project Coordinator, Institute of Global Homelessness.
The presentation is here.
Christina Behrendt – Head, Social Policy Unit, International Labour Organisation (ILO). The presentation is here.
Sylvia Beales – Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors. The presentation is here.

Discussants:

Jack Kupferman - Gray Panthers, Stakeholder Group on Ageing
Lucy Richardson - IDA, Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities
Thomas Pallithinam - Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP).

Download the report here (pdf format)

Overview summary

The event was organised by the Global Coalition of Social Protection Floors and sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations and UNDESA. Co-sponsors were UNRISD, INPEA, Global Call for Action Against Poverty (GCAP), the ILO, The Institute of Global Homelessness, the Africa Platform for Social Protection, the Stakeholder Group on ageing, The Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities and USP 2030.  Experts for the panel were drawn from leading organisations in the field of social protection and homelessness.

The theme of the 58th Commission of Social Development was “Affordable housing and social protection systems for all to address homelessness.”  2020 is also the 75th anniversary of the Commission and the 25th anniversary of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development.  The side event was therefore part of a series of dialogues to support accelerated realisation of inclusive societies and reduction of inequalities everywhere for people of all ages. The event examined in depth two overarching social ambitions - that of achieving universal social protection for all across the life course, and doing away with homelessness.  It examined the ways in which how the issues are linked, how progress on one (social protection) can help to provide solutions to the other (homelessness), and what the key policy provisions are to achieve both.

Conclusions of the event were:

Rights and obligations

The Rights to Social security and adequate housing are contained within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 as follows:

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Article 22.
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Article 25.
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

Both social protection and housing have clear targets in the Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 11 of the 2030 Agenda:

1.3 Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and vulnerable.

11.1 By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.

Health coverage is an essential component of social protection and is also a target in Goal 3:

3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health care services and access to safe, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

Evidence provided by the keynote speaker, panellists and respondents show that, with some exceptions, now, 10 years before the target date of the 2030 Agenda, policies and actions are a very long way from making those targets a reality.

Data and definitions

Data cannot be mentioned without definitions; because without definitions, and the data to support them, it is not possible to monitor and assess progress towards the realisation of universal rights and SDG targets.  There are at present no clear definitions of homelessness between countries and no agreed methodology for collecting data and statistics on homelessness.  One objective of the Commissions work was to make progress on globally accepted definitions of homelessness.  For these reasons statistics on homelessness should be regarded as estimates.

While there is data and therefore greater clarity on the importance of social protection as being core to the successful implementation of the poverty, health and employment SDGS, and to reducing inequalities, there has been slow progress on extending coverage, financing and implementing universal roll out of the social protection floor; despite the full guidance for Member States set out in ILO recommendation 202.

The Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202) sets out the standards for Member States on building comprehensive social security systems and extending social security coverage by prioritizing the establishment of universally accessible national floors of social protection.

This repeats in similar wording the right to social security and to health set out in the Universal Declaration, but makes explicit that social protection should be afforded to those who cannot earn sufficient income, making clear that people experiencing in-work poverty should also have a right to income support provided by social protection.  On average, full-time employment in a low-paid job brings two-earner couples with children to only 65% of the national median income.  Over half OECD member states provide some sort of income support to top up the earnings of low-paid workers.1  The ILO points out that poverty rates of people who are working are much higher in Asia (21%), the Arab states (16%) and above all in Africa where in 2018 almost one third of all workers were living in extreme poverty.2  Currently some 55% of the world’s population receive no social security benefit.

Social protection and homelessness

Data presented in the event illustrates why urgent progress is needed on social protection and homelessness.

STATE OF THE WORLD 2020

  • Homelessness affects 1.6 billion people, with millions housed in informally built shelters and refugee camps that lack adequate and accessible services and fail all tests of adequacy
  • 71% of people live in social and economic insecurity.
  •  4 billion people have no access to even one social protection benefit
  • 45% of the global population receives only one social protection benefit.
  • 1.3 billion children do not have social protection
  • Only 28% persons with disabilities receive social protection benefits
  • 2.1 billion people have no access to safe water or basic sanitary services
  • About 900 million people have no access to safe drinking water
  • 815 million suffer from chronic hunger
  • 100 million fall into poverty annually because they have to pay health services

Source Cichon et al

Homelessness

As mentioned above, there is no universally accepted definition of homelessness.  Different countries work with different definitions and have different methods of collecting data so the numbers of homeless people which they record are not comparable.

Joanna Padgett Herz in her presentation illustrated definitions that are wide-ranging; for example ‘Homelessness is a condition where a person or household lacks habitable space with security of tenure, rights and ability to enjoy social relations, including safety. Homelessness is a manifestation of extreme poverty, and a failure of multiple systems and the implementation of human right “ (Institute of Global Homelessness), and rudimentary, such as that used by Russian legislation – “people without fixed abode or place of stay”3, which in 2010, according to the Russian statistical agency Rosstat, delivered an estimate of just 64,000 homeless,4 likely to be an underestimate of the real figure.

As with the definitions, different methods are used to collect data on homelessness:  Australia uses a street count and Russia a census with a focus on ‘records on residences and housing payments.’

Definitions of homelessness (IGH)

  • People living on the streets or other open spaces;
  • People living in temporary, emergency or crisis accommodation;
  • People living in severely inadequate or insecure accommodation;
  • People who lack access to affordable housing

Homelessness across the world

With the exception of one country, Finland, homelessness, on the basis of statistics gathered according to non-comparable definitions and by different methodologies, has increased over the past decade.  There is little sign that this trend will be reversed any time soon.  With so many different definitions of homelessness, with some countries including people living in inadequate or marginal housing as homeless, it is not possible to give a global figure of homeless persons.  Suffice to say that it is very large.  Estimates of homeless people provided by OECD member states, on the basis of different methodologies and base years, give a total of nearly 2 million.5  UN Habitat estimates that 1.6 billion people worldwide live in inadequate housing.6

Case Studies: Finland

In 1987 there were 17,000 homeless people in Finland.  The number has come down steadily since then, is now under 4,000 and is on course to be zero within six years.  According to Freek Spinnewijn, Director of FEANTSA (European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless), Finland had already brought the number of homeless down to virtually zero.

Juha Kaakinen, CEO of the Y Foundation in Finland, (The presentation is here.) outlined the policies and practices by which this has been achieved.  The overall policy is ‘Housing First’ – the provision of permanent housing for homeless people with services to support the new tenants which help them deal with the problems that made them homeless in the first place.  The provision of a stable roof over their heads makes it much easier for the formerly homeless tenants – and the services which support them – to manage and resolve their problems.  And it also saves money.  The savings in terms of the services needed by one person can be up to 9,600 euros a year when compared to the costs that would result from that person being homeless.7  Over a period of 30 years temporary solutions (hostels and shelters) have been largely replaced with permanent housing – independent rental apartments, social housing apartments and supported housing.  In 1985 there were 2,121 shelters and homeless hostels; now there are just 52.

How has this been achieved? Juha’s clear answer is political will (and political will and political will).  Finland’s approach to housing and homelessness, which pre-dates the official launch of Housing First, has survived through 11 prime ministers from different parties and is based on a wide partnership between state authorities, ministries, cities and NGOs.

An important conclusion to be drawn, accordingly, is that consistency of policy, purpose and implementation over time is required with support from governments of different ideological persuasions.

Costa Rica

Daniel Zavala explained how the government of Costa Rica is directly addressing the issues of homelessness which on the increase.  There are approximately 7,000 homeless people in Costa Rica, mainly concentrated in urban areas, with 4,000 rough sleepers (described as “street” people – personas en situación de abandono y situación de calle) in the capital, San José.  Nine out of ten of homeless people are addicts – drugs or alcohol – and similarly nine out of ten are of working age, between the ages of 18 and 65, a figure that came as surprise, with only 10 per cent of older persons, over the age of 65.

The importance of social and family networks should not be underestimated.  These break down among homeless people in the urban environment.

The responses for homeless persons of working age focus ultimately on reintegration into employment by means of mentoring, training etc.  This, however, may not possible for older persons so there are questions about approaches that are right for them.  There is a possibility that they will be able to perform unpaid, reproductive services, (e.g. child-care, working with disabled persons etc).  There is also a need to create a network to allow older persons to participate as citizens with full rights, in both the public and the private spheres.  In this way, for both older persons and those of working age, socially inclusive policies are an integral part of the response to homelessness.

The government’s three pronged strategy is to:

The government recognises that homelessness has multiple causes and four national institutions according participate in the National Policy Framework on homelessness:

The experiences of Finland and Costa Rica show that it is essential to adopt a multidimensional approach to homelessness.  People become homeless for a reason and, if those reasons, which inevitably vary from person to person, are not addressed, any respite from homelessness is likely to be temporary.  Social protection – the provision of a basic income – together with health care and supporting services, which are a part of the social protection package, can prevent poverty and facilitate access to affordable housing.  Housing First also involves specialist services which address the multiple causes of homelessness.

Social protection and inequality

Homelessness is, at least in part, a consequence of inequality – inequality in access to services and education and inequality in income.  Inequality is increasing across the world.  Social protection demonstrably reduces income inequality.  In Eastern Europe and Central Asia social assistance and social insurance together reduce the Gini coefficient of inequality by 24%.

According to FEANTSA, which works across the EU, the multidimensionality of homelessness can be seen by looking at how trends in poverty reduction and homelessness can go in different directions.  Less inequality does not automatically lead to less homelessness (as demonstrated by the Czech Republic, the least unequal country in the EU); countries with more social housing do not necessarily have less homelessness (Netherlands); even countries with strong social protection systems struggle with homelessness (Denmark).

This also underlines the need to take a Housing First approach, deploying a tailored variety of government resources and making the stable roof first rather than the last component of the strategy.

Maren Jiménez pointed out in her presentation that statistics on income, provide only a very partial picture of inequality. They do not take account of inequality experienced by people discriminated against by age, gender, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation and other factors; groups and by people living in specific locations and by inequalities which are perpetuated or exacerbated by policy formulation, design and implementation. The presentation is here.

Differences in educational achievement, for example, reflect horizontal inequalities between different groups.  These are evident in school attendance statistics.  These show large differences between children of parents with differing levels of education; children of higher and lower income families; and children of different ethnic groups – between whom, in theory, there should be no difference in attendance at secondary school which is, or should be, a universal service provided to all without discrimination. Inequality is intersectional, that is, the degree or impact of inequality experienced by individuals depends on factors such as age, ethnicity, gender, disability, location, sexual orientation, social and educational status, fluency in an official language etc.

Universal social protection is a step in the right direction but excluded groups can still suffer. They may lack information about benefits which are available; they may be subject to discrimination; and they may be excluded from the “universal” population because, for instance, they do not have the right ID documentation.8 Social protection does not in itself change the attitudes that lead to stigma and discrimination, and if not universally applied can therefore replicate or exacerbate exclusions.  Homeless people are among those likely to be unable to access social protection support and services.  For particularly vulnerable or discriminated groups, such as homeless people, as the example of Finland has shown, social protection has to be linked to guaranteed access to social services that can be tailored to particular needs, such as mental health support, alcoholism or drug addiction services.

Christina Behrendt in her presentation stressed the interconnections between the rights to social security and to adequate housing.  The data show that for very large numbers of people these rights are non-existent or only partially realised.  Only 45% of the global population is covered by one area of social protection; 23% of the world’s urban population lives in slums.  The ILO has produced studies demonstrating the connections with global statistics showing that across the world there is a rough correlation between the percentage of the population living in slums and the percentage not covered by social protection.  An even more informative correlation would show a comparison between countries with similar income levels.

Christina demonstrated that the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda show that a strong international consensus has been reached on the implementation of social protection floors, which is also extending to the urgency of tackling homelessness. It is also clear that there are a range of connections to show how social protection can reduce homelessness.  By delivering a guaranteed minimum income and services, particularly health care, social protection can reduce or cushion the negative impacts of the risk factors that can trigger homelessness – unemployment, sickness, maternity, old age poverty and relationship breakdowns.  Besides a basic minimum income, social protection may include housing benefit.  Thirty seven countries report having at least one type of housing allowance in place.9

Adea Kryeziu introduced the Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (USP2030), launched in 2016,10 and invited those present to join the partnership. UNP 2030 calls for:

1. Protection throughout the life cycle: Establish universal social protection systems, including floors, that provide adequate protection throughout the life cycle;

2. Universal coverage: Provide universal access to social protection and ensure that social protection systems are rights-based, gender-sensitive and inclusive, leaving no one behind;

3. National ownership: Develop social protection strategies and policies based on national priorities and circumstances in close cooperation with all relevant actors;

4. Sustainable and equitable financing: Ensure the sustainability and fairness of social protection systems by prioritizing reliable and equitable forms of domestic financing, complemented by international cooperation and support where necessary;

5. Participation and social dialogue: Strengthen governance of social protection systems through institutional leadership, multisector coordination and the participation of social partners and other relevant and representative organisations, to generate broad-based support and promote the effectiveness of services.

Sylvia Beales spoke on behalf of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors, whose vision is to promote the implementation of social protection floors and the extension of social protection to all.  The presentation is here. With over 100 members comprising grassroots organisations, NGOS, think tanks, and individual experts the Coalition’s mission is to work strategically, collaboratively and in spirit of global solidarity, to provide a space and virtual platform for coalition members united by the common purpose of promoting the consolidation of social protection floors from a human rights perspective.  The Coalition stresses that social protection is a right and therefore an obligation of governments, and at a minimum, should consist of access to the set of goods and services set out in ILO Recommendation 202.

Sylvia pointed out this is not an unachievable fantasy but affordable and within the realms of possibility.  116 countries would theoretically be able to close their social protection gaps with national social protection spending increases of less than 4% of GDP (with 32 countries requiring less than 1% of GDP); 21 countries would require increases in spending of more than 4% of GDP to close their social protection gaps, and of these only a small number would be likely to require some temporary international support.

There are systemic issues which affect the full realisation of the right to social protection include the conditions attached to social protection determined by governments.  These affect the range of social protection supports and services available and the people and groups who can benefit.  To realise its transformative potential social protection needs to be universal, adequate and accessible to all across the life course.  The resources are available; there is more than enough evidence that effective social protection reduces poverty and benefits the wider society as well as direct beneficiaries.  Progress, however, is still painfully slow. Universal funding to underpin system development could be achieved via a global fund mechanism.

Discussion

Paul Ladd raised why social protection is “not happening” given the plentiful evidence that it is effective and affordable.  Issues of homelessness and social protection (or the lack of it) go the heart of how we govern the economy.

He reiterated that intersectionality – the way in which people’s different identities and statuses can have a cumulative impact on disadvantage – is a key issue.  He pointed out that homeless people are neglected in multiple ways.

He invited discussants to look at the experiences of different sections of society in terms of homelessness and social protection.

Jack Kupferman (Gray Panthers, Stakeholder Group on Ageing) took up the issue of older people and homelessness, explaining causes and circumstances unique to older persons that could make them homeless.  He gave the example of older widows in India who were shunned and abandoned by their families.  The city of Vrindavan has become a mecca for widows who have been made homeless by their families.  In other societies too it may be thought that older persons are cared for by their families, but the reality is that many older persons are not supported by younger generations. It is a government responsibility to deliver the rights of older people to social protection, care and shelter.

Mr Kupferman summarised as follows:

Lucy Richardson (IDA, Stakeholder Group on People with Disabilities) said that the cross cutting identities of persons with disabilities are a complicating factor.  A key problem is the lack of accessible, appropriate and affordable housing for persons with disabilities, and inaccessible transport.  To ensure that persons with disabilities are included it is necessary for there to be compliance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Convention gives very clear guidance on the issues of the built environment and social protection and has been ratified by over 170 Member States.

While the SDGs have some relevant indicators for persons with disabilities there is a lack of adequate data.  Without attention to data it is all too easy for persons with disabilities to be left behind.

Thomas Pallithinam (GCAP) explained that GCAP represented 11,000 CSOs in 57 countries. For GCAP the crux of the problem is politics and policy. Homelessness is not a standalone issue but a symptom of inequality.  Inequality and homelessness share the same causes. The link between the absence of effective social protection and homelessness is evidenced by the fact that young people who are discharged from institutions (orphanages and children’s homes) are the very people who almost immediately become homeless.

Mr Pallithinam made the observation that the phrase “Leave no-one behind” is condescending – the SDGs should be about empowering people so they can have the capacity to say, “we will not be left behind.”  To make change people should be willing to use the tools of data and evidence set out in today’s presentations.

Contributions from the floor included the importance of keeping social protection high on the policy agenda of the Commission for Social Development; and that the urgency of building family and community resilience requires action now to deliver universal social protection and to end homelessness.

Conclusions

Further references

https://www.socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org/

https://housingfirsteurope.eu/countries/finland/

https://ighomelessness.org/

https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/world-social-report/2020-2.html

https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2020/01/55706.pdf

https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/world-social-report/2020-2.html

https://www.stakeholdergrouponageing.org/

http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/content/stakeholder-group-persons-disabilities

https://gcap.global/

Notes:

Notes:

2 ILO. (2019). Spotlight on work statistics.  The working poor or how a job is no guarantee of decent living conditions. https://ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---stat/documents/publication/wcms_696387.pdf

3 Institute of Global Homelessness. State of Homelessness in Countries with Developed Economies.
https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/05/CASEY_Louise_Paper.pdf

7 Y Foundation “Housing First in Finland”.  https://ysaatio.fi/en/housing-first-finland

8 One very recent example of this is the treatment meted out in the United Kingdom to the children of the “Windrush Generations” (children who were brought to the UK as young children but who, for one reason or another, did not or were unable to regularise their nationality documents. They found themselves barred from health services, social security, employment and rental contracts – and effectively became non-people.

9 OECD. Affordable housing database. Key characteristics of housing allowances.  https://www.oecd.org/els/family/PH3-2-Key-characteristics-of-housing-allowances.pdf

10 USP2030 partners are World Bank and ILO (cochairs), other multilateral and bilateral development partners, UN Member States, trade unions, civil society organizations.

e-GCSPF # 31 - January 2020
 

The outcome document of the Global Social Protection Week is now available in English, French and Spanish. The event was held under the auspices of the International Labour Organization (ILO) from 25th to 28th November 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Video recordings of the high-level segment, selected interviews and photos are posted here.

Read here about the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors activities during the event.

 
   
   
 

Covering the Missing Middle: Informal Economy Workers

   
 

WIEGO participated at the side event "Covering the missing middle: Informal economy workers" on 27 November. Read more

   
   
 

Asian Roundtable on Social Protection network

   
 

AROSP published an article on the activities carried out by the GCSPF during the ILO Social Protectoin Week. Read more

   
   
 

The Human Rights Framework for Establishing SPF and Achieving Universal Heath Coverage

   
 
In its General Comments No. 14 and 19, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has specified the contents of the right to health and the right to social security. The main challenges associated with the implementation of these two human rights have been addressed in several major international policy initiatives and global partnerships: The 2030 Agenda now makes an important contribution to the concretization of the rights to health and social security, because it expressly obliges the international community both to implement the concept of social protection floors and to ensure universal health protection. The extra-territorial obligations deriving from the two human rights are also taken up by the 2030 Agenda. The article by Markus Kaltenborn is available here
   
   
 

Let's kick-start a Global Fund for Social Protection by crowdfunding

   
 

More than half the global population is living in abject poverty and severe social insecurity. We have known for decades that well-run national social protection systems can solve most of the problem.
But how do we fund it?
The article by Michael Cichon is available here

   
 

New resources on SDGs and ageing

   
 

HelpAge International recently launched new SDG advocacy resources for ageing and older people inclusion in SDG implementation. The guide "Ageing and the SDGs - Six steps to older people’s inclusion" supports HelpAge network members and other CSOs in using Agenda 2030 to advance older people’s rights and inclusion. It sets out six key steps for integrating ageing and age-inclusive policies into national implementation of Agenda 2030, including mapping key advocacy stakeholders and identifying the main influencing opportunities in the SDG process. There is also a messaging guide and a flyer with some short advocacy asks. Read more

   
   
Welcome to Odile Frank as individual member
   
 

Odile Frank represented several organizations that are members of the GCSPF, now she has joined the GCSPF as individual member.

   
   
JOIN US TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR ALL

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e-GCSPF # 30 - December 2019
 

Members of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors participated in the Global Social Protection Week organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) which was held from 25th to 28th November 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The objective of the Global Social Protection Week was to provide a roadmap for the future of social protection within the framework of the recently adopted ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work.

Video recordings of the high-level segment, selected interviews and photos are posted here.

 
   
   
 

GCSPF Commitments towards achieving Universal Human Rights-Based Social Protection Systems and Floors

   
 

The GCSPF delivered a statement at the Commitment session of the High-level Segment on Tuesday 26th. Read the statement here and the audio is here

   
   
 

Partnering for USP and SDG 1.3.

   
 

The GCSPF delivered a statement at the Session Partnership for USP and SDG 1.3 at the Global Social Protection Week on Thursday 28th. Read the statement here

   
   
 

Financing Social Protection

   
 
Magdalena Sepúlveda and Barry Herman, members of the GCSPF, participated in the panel of the session "Financing Social Protection: Creating fiscal space at the international level" that was held on Tuesday 26th. The audio is available here
   
   
 

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung at the Commitment session

   
 

Cäcilie Schildberg delivered a statement on behalf of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung at the Commitment session of the High-level Segment on Tuesday 26th.
The audio is available here, and all the session is here

   
   
 

Meeting of the Social Protection, Freedom and Justice for Workers Network

   
 

A meeting with the Social Protection, Freedom and Justice for Workers Network took place on Wednesday 27th. The Workers Network is an initiative by the ILO – in partnership with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) – to bring together trade unions that are active in promoting adequate, comprehensive social protection systems, to support dialogue amongst them and mutual learning. The network meeting showcased how unions are campaigning for the extension of social protection systems that are adequate, comprehensive, and based on the principles of solidarity and universality; dfending these systems against austerity and mobilising against cutbacks to the adequacy and coverage of social protection; negotiating reforms within tripartite committees or councils, as well as actively participating in the implementation, monitoring and follow-up of social protection reforms; supporting workers in the informal economy to access comprehensive social protection, while at the same time fostering the transition from the informal to formal economy; and promoting the ratification and effective implementation of international labour standards on social protection, namely ILO Convention 102 on Social Security and Recommendation 202 on Social Protection Floors. Specific country cases were presented (India, Nepal, Argentine, Kenya. Read more

   
 

Formulating national policies and strategies and national dialogue

   
 

Aura Sevilla and Michael Cichon participated in the panel. The session was moderated by Cäcilie Schildberg. The session was held on Wednesday 27th.
This session brought together governments, social partners, international organizations and development partners to discuss the importance of an effective and inclusive national dialogue for formulating national social protection strategies and policiesto build national social protection systems. It explored steps that countries can follow to formulate national social protection policies and strategies based on national dialogue and highlight countries’ experiences and lessons learnt in this regard. Read more

   
   
 

International Financing for Social Protection Systems

   
 

The technical session "Exploring the feasibility of International Financing for Social Protection Systems" was held on Thursday 28th. Michael Cichon and Markus Kaltenborn were in the panel.
This session brought together leading thinkers from governments, research institutions, the civil society and the private sector in order to discuss the feasibility of international financing for social protection floors. Different proposals for global solidarity mechanisms have been put forward in the past decade. Furthermore, different tax proposals have been discussed (and partly been implemented), including recent discussions on international taxation in the G7. The audio is here and the concept note is here

   
   
 

Launch of the publication "The challenge of creating national social dialogues for social protection floors"

   
 

The side event "Launch of the publication From international ivory towers to national realities: The challenge of creating national social dialogues for social protection floors, organized by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung was held on Thurdsday 28th.
The importance of an effective and inclusive national dialogue for formulating national social protection strategies and policies to build national social protection systems was discussed in the session. And the experiences FES made in a three year project in nine countries where the impact that can be achieved by societal dialogues for the extension or the preservation of social protection almost everywhere.
The publication seeks to contribute to the core objectives of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors and to foster ongoing discussion at the national and international levels on how to better support the achievement of the SDGs and the practical realization of Recommendation 202, as a necessity for any kind of social-ecological transformation towards just and sustainable development.

   
   
 

Video Social Protection Floor

   
 

Only with a solid floor beneath our feet, we can feel safe and start dancing! Watch the video here

   
 

Networking at the Marketplace

   
 

On Wednesday 27th the GCSPF had a stand to present our work as well as publications of our members. The presentations included information shared by the members. The stand was focused on the cluster "Delivering on SDG 1.3: UN and partners" and the main focus was on "The role of civil society for universal social protection". José Florito (CIPECC, Argentina) coordinated our participation on this.

   
   
 

Strategy meeting of the Core Team

   
 

The strategy meeting of the Core Team of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors took place during the Global Social Protection Week.
The aim of this workshop was to bring together the members of the Core Team in order to share information among the members on activities in their working area, to discuss and develop future strategies and actions on all levels with specific focus on the regional, national and local level in developing countries, to discuss and decide respective action plans for 2020 and 2021 and to meet with international experts of the ILO and the Human Rights system during the ILO’s Social Protection Week and to strengthen their partnership.
The meeting was facilitated by the Geneva Office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and Brot-für-die-Welt.

   
JOIN US TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR ALL

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Dear friends,

Thank you very much for this opportunity to contribute to this very last session of the Global Social Protection Week. I am proud as a technical consultant to WIEGO, coalition member, based in the Philippines, to be able to outline for you the role and function of the global coalition for social protection floors for all.

1. Could you please share with us the main objective and composition of Global Coalition on Social Protection Floors? What is the main added value? Could you please share some of the concrete achievements so far?

The Global Coalition is a network of over 100 civil society organizations, trade unions and think tanks from all regions. Our vision is to promote the implementation of social protection floors and the extension of social protection to all. Our Mission is working strategically, collaboratively and in spirit of global solidarity, to provide a space and virtual platform for coalition members united by the common purpose of promoting the consolidation of social protection floors from a human rights perspective in line with human rights instruments, international labour standards, ILO Recommendation No.202 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

You have asked about our main added value and concrete achievements. In our 7 years of existence our coalition has kept the Social Protection Floor high on the international agenda. We have given visibility to many different experiences and expertise in the field of social protection. We have enabled national civil society organisations and trades unions to have a voice, and led on supporting, organising, mobilising and empowering especially the left behind people, such as those in the informal economy, rural areas, older people and persons with disabilities, to have awareness, confidence and agency to monitor and claim their rights to social protection. Our members have used their expertise in monitoring and training to lead and initiate dialogues on SP at the national level, and have ensured the participation of those often left behind in social protection policy formulation.

Our approaches include sharing practice nationally, regionally and internationally. We draw on academic expertise to build our capacity in moving forward on the challenges relating to the extension of social protection floors for all. This has given us the space at national, regional and international level for evidence based advocacy, drawn from experience of members, and shaped by a common framework to achieve the four guarantees of the floor. This framework has guided us in activities - including implementation of the social pension in the Philippines, to examine the impact of the right to care in Uruguay, to submit evidence to the Committee of Social and Economic Rights, to explore approaches to social protection through multi-country studies in Africa and Asia and facilitate multi-stakeholder networking on the right to social protection in nearly 20 countries in Africa Asia and Latin America. Our commitment to information exchange via website meetings, the monthly newsletter and the development of our many technical and policy documents has been supported over the years by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Bread for the World.

Since the GCSFP came into being with the adoption of ILO Recommendation 202 in 2012 we have been actively engaged in ensuring that the right to social protection and its implementation of floors is in key global policy documents such as Agenda 2030 and those of regional Commissions, including the EC and AUC. Statements focus on social protection systems and floors and access to public services and infrastructure for gender equality. We participate in sessions of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), have submitted shadow reports to the Committee of Economic and Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) and are supporting the finalisation of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Citizens to Social Protection and Social Security of the African Union. The GCSPF has a seat at the Steering Committee of the Universal Social Protection 2030 Initiative. We believe it is effective to bring in the voice of civil society and trade unions in these regional and global fora where UN organisations and member states lead the way, since civil society and trade unions play an important transformative role in realizing the right to social protection and the implementation of the floors.

In that sense, we are very happy that we were able to co-negotiate the contents of the Call to Action of the Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection, which was launched on February 5th. It was crucial for us that important issues such as the adoption of human rights language, the recognition that universal systems require both contributory and non-contributory components and that civil society and trade unions must be centrally involved in the development, implementation and monitoring of national regional and global social protection policies.

2. In the future social protection systems need to be universal, comprehensive, adequate, sustainable and adapted to the transformations of the world of work, and to face many new challenges.

a. What concrete actions does the GCSPF plan to take to fill the coverage and financing gaps for universal social protection, and build the future of social protection to ensure that no one is left behind?

b. What are the concrete actions that you plan to take in the Global Coalition on Social Protection Floors to strengthen partnerships for promoting universal social protection?

Over Sunday and Monday of this week coalition members met to make concrete plans for the next two years. Our plans include to take forward human rights monitoring by encouraging coalition members to make inputs to available human rights monitoring mechanisms, including the Human Rights Council and the CESRC on social protection implementation , and to give visibility to the guarantees of the floor within UN processes – CsocD, CSW, HLPF, FFD, and the African Union. We will promote and encourage coalition member experience sharing and enhance partnerships in the global south for capacity building work. We will support Regional Platforms – eg Africa Platform for Social Protection, WIEGO, Asia Monitoring in the in country monitoring of access to benefits and to develop positions and articulate experience of platform members on key issues including informal work, the impact of climate change and humanitarian challenges, and legal standards to underpin the 4 social security guarantees. We envisage more partnerships with academia and think tanks to strengthen our capacities on a number of issues, including fiscal space, public finance management and human rights. We will continue our engagement in USP2030, with individual organisations joining the Membership Assembly and the GCSPF taking up its seat in the Steering Committee, together with ITUC.

Our engagement in the EU Global Action is an example of a multi-stakeholder partnership that we would value in other countries. It is an example of shared commitment to the same objectives and a common guiding framework to make a real difference to people’s lives. The lessons which we will draw from this new EU Global Action will be very useful in guiding future partnerships in other countries, and support our active engagement in the delivery of the human right of social protection for all and its sustainable and long term financing.

Statement of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (GCSPF) at the Session Partnership for USP and SDG 1.3 at the Global Social Protection Week organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland, on 28 November, 2019.

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Our Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors comprises over 100 non State actors, civil society organizations and trade unions.  We work towards the implementation of universal, residence and human rights-based social protection systems and floors – in line with human rights instruments, international labour standards, ILO Recommendation No.202 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Our coalition is active on issues which in our view are essential building blocks to achieve universal social protection systems and floors for all. These include:

  1. Robust monitoring of the implementation of the four social security guarantees of recommendation 202
  2. National and international financing mechanisms for social protection
  3.  Participation in the design, promotion and monitoring of the implementation of social protection systems and floors
  4.  National and international action required to ensure delivery of social protection systems and floors including universal access to essential health care
  5. The importance of gender equality and rights-based care policies

We are a committed member of the interim Steering Committee of the USP2030 partnership. We are pleased to participate in specific country action covered by the EU Action Programme on “Synergies in Social Protection and Public Finance Management”. We are confident that this partnership with ILO, UNICEF and the EU will strengthen national-level dialogues to reach consensus to further social protection for all.

Our three priority areas are:

  1. Articulate the transformative potential of social protection for social development, the eradication of poverty, for gender equality, to enable people and societies to address the impact of climate change and to reduce inequalities.
  2. Strengthen partnerships, advocacy and lobbying on social protection floors, highlighting progress and gaps. We stress the need for enhanced coverage, adequate financing, and tax justice.
  3. Identify and help overcome obstacles in the delivery of social protection, including means-testing and conditioning benefits, and ineffective delivery systems that exclude marginalized and hard to reach people.
  4. Strengthen social accountability through assessment-based national dialogue, capacity building, data disaggregation and monitoring to achieve universal residence- and human rights-based social protection systems and floors for all people on our planet.

Thank you for your attention.

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The audio is available here

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

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