Extending social protection to the rural economy: ILO policy guidelines

What are the most important elements to be considered in terms of ILO policy regarding the extension of social protection to the rural economy?

Here are some elements:

• Building a comprehensive framework for the rural economy: linking social protection policies and strategies for the rural economy with other areas of intervention;
• Provision of social protection to the rural population as a key strategy aimed at eradicating poverty and food insecurity;
• Ensuring the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality (AAAQ) of health care, and addressing inequities in the access to health services between rural and urban areas;
• The role of social protection in promoting sustainability and inclusiveness in the rural economy. For instance, social transfers (e.g. social pensions, public employment programmes), as a way to boost the local rural economy;
• Informality in the rural economy and the role of social protection for supporting the transition to modernization and formality in rural areas;
• Linkages between the rural informal economy and food security

Find out more on the ILO POLICY GUIDANCE NOTES!

How to link SPF with SDGs and bring an effective human rights monitoring mechanisms to the process ensuring no one is left behind?

How do we develop international enabling actions for implementation of SDGs at national levels?

What role can the Global Coalition play at regional and national levels?

To find answers to these questions, a three -day focused global South meeting is being organised between 27 and 29 January and hosted by the PWESCR (Programme on Women's Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) in New Delhi (India) to

1. achieve an enhanced understanding of national experience, good practices and challenges with regard to promotion, implementation and monitoring of national SPF and comprehensive social security systems for all.
2. develop a Global Coalition road map from a South perspective to achieve universal SPF targets at country level, which will be shared in the Coalition Core Group meeting in March, 2016 in Geneva.

Social protection is one of the foundations for inclusive, equitable and sustainable development. With focused advocacy efforts in collaboration with several stakeholders and partners, the Coalition did succeed in getting social protection included as a key component of Sustainable Development Goals. The Coalition has been effective in its collective international advocacy efforts to demand social security. In the last three years, it has worked around SDGs, Human Rights Council, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and with the EU and has resulted in some promising outcomes.

HelpAge International* has developed a pensions calculator to work out the cost of universal pensions in 175 countries across the globe. Pick a country, age of eligibility, benefit level and discover how much this would cost!

*HelpAge International is member of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors.

The idea of a social protection floor (SPF) is now firmly established on the global development agenda. Defined as a set of minimum guarantees, including basic income security for children, working-age adults, older people and people with disabilities, as well as essential health care for all, SPFs hold promise for women, who are over-represented among those excluded from existing social protection schemes. To date, however, the integration of gender concerns in social protection has been uneven and ambiguous, with women’s specific risks and constraints not addressed. Drawing on cross-country evidence and experiences, this brief highlights promising ways to make SPFs work for women.

Read the UN Women Briefing in 

• English
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