Letter to the new OECD Secretary General

On August 2021 the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors sent a letter to Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). See the letter below, pdf version here.

26 August 2021

Mr. Mathias Cormann
Secretary-General
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Dear Mathias Cormann,

On behalf of the entire membership of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (GCSPF), the Coalition’s core group of founding members congratulates you on your appointment to the position of Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

As a key actor in international economic and social policy and a major representative of a group of the highest income countries, the OECD has, as part of its mandate, a critical role in the definition and implementation of development cooperation, a task of overarching and fundamental importance.

The Global Coalition is a growing international civil society alliance of 110 non-governmental organizations, trade unions and think tanks working for social protection and, in the first instance, for national floors of social protection. There are large gaps in social protection worldwide, not only in low-income countries, but also in higher-income countries and member States of the OECD. Among other things, we are actively involved in current discussions on the establishment of a Global Fund for Social Protection to enable the lowest income countries to achieve social protection floors. Last year in September, the French government, together with the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, organized a High-Level Expert Meeting on "Establishing a Global Fund – Social Protection for All." OECD staff participated at this meeting in a very constructive way furthering discussion on a new international financing mechanism.

We note that full implementation of social protection floors in lowest income countries has been estimated by the International Labour Organization to cost roughly 0.13 per cent of the collective national income of OECD member States at the outset, far below their objective of giving 0.7 per cent of collective gross national income (GNI) as official development assistance (ODA) and even less than half of the current sum of OECD members’ ODA of 0.3 per cent of GNI.

Yet, the imperative to invest in sustainable social protection systems globally must be squarely addressed to put a stop to - and reverse - increasing inequality, essential to poverty eradication and to the eventual achievement of globally inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Positive conditionalities, the demonstrated multiplier effects of social protection and consequent increased financial capacity of recipient economies will be the pillars of the resilience and sustainability of social protection systems.

We note also the critical and remarkable progress spearheaded by OECD on international collaboration to end tax avoidance, and welcome OECD’s continuing active engagement in ongoing debates on global social protection in that context. We uphold the position that significant tax recoveries should benefit a new, dedicated international financing mechanism for social protection, fundamental to poverty eradication and inclusive economic growth, and believe that OECD is in the best position to enable that end.

Please accept, Sir, the assurances of our highest regard and sincere expression of our full collaboration.

Your sincerely,
on behalf of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors

e-GCSPF # 58 - August 2021

Recording for HLPF Side Event: “Decade of Action to achieve Universal Social Protection by 2030”       The virtual side event “Decade of Action to achieve Universal Social Protection by 2030” took place on 12 July 2021 during the High-level Political Forum 2021. The event was co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations; Ministry of National Development Planning, Indonesia; Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection - USP2030; Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors; Global Call to Action Against Poverty; International Labour Organization; The World Bank; International Network for Social Protection Rights (INSP!R West-Africa); United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD); Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung; Protestant Agency for Diakonie und Development; Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd; Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC). Watch the recording           “Pushing the frontiers: Women and public services”       From gender-responsive to gender-transformative public services. This briefing paper by the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) aims to explore the role of public services in the transformation of asymmetrical power relations between women and men. The publication argues that public services can play a decisive role in this transformation, by fostering a critical examination of gender roles, redistributing resources and opportunities and strengthening positive social practices that enhance gender equality. It puts forward five key elements for a gender-transformative approach to the management, delivery, funding and ownership of public services. Public services enable us to tackle not only the consequences, but also the systemic and underlying factors—the uneven power imbalances — underpinning gender inequality. Read more           Report “Between Hunger and the Virus”       On July 2021 Human Rights Watch & Empowerment Initiatives (JEI) released the Report “Nigeria: Covid-19 Impact Worsens Hunger in Lagos” that documents how a five-week lockdown, rising food prices, and a prolonged economic downturn have had a devastating impact on informal workers, slum dwellers, and other urban poor families in Lagos. The absence of a functioning social security system meant that government assistance, including cash transfers and food handouts, reached only a fraction of people going hungry. The report also shows the need for increased international support for expanding the right to social security, including a reference to the Global Fund for Social Protection, to support expanded social security in the wake of the pandemic. The Global Fund could present an alternative to loans that may impose austerity measures that could harm human rights and increase poverty and inequality in the coming years. Read more           Family-Friendly Policies for Workers in the Informal Economy       Social protection and care systems for children and families during COVID-19 and beyond. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented, disastrous impact on the ability of people to balance work and care for their children and families. This policy brief is an outcome of a collaboration between Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO), UNICEF and the International Labour Organization (ILO) in advocating for family-friendly policies to protect and ensure social protection and care systems that are good for children, good for women and good for the economy. The policy brief features an increased focus on the well-being and working conditions of caregivers in the informal economy and their children’s development in low- and middle-income countries. The brief highlights the need to consider sustainable policy and protection responses instead of quick, short-term measures for more gender-transformative and equitable solutions. This represents a critical gap which, if not addressed, will make our goals to tackle child poverty, hunger and gender inequality – and fulfil the SDGs – impossible to achieve. Read more           Impacts of Covid 19 on persons with disabilities in Lebanon       Moussa Chrafeddine, President of I’DAD-Friends of the Disabled Association Persons with disabilities in Lebanon represent between 10 and 15% of the total population of 7 million, totaling approximately to around 910,000 (K4D report). As in many parts of the world, people with disabilities in Lebanon are among the most excluded and marginalized population groups. They contend with a systemic lack of provisions for rights, resources, and services and experience widespread marginalization, exclusion and violence at home and outside. This applies to all areas of their lives including access to quality care facilities. With the Lebanese economy practically in freefall, poverty and unemployment rates have reached records high, with disproportionately adverse impacts on persons with disabilities, among other most vulnerable groups. Read more           Leave No Woman Behind Reports       Responding together is key to overcome the COVID social, economic and health crisis caused by the pandemic. The Leave No Woman Behind 6 part mini-series of publications investigates regional and thematic dynamics which perpetuate multiple discrimination of women but also propose policy-based solutions. The goal of the Leave No Woman Behind project is that women who face multiple discriminations, exploitation, abuse and/or violence take part in national and global processes to protect their rights and work for the implementation of the SDGs to ensure that no woman is left behind. In the first phase, the project works mainly with women and girls with disabilities. Read more                   Gala Díaz Langou, CIPPEC’s new Executive Director       As of May 2021, Gala Díaz Langou is the new Executive Director of CIPPEC (Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth), Argentina. Gala, who has been director of CIPPEC’s Social Protection Program since 2016, is founder and member of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors, the Childhood Debt collective (Infancia en Deuda), the Equality Agenda initiative (AgendaxlaIgualdad), Humanin Haus and is also argentine delegate for the Women 20 (W20). As head of CIPPEC’s Social Protection Program, Gala promoted research and public policy recommendations on poverty, childhood, employment, social security and gender economic inequalities. She has a comprehensive approach on all these issues, with special concern for the feasibility and sustainability of social policies and the convergence of macroeconomics with development strategies. Read more

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 virtual side event “Decade of Action to achieve Universal Social Protection by 2030” took place on 12 July 2021 during the High-level Political Forum 2021.

The virtual side event was co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations; Ministry of National Development Planning, Indonesia; Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection - USP2030; Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors; Global Call to Action Against Poverty; International Labour Organization; The World Bank; International Network for Social Protection Rights (INSP!R West-Africa); United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD); Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung; Protestant Agency for Diakonie und Development; Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd; Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC).

Read more: the concept note, the invitation, the speakers bios, further information.

AGENDA

Moderator: Dr. Katja Hujo, Senior Research Coordinator, Transformative Social Policy Programme, UNRISD

Session 1: The Contribution of Universal Social Protection to Agenda 2030

• Dr. Shahra Razavi, Director of the Social Protection Department of the International Labour Organisation. (notes)

• Dr. Michal Rutkowski, Global Director, Social Protection and Jobs, The World Bank:
  Universal social protection - a key contribution to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda
  (SDG 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17)

• Dr. Maliki, Director, Poverty Alleviation and Community Empowerment, Ministry of National Development Planning, Indonesia (notes, presentation):
  Universal social protection for a resilient recovery and future crisis preparedness

• Roshni K. Niggehalli, Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (WNTA), on behalf of Global Call for Action Against Poverty India (notes):
  Universal social protection – an essential instrument to reduce Inequality (SDG 10)

Session 2: Partnership for Joint Action

• Uzziel Twagilimana, INSP!R West-Africa, on behalf of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (notes):
  The strength of national social dialogue to build universal social protection

• Erika Roffler, Secretary of Social Policy, Ministry of Social Development, Argentina (notas):
  The opportunities of a strong Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection (USP2030)

• Prof. Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights:
  How a Global Fund for Social Protection will enable social protection coverage for those left furthest behind

• Catherine Gigante, Head of Unit, Social Development, Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Belgium (notes):
  Comments and reactions on a Global Fund for Social Protection

e-GCSPF # 57 - July 2021

Recognizing, reducing and redistributing unpaid care work through universal social protection: a step forward towards gender justice       Action Against Hunger – France’s (AAH) released its latest policy brief documenting the impacts of poor women’s heavy workload on child undernutrition; and advocating for the recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid care work through universal social protection. This policy brief is based on data from 29 AAH publications, covering 15 countries in 7 different regions from 2012 to 2021. It highlights the vicious circle between unpaid care work, poverty and hunger in patriarchal societies. To put an end to this vicious circle, AAH calls on the States which will be present at the Generation Equality Forum to work in favor of the reduction, recognition and redistribution of poor women’s unpaid care work, by defending the right and access of all to universal social protection floors as defined by ILO 202 recommendation. Read more           Social registries: a short history of abject failure       There is much evidence to demonstrate that all social registries have failed to achieve their main aim of accurately identifying the beneficiaries of social programmes. This is largely because social registries - which are databases - generate very high levels of targeting and exclusion errors in the social programmes that use them. This report, by Act Church of Sweden and Development Pathways, examines the utility of the so-called "social registry" within social protection systems and finds that it is minimal - unless the aim is to undertake inaccurate poverty targeting. The report argues that, instead of wasting large sums of money on social registries, countries could use the funds on much better and more useful alternatives such as building Single Registries or proving identity, through the provision of birth certificates and identity cards, to all members of society. If governments truly wish to transform their societies and support national recovery from COVID-19, the paper argues that they need to realise that social registries will only hinder them from achieving this. Read more           Older people are bearing the brunt of COVID-19       The report “Bearing the brunt” by HelpAge international provides an overview of the impact of COVID-19 on older people based on insights from research in low- and middle-income countries. Older people are at higher risk of serious illness and their odds of survival are the lowest. Many have lost their livelihoods and can’t buy the food or medicine they need to survive. The pandemic has also exposed ageism like never before. Older people have been separated and isolated, portrayed as weak and helpless and, their rights have been ignored. This has taken a toll on their health and wellbeing, and older people now risk facing more violence, abuse and neglect than before the pandemic. Read more           What's next for social protection in light of COVID-19: challenges ahead       In celebration of socialprotection.org’s 5-year anniversary, a global online event took place focusing on the global health crisis. The e-Conference “Turning the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity: What’s next for social protection?” gathered the global social protection community to provide a unique opportunity for learning and collaboration. To further disseminate the e-conference’s key discussions, the socialprotection.org platform and the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) have developed two special Policy in Focus issues. This issue provides a thematic focus, delving in more depth into the main topics discussed during the round tables, such as financing, universal basic income, linkages to food security and employment, as well as gender-, child-, and disability-sensitive programmes, among others. Read more           Universal Quality Public Services       This report on “Universal Quality Public Services”, prepared by PSI in collaboration with the New Economics Foundation, helps unions build strong arguments for extended public services as the bedrock for the Covid-19 recovery. The Report outlines how Universal Quality Public Services are the most effective tool in achieving human rights, reducing inequality and ensuring equal access. Drawing on effective case studies from across the world, the study demonstrates the positive effects of bolstering the public realm and ensuring public services are guaranteed as rights rather than treated as entitlements. The report is designed to assist unions in countering the damaging and incorrect narrative, advanced by global institutions and leaders from across the political spectrum, that public spending is wasteful, that public services work better when marketised and that public sector workers are inefficent. Read more           Impacts of social protection on social cohesion and reconciliation       The report “Impacts of social protection on social cohesion and reconciliation” by HelpAge International presents findings from a desk study on how national social protection programmes have promoted social cohesion and national reconciliation in post-conflict contexts internationally. The study documents and analyses the dynamics of how government-provided social protection programmes in a variety of contexts, with various design features, have contributed to national reconciliation and social cohesion. Key findings are that social protection has a documented impact on several dimensions of social cohesion and that programme design matters for the effects of social protection on social cohesion. Read more           DAAD Scolarships MA in SocialProtection       The DAAD Helmut-Schmidt Scholarship supports future leaders in politics, law, economics and administration, who want to actively contribute to the social and economic growth of developing countries. This scholarship is only for the master's programme in "Social Protection", the deadline is July 31st, 2021. Read more

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

e-GCSPF # 56 - July 2021 - ILC - HRC

109th SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE     International solidarity to eradicate poverty: supporting the initiative of a Global Fund for Social Protection       The GCSPF took the floor at the International Labor Conference (ILC) to call for the creation of a solidarity based Global Fund for Social Protection; to pool funds while supporting countries design and implement national social protection floors. A Global Fund is the adequate multilateral initiative needed to respond to the consequences of Covid-19 and to build a better future. As an institution of global governance, the Fund would help pull together efforts and decrease the fragmentation of aid, leading to a consolidation of existing financing mechanisms and enabling domestic financing over the long term. Read more           ILO conference adopts strong pandemic call to action     The International Labour Organisation (ILO) annual ILC has concluded with the adoption of a strong and coherent response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. A key opportunity to press forward this agenda will be through the convening of a major international policy forum, with other multilateral institutions. The demand for universal social protection was reinforced in the resolution on social security. Important elements in that resolution include: the leading role of the ILO in the international system concerning social protection; social protection as a critical factor for recovery and resilience against future crises; the need for greater international solidarity in funding social protection and the engagement of the ILO in initiating and establishing a Global Social Protection Fund; and coverage of all workers in the formal and informal sectors, and increased action to formalise informal work. Read more           "We need a u-turn before we reach a point of no return"     At the ILC, PSI has underlined the urgent need for a complete reshaping of the rules of the global economy, with a recovery based on rebuilding quality public services and workers rights. Read more           The time has come for universal social protection       Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights On Saturday, June 19th, the ILC, the highest body within the ILO, voted to call on the ILO to develop concrete proposals for establishing a Global Fund for Social Protection. It’s a historic breakthrough for 55 per cent of the world's population – 4 billion people – who are still deprived of any form of social protection. Read more           HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 47th SESSION     Statement to the Human Rights Council 47th session       The Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors submitted a written statement to the 47th regular session, the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) (21 June to 9 July 2021) that considered the report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights on “The Global Fund for Social Protection: International Solidarity in the Service of Poverty Eradication”. The video is here. Read more           Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty Calls for the Creation of a Global Fund for Social Protection during Interactive Dialogue with the Human Rights Council     Olivier De Schutter, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, said a Global Fund for Social Protection should be set up to increase the level of support to low-income countries, thus helping them to both establish and maintain social protection floors in the form of legal entitlements, and to improve the resilience of social protection systems against shocks. Such a Fund was affordable. The video is here. Read more           World needs to prepare for next crisis by setting up Global Fund for Social Protection now – UN expert       Countries must prepare for future crises by setting up a Global Fund for Social Protection, a new international financing mechanism that will help protect their populations from the next pandemic, says a new report presented today by Olivier De Schutter, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on poverty, before the Human Rights Council. Read more           ATD Supports Global Social Protection Fund     ATD Fourth World speaks out in favor of the creation of a global fund for social protection. The International Movement ATD Fourth World strongly supports this initiative because it could bring about significant changes in countries or regions where poverty seems to be inexorably increasing. Read more           Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches, ACT Alliance support Global Social Protection Fund     The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the World Council of Churches (WCC), ACT Alliance and their partners worldwide submitted an oral statement to express that they are deeply concerned by the ongoing increase in extreme poverty, hunger and human suffering and the lack of most basic protection of impoverished communities, especially in low income countries. Read more

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 virtual side event “Decade of Action to achieve Universal Social Protection by 2030” will take place in the framework of the High-level Political Forum.

Date: Monday 12th July 2021, Time: 7:30 – 9am New York, EDT

Please register here: https://socialprotectionorg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_K0jIjxvgTC2pDQqYRiMhgQ

The event will be in English. Live Spanish and French translation will be offered.

The virtual side event is co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations; Ministry of National Development Planning, Indonesia; Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection - USP2030; Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors; Global Call to Action Against Poverty; International Labour Organization; The World Bank; International Network for Social Protection Rights (INSP!R West-Africa); United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD); Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung; Protestant Agency for Diakonie und Development; Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd; Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC).

Download the concept note and the invitation (flyer). The speakers bios are here.

AGENDA

Moderator: Dr. Katja Hujo, Senior Research Coordinator, Transformative Social Policy Programme, UNRISD

Session 1: The Contribution of Universal Social Protection to Agenda 2030

• Dr. Shahra Razavi, Director of the Social Protection Department of the International Labour Organisation:

• Dr. Michal Rutkowski, Global Director, Social Protection and Jobs, The World Bank:
  Universal social protection - a key contribution to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda
  (SDG 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17)

• Dr. Maliki, Director, Poverty Alleviation and Community Empowerment, Ministry of National Development Planning, Indonesia:
  Universal social protection for a resilient recovery and future crisis preparedness

• Roshni K. Niggehalli, Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (WNTA), on behalf of Global Call for Action Against Poverty India:
  Universal social protection – an essential instrument to reduce Inequality (SDG 10)

Q&A / Discussion

Session 2: Partnership for Joint Action

• Uzziel Twagilimana, INSP!R West-Africa, on behalf of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors:
  The strength of national social dialogue to build universal social protection

• Erika Roffler, Secretary of Social Policy, Ministry of Social Development, Argentina:
  The opportunities of a strong Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection (USP2030)

• Prof. Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights:
  How a Global Fund for Social Protection will enable social protection coverage for those left furthest behind

• Catherine Gigante, Head of Unit, Social Development, Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Belgium:
  Comments and reactions on a Global Fund for Social Protection

Q&A / Discussion

Wrap up and Conclusion: Towards universal social protection by 2030

• Summary of main messages and recommendations
• Invitation to join Partnership and to live up to Agenda 2030 commitment to achieve universal social protection coverage by 2030.

CONCEPT NOTE

Social protection is essential to achieve the 2030 Agenda. Social protection is not only a universal human right, investing in social protection also brings high social and economic returns. However, half the world’s population currently does not have access to any social protection, with coverage remaining particularly limited in most low-income countries. Those who tend to lack access to essential services and basic income guarantees, according to ILO Recommendation 202 on Social Protection Floors, include workers in the informal economy, marginalized children, people with disabilities, older women and men, refugees and migrants, and homeless persons.

We are entering the decade of action to achieve Agenda 2030 under extremely difficult circumstances. Global commitment to SDG 1 “to achieve substantial (social protection) coverage of the poor and the vulnerable by 2030” (Target 1.3) has become the highest priority to end poverty in all its forms, everywhere. Without concomitant commitment to joint action SDG 1 target 1.3 will fail.

The HLPF 2021 reviews global and national progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It also considers the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has already exposed the depth and breadth of social and economic inequalities and is set to push up to 150 million people into extreme poverty1, and 150 million children into multidimensional poverty2. Governments have responded to Covid-19 by introducing or scaling up social protection measures to ameliorate the impact of job losses, impoverishment and the increase of inequalities in their countries. Countries with established social protection systems have shown themselves to be in a much better position to cope with the social and economic fallout of Covid-19, to respond faster, more effectively and more efficiently than countries who have had to introduce new schemes on an ad hoc emergency basis.

Covid-19 has focussed minds on the importance of social protection guarantees to health and income, enabling access to education, food and housing. The positive impact of social protection on long-term poverty and inequality has been demonstrated. Many countries are realizing the need for and the long-term benefits of universal, comprehensive and adequate social protection, based on sustainable and equitable financing, tripartite administration and anchored in law.

We invite you to a 90-minute side event at the HLPF 2021 with speakers from governments, the United Nations, the World Bank and civil society. We will discuss why universal social protection is critical to the success of the 2030 Agenda, how social protection can prevent long-term poverty traps as a result of the ongoing crisis, how it will underpin resilient recovery and contribute to future crisis preparedness and how it will reduce inequalities. The event will explore the role of national social dialogue and the global partnership for universal social protection and propose a global mechanism to support countries to create comprehensive systems, to collect necessary data and to mobilize finance to ensure universal coverage of the social protection floor.

Conclusions and recommendations will feed into the ongoing work of the High-level Political Forum 2021 and the work of the sponsoring partners.

Notes:

e-GCSPF # 55 - June 2021

Q&A on the Global fund for social protection       The working group for a Global Fund developed a question-and-answer (Q&A) document to clarify and express our thinking around the Global Fund. Read more           International solidarity to eradicate poverty: supporting the initiative of a Global Fund for Social Protection       The GCSPF took the floor at the International Labor Conference (ILO) to call for the creation of a solidarity based Global Fund for Social Protection; to pool funds while supporting countries design and implement national social protection floors. A Global Fund is the adequate multilateral initiative needed to respond to the consequences of Covid-19 and to build a better future. As an institution of global governance, the Fund would help pull together efforts and decrease the fragmentation of aid, leading to a consolidation of existing financing mechanisms and enabling domestic financing over the long term. Read more           Policy Dialogue on G20 response to adequately tackle the impact of COVID-19 on hunger and food insecurity       Civil 20 (C20) and Oxfam organised the event “Ahead of the G20 Foreign and Development Joint Ministerial Session. “Policy Dialogue on G20 response to adequately tackle the impact of COVID-19 on hunger and food insecurity” held on 15th of June 2021. Johanna Wagman participated on behalf of the Global Coalition. Read more           Towards a Social Protection Floor for Lebanon     The joint policy note “Towards a Social Protection Floor for Lebanon, Policy options and costs for core life-cycle social grants” by the ILO and UNICEF explores policy options and costs for core life-cycle social grants in Lebanon. Lebanon is facing a detrimental and multifaceted crisis that threatens to undermine its political, economic, financial, fiscal and social stability. The country – its people and the Government – is at a critical juncture in which key decisions around the (re)construction of core institutions will determine the success or failure of the country’s immediate recovery plans and long-term trajectory. Social protection will be central to this reconstruction, but temporary or reactive measures will simply not be enough to get the country on track. Lebanon has an opportunity to meet the immense crisis with an equivalent investment in an inclusive, lifecycle social protection system, which will not only provide immediate relief but will fuel a faster recovery and lay the foundation for a stronger economy and society going forward. Read more           Financing for development in the era of COVID-19 and beyond       The final report of the Civil Society Meeting “Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond”, Cluster 2: socio-economic response: social protection, gender, youth, health, education, and human rights is now on line. The consultation with NGOs and Civil Society Organizations was held under the auspices of the International Labour Organization and coorganized by the NGO Committee on Financing for Development and the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP). The event was held on 11 March 2021. Read more           Collective video project for social protection       The UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter, invited us to participate on a long-term video project to support the campaign for global social protection. The collective video project “Social Protection for all!” compiles short videos from around the world where people and organisations answer the simple question: “Why does social protection matter to us?” Read more           ASEAN Regional Forum on Social Protection that Empowers Women       The ASEAN Regional Forum on Social Protection that Empowers Women will be held on 29 - 30 June 2021 virtually via Zoom. The forum will bring t protection experts, national and international organizations, civil society organizations, UN agencies, ASEAN Committee on Women, ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development empowerment and advancement. Members of the Global Coalition will participate on the Forum. Read more

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

Human Rights Council 47^th session 21 June to 9 July 2021
Agenda item 3

“The Global Fund for Social Protection: International Solidarity in the Service of Poverty Eradication”
Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights

Written statement submitted by the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (A/HRC/47/NGO/168) https://undocs.org/A/HRC/47/NGO/168

Download pdf version here.

At its 47^th regular session, the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) will consider the report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights on “The Global Fund for Social Protection: International Solidarity in the Service of Poverty Eradication”. The Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors, an international alliance of more than 110 civil society organisations, concurs with the findings of the Special Rapporteur and expressly welcomes his proposal to establish a Global Fund for Social Protection.

The proposal was developed almost a decade ago¹, but now – at a time when the COVID-19 outbreak has exposed the vulnerability of our societies in a particularly dramatic way – its urgency has become even more evident. A key lesson that can be drawn from the crisis is that states with adequate and functional social protection systems were much better prepared to respond appropriately to the severe social problems that suddenly arose as a result of the pandemic. The current crisis, as the Special Rapporteur points out in his report, has pushed many millions of people below the poverty line. The suffering caused by this and the manifold subsequent problems could have been avoided if better social protection had been provided worldwide.

Human rights deficits in relation to the financing of global social protection

It is important for the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors to emphasize that the initiative to establish a Global Fund appears particularly necessary from a human rights perspective. The right to social security is a human right that is far too rarely in the focus of global public interest – and this despite the fact that it is violated millions of times every day. According to estimates by the International Labor Organization (ILO), 71 percent of the world's population (about 5.2 billion people) have only limited access to basic social protection or even none at all.²

If at least the core elements of the right to social security – that is, what roughly corresponds to the "social protection floor" according to ILO recommendation 202 (2012) – were guaranteed worldwide, this would represent a major step forward in the fight against poverty and global inequality. Philip Alston, the former UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, has quite rightly pointed out that the “(i)mplementation of the right to social protection through the adoption by all States of social protection floors is by far the most promising human rights‐inspired approach to the global elimination of extreme poverty. … No other operational concept has anything like the same potential to ensure that the poorest 15 to 20 % of the world’s people enjoy at least minimum levels of economic, social and cultural rights.”³

The discussion initiated by his successor, Olivier de Schutter, together with former Special Rapporteur Magdalena Sepúlveda, on the establishment of a new international financing mechanism is now an opportunity for the international community to finally give this human right, which has been neglected for a long time, the status it deserves on the international agenda.

The need for a new global financing mechanism

Social protection is primarily a responsibility of national governments as set out both in the International Covenant for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, Arts. 2, 9) and in ILO recommendation 202 (Art. 12). Nevertheless, significant gaps in social protection remain in many low income countries (LICs), mainly due to the lack of corresponding financial resources. In addition to leveraging domestic resources (especially improving taxation and budget prioritization as well as fighting illicit financial flows), international cooperation is therefore an important tool to address these financing deficits. Multilateral and bilateral programs are already helping some LICs to build up their social protection systems. In doing so, those states that provide funds for this purpose indicate that they are willing to fulfill their extraterritorial obligations with regard to the right to social security.⁴ However, the support measures are often inadequately coordinated. Above all, they are far from sufficient to guarantee the basic funding of essential social security services in the poorest countries and in exceptional crisis situations.

A Global Fund – building on existing institutions such as the Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection (USP 2030) and the Social Protection Inter Agency Cooperation Board (SPIAC-B) – would not only leverage coordination of national actors, as well as the consistency and synergies of international cooperation. Its main task would in particular be to support countries to design and implement crisis resilient national social protection floors and, in specific cases, provide temporary co-financing for low-income countries where such transfers would otherwise require a prohibitively high share of the country’s total tax revenue. Moreover, the Fund could help strengthening the mobilization of domestic resources to underpin the future sustainability of national social protection systems. Its mandate would also include to offer additional support for specific shock-responsive social protection interventions in countries where floors have not yet been established.⁵

The globally recognized, overarching legal standards of the human rights approach and the aid effectiveness principles should be the authoritative guidelines for the design of the Fund's operational processes. Two aspects therefore appear to be particularly worth emphasizing:

• The funds administered by the Global Fund should be used exclusively for the establishment of such protection systems that comply with the requirements of human rights – i.e. in particular with Art. 9 ICESCR⁶ – and the basic principles enshrined in ILO recommendation 202. National social protection floors not only have to aim at a universal, non-discriminatory and rights-based coverage of all population groups, but also have to be designed in such a way that they enable full participation of people of all ages, including women, people with disabilities, minorities, and those living in poverty in the implementation and monitoring processes. For the governance structure of the Fund, this also means that the bodies are not only composed of representatives of recipient and donor states, but that representatives of civil society organizations, trade unions and informal workers’ organizations are also involved in the decision-making processes of the Fund.

• In addition, it must be ensured that – in accordance with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (2005) and the follow-up documents of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation – the principle of country ownership is respected. Implementing a social protection floor would remain the responsibility of the respective countries. They would receive financial support from the Fund, but this support would be used for social protection programs that they have developed and implemented themselves. Each country must be allowed to decide for itself – within the framework of the requirements of Art. 9 ICESCR and ILO recommendation 202 – how to design its social protection system.

Recommendation

Social protection systems that work to combat poverty and inequality are an essential element of human rights protection. Developing these systems is a task that each country must first perform for itself. But from a global perspective, the economically stronger countries also have a responsibility toward the weaker members of the international community. This responsibility exists not only in political terms (based on the principle of global solidarity), but it is also a consequence of the extraterritorial obligations that states have entered into under international law. The ICESCR also requires them to engage, within their financial means, in protecting the social rights of people who do not live on their territory.⁷

This is why the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors respectfully requests that this Council should take the opportunity to lead in developing and implementing a rights-based approach to global social protection. It should encourage global leaders, as well as international organizations and financial institutions, to give careful consideration to the proposals put forward by the Special Rapporteur for the establishment of a Global Fund and to make it one of the main priorities of the meetings to be held in the near future both at UN level and in the context of the G7 and G20 consultations.

Notes:

The Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors submitted a written statement to the 47^th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) held from 21 June to 9 July 2021. . This session considered the report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights on “The Global Fund for Social Protection: International Solidarity in the Service of Poverty Eradication”. The statement is here.

Civil 20 (C20) and Oxfam organised the event “Ahead of the G20 Foreign and Development Joint Ministerial Session. “Policy Dialogue on G20 response to adequately tackle the impact of COVID-19 on hunger and food insecurity” held on 15th of June 2021. The agenda of the webinar is here.

Johanna Wagman participated on behalf of the Global Coalition. Her notes are here.

Concept Note

‘This virus will starve us before it makes us sick.’ these words are from Micah Olywangu, a taxi driver in Nairobi, father of three children, the youngest one born in December 2019. The closure of the airport and collapse in tourism have hit his business hard. Micah’s experience is that of millions of people around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has added fuel to the fire of an already growing hunger crisis.

Hunger was already on the rise prior to COVID-19: FAO estimates that the number of undernourished (including those with chronic and acute hunger) increased from 624 million people in 2014 to 688 million in 2019. The drivers underlying this trend include extreme climate events, conflict, and other shocks to economic opportunities. COVID-19 is estimated to have dramatically increased the number of people facing acute food insecurity in 2020-2021, with impacts expected to continue through 2021 and into 2022. According to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020 report, the pandemic may have added between 83 and 132 million people to the total number of undernourished in the world in 2020.

The current pandemic creates a vicious cycle that affects the food security of the poorest people more heavily than that of people who are better off or live in wealthier countries: people living on low incomes often rely on work in the informal sector, day-labour, or remittances. They spend a greater proportion of their income on food, and are less likely to have access to formal safety nets.

The dramatic slowdown in the global economy, coupled with severe restrictions on movement, has resulted in mass job losses over the last year. Governments have responded to the unprecedented disruption in economic activity by instituting ad hoc social protection policies that vary considerably in terms of their reach and scale. Many wealthy nations have introduced multi-billion-dollar economic stimulus packages to support business and workers, but most lower-income nations lack the financial firepower to follow suit.

Worsening hunger levels and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic require a strong coordinated global response. In this challenging context what role should the G20 play under the leadership of the Italian Presidency? This question will be addressed at the first session which will also offer opportunity to get an overview of the Food Coalition, a global alliance established by FAO in November 2020 on the proposal of the Italian Government in response to the pandemic. The second session will stimulate the debate around two main topics that are pivotal in setting up an effective and sustainable policy response to such a dramatic food crisis. The first one is the need to support robust and inclusive social protection systems in low and middle income countries as a key requirement to ensure food security for chronically food-insecure. The second one is to recognize the key role of women and young small scale farmers, to address their specific needs, to counter discriminations they suffer and to promote, instead, the transformative role they can play in reducing poverty and hunger.