Who amplifies the voices of the millions left behind by social protection systems? This special issue of our newsletter brings together research, policy briefs, podcasts and voices to show just how many roles civil society plays — from grassroots mobiliser to policy watchdog to emergency responder.
A good starting point is the overview report Social Protection: What Role for Civil Society? just released by the GCSPF. It maps how NGOs, trade unions, and grassroots associations are working and pushing for social protection as a human right — and discusses what it takes to keep them at the table.
Being at the table, however, is getting harder. The Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation's report Safeguarding Civil Society Space at the United Nations documents a "death by 1,000 cuts": how bureaucratic delays, funding cuts, and procedural tweaks quietly lock civil society out of global human rights governance.
On the ground, it looks different. This video from Cambodia — produced by the Cooperation Committee of Cambodia — shows volunteers helping formerly excluded community members access social protection, one person at a time.
Zooming out to Asia as a whole, the Faces of Inequality report by GCAP finds that millions across Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, Pakistan, and the Philippines remain without basic protection. The report documents the role of civil society in all moments of the policy cylce.
What makes civil society participation actually work? Three resources provided by INSP!R and WSM dig into governance and systems: a policy brief on civil society's role in effective, inclusive, and sustainable social protection, a major research report on inclusive governance and societal resilience — with policy briefs — and a study on how the social and solidarity economy can extend the right to social protection, with an accompanying policy brief.
Finally: what happens when the state steps back in a crisis? The podcast episode Beyond "Gap-Filling": CSOs and the Battle for Accountability in Lebanon tackles exactly this, with ARI's Farah Al Shami and social policy expert Cynthia Saghir. Read alongside the policy brief on CSOs as local first responders by the Camealeon Consortium and the Asfari Institute — a sharp analysis of what worked, what didn't, and what needs to change.
|
|
|
This policy analysis, "Social protection: What role for civil society?", provides a comprehensive look at how NGOs, trade unions, and grassroots movements drive change through their diverse functions as mouthpieces for the vulnerable, innovators in policy design, and independent watchdogs for government accountability.
As these vital actors face a landscape of shrinking political space and unprecedented funding cuts, the report proposes steps for institutionalizing participation and building powerful alliances across local and international levels. Read the full study to discover why integrating the "third sector" is a strategic imperative for creating resilient, rights-based social systems that truly leave no one behind. Read more
|
|
|
A Crucial Element in Human Rights Promotion and Protection. Civil society organizations serve as the indispensable backbone of the UN human rights system, yet their ability to operate is being systematically eroded. This report examines the phenomenon experts call a "death by 1,000 cuts," explaining that the restriction of civic space is rarely the result of a single major decision. Instead, it occurs through the accumulation of numerous individual technical, political, and procedural changes—such as bureaucratic delays, late confirmation of sessions, and the removal of hybrid participation options—that may seem minor or trivial in isolation but together create significant barriers to access. Combined with severe funding shortfalls and increased reprisals, these incremental measures shift power away from rights holders and diminish the effectiveness of global oversight. Read more
|
|
|
|
This policy brief (also available in Spanish and French) presents key insights on strengthening social protection governance through civil societyi participation. It summarizes a larger study on the role of civil society in social protection governance1 to inform policy makers, civil society actors, and other actors of Belgium’s international cooperation working on social protection. The brief first discusses how civil society participation can strengthen different dimensions of social protection governance, in different stages of the policy cycle. It then turns to key strategies, opportunities, and challenges for enabling and promoting the contributory roles of civil society towards stronger social protection governance. Read more
|
|
|
|
Across Asia, millions of people continue to struggle at the intersection of poverty, inequality and impacts of climate change. While governments have committed to advancing social protection systems and to make them universal, the reality on the ground tells a different story.
These case studies from GCAP members across the region reflect the lived experiences of communities who are left behind. They reveal not only the gaps in current policies and implementation but also the strength and determination of people to fight for their rights. From women and informal workers to indigenous peoples and climate-affected families, their voices underscore the urgent need for inclusive, rights-based and adequately financed social protection systems that can withstand crises and deliver justice. Read more
|
|
|
|
This policy paper elaborates how WSM and its partner organizations in Belgium and in various countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, have been responding to these challenges over the past few decades by progressively constructing and promoting a tripolar governance model across the four pillars of the Decent Work Agenda with the aim of contributing towards more resilient societies, social justice and sustainable development. Read more. The policies briefs are available in English, French and Spanish.
|
|
|
|
A short video from Cambodia done by the Cooperation Committee of Cambodia that shows the importance of community support for inclusive social protection and capturing how volunteers are helping the community getting access to social protection. Watch the video
|
|
|
In this conversation, ARI's program director Farah Al Shami and Lebanon Social Policy Expert Cynthia Saghir explore the critical role of CSOs in holding the State accountable during emergency responses. They analyze the synergy between service-providing and knowledge-producing actors, highlighting how research, advocacy, and community-building and campaigning can amplify popular demands and ensure the State effectively addresses them. By evaluating existing coordination mechanisms, such as Grievance Redressal Mechanisms (GRMs), the discussion identifies what is working well in the current response in Lebanon and where structural gaps persist. It scrutinizes the effectiveness of current mechanisms while identifying the institutional reforms still required to transition from "gap-filling" to meaningful State accountability. Watch the recording
|
|
|
This report by Elena Briones Alonso provides an overview of the various roles the SSE can play in promoting social protection, while also highlighting its strengths and challenges. The findings show that the SSE can contribute to different aspects of social protection through diverse mechanisms and over different time horizons.
The report underscores the importance of public policies, partnerships, and alliances—particularly with trade unions and (local) governments—for scaling the SSE’s contributions while maintaining its values. However, challenges such as resource constraints, tensions between stakeholders, and risks to SSE autonomy require careful navigation. Read more - Policy Brief
|
|
|
|
|
|
