Social protection
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Social protection

Access to adequate social protection is recognized by International labour standards and the UN as a basic right . It is also widely considered to be instrumental in promoting human welfare and social consensus on a broad scale, and to be conducive to and indispensable for fair growth, social stability and economic performance, contributing to competitiveness

Today, only 20 per cent of the world’s population has adequate social security coverage, and more than half lack any coverage at all. They face dangers in the workplace and poor or non-existent pension and health insurance coverage. The situation reflects levels of economic development, with fewer than 10 per cent of workers in least-developed countries covered by social security. In middle-income countries, coverage ranges from 20 to 60 per cent, while in most industrial nations, it is close to 100 per cent.

Social Protection is one of the four strategic objectives of the Decent Work agenda that define the core work of the ILO. Since its creation in 1919, ILO has actively promoted policies and provided its Member States with tools and assistance aimed at improving and expanding the coverage of social protection to all groups in society and to improving working conditions and safety at work.

The ILO has set out three main objectives reflecting the three major dimensions of social protection:
 
  1. Extending the coverage and effectiveness of social security schemes
  2. Promoting labour protection , which comprises decent conditions of work, including wages, working time and occupational safety and health, essential components of decent work
  3. Working through dedicated programmes and activities to protect such vulnerable groups as migrant workers and their families; and workers in the informal economy. Moreover, the world of work's full potential will be used to respond to the AIDS pandemic, focusing on enhancing tripartite constituents' capacity

The Social Protection Floor Initiative

Recognizing the importance of ensuring social protection for all, the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (UNCEB) adopted, in April 2009, the Social Protection Floor Initiative, as one of the nine UN joint initiatives to cope with the effects of the economic crisis. This initiative is co-led by the International Labour Office and the World Health Organization and involves a group of 17 collaborating agencies, including United Nations agencies and international financial institutions.

The Social Protection Floor approach promotes access to essential social security transfers and social services in the areas of health, water and sanitation, education, food, housing, life and asset-savings information. It emphasizes the need to implement comprehensive, coherent and coordinated social protection and employment policies to guarantee services and social transfers across the life cycle, paying particular attention to the vulnerable groups.

Latest

  1. Mexico and the ILO sign cooperation agreement on social protection floors

    17 June 2013

    The agreement was signed by the Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Mexico, Alfonso Navarrete Prida, and ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, during the International Labour Conference in Geneva.

  2. Employment and social protection in the new demographic context

    14 June 2013

    Demographic change including population ageing is a universal trend in all countries. Delegates at the 102nd International Labour Conference are discussing the implications of this new demographic context on the labour market and social security systems.

  3. Demographics challenge world of work, social protection

    07 June 2013

    Population ageing is one of the key issues being discussed at the International Labour Conference in Geneva. Delegates are focusing on the impact of this demographic trend on employment and social protection.

  4. © L Guarnieri/Brazil photo press 2013
    Statement by ILO Director-General on the occasion of World Environment Day 2013

    05 June 2013

  5. The role of trade unions in the Post 2015 development agenda

    03 June 2013

    The Special Advisor of the UN Secretary-General on Post-2015 Development Planning, Ms. Amina Mohammed, aims to involve unions in the planning and implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda objectives. In this interview with the ILO’s Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV), she expresses her views on the ILO decent work agenda and the role of international labour standards and social dialogue.

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