Unlocking social protection financing: From pledge to practice

Recording

Overview

For the first time, more than half of the world’s population (52.4 per cent) is covered by at least one social protection benefit (SDG indicator 1.3.1). This is welcome progress. But it also means that 3.8 billion people are still left unprotected for routine life-cycle risks (e.g. if they get sick or lose a job) and climate-related or other systemic shocks that lie ahead. Based on current trends, SDG target 1.3 on universal social protection will not be achieved by 2030.

To close the social protection coverage gap, countries need to set realistic short-term targets, as long-term ones are not sufficient. Therefore, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (USP2030) are calling on countries, where social protection is not universal, to prioritize public investments in order to be able to extend social protection coverage, as measured by SDG indicator 1.3.1, by at least two percentage points per year.

Paragraph 27i of the FfD4 outcome document reflects this commitment and it encourages countries to integrate financing of social protection systems, including floors, in line with ILO standards with a view to extend social protection coverage by at least 2 percentage points per annum.

Objective

The event aims to launch two Sevilla Platform for Action (SPA) initiatives to support the implementation of the FfD4 outcome document on the extension of social protection coverage by at least 2 percentage points per annum for countries where social protection is not yet universal:

1- Financing social protection: From pledge to practice (by ILO and USP2030)

The initiative will motivate countries to implement the FfD4 outcome document by focusing on a core priority: mobilizing domestic and international resources to build universal social protection systems, by ensuring the progressive extension of coverage (SDG indicator 1.3.1) by at least 2 percentage points per year aligned with ILO international social security standards. The ILO will soon launch a new platform to monitor endorsements of para 27i. The platform will highlight both successful experiences and new national commitments aligned with the goal of increasing social protection coverage by at least 2 percentage points per year. Countries and organizations that are interested in endorsing para 27i are invited to complete this form to contact the ILO’s Universal Social Protection Department.

2- Unlocking Social Protection Financing: Connecting global advocacy to national implementation (by USP2030)

The initiative reinforces the commitment to prioritize public investments to increase social protection coverage focusing on populations and countries with the greatest gaps and support developing countries that aim to increase social protection coverage, including those that aim to do so by at least two percentage points per year. The initiative will achieve efficiencies by building on ILO's World Social Protection Database, the UNICEF/ILO/Save the Children Child Benefits Tracker, and the World Bank Corporate Scorecard. It will be linked to the results and indicators tracked in the context of the implementation of the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions and the Multistakeholder Engagement to Implement the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions and the World Bank Social Protection and Jobs Compass (M-GA).

Agenda

Moderator

• Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, USA

Speakers

• Gilbert Houngbo, Director General, ILO
• Maropene Ramokgopa, Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Chairperson of the G20 Development Working Group, South Africa
• Wellington Dias, Minister of State for Social Development and Assistance, Family and Fight Against Hunger, Brazil

Further information

• World Social Protection Report 2024-26: Universal social protection for climate action and a just transition
• Financing gap for universal social protection: Global, regional and national estimates and strategies for creating fiscal space
• A global call to action to accelerate the achievement of universal social protection (SDG target 1.3) to reduce poverty and inequality
• Joint statement with USP2030: A call for action on financing social protection
• Fiscal Space for Social Protection. A Handbook for Assessing Financing Options (New edition forthcoming)
• Combating inequalities: what role for universal social protection?
• Brief SPA Initiative "Financing social protection: From pledge to practice"