Delivering Social Protection and SPFs as One SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE

The role of social protection in creating and protecting decent jobs Improvement and extension of social protection contribute to the sustainable economic and human development and poverty reduction. Most countries in Southeast Europe already have comprehensive social protection systems. However, the gaps still exist in the personal coverage and the risks covered.

Unemployment benefits Effective coverage by region,

Ensuring adequate social protection coverage for all The Social Protection Floors Recommendation No. 202 (2012) calls for ILO Member States’ action to build comprehensive social protection systems and extend the coverage by establishing and maintaining national social protection floors. In April 2009, the UN Chief Executives Board launched the Social Protection Floor Initiative (SPF-I) which calls for increased cooperation in development assistance activities and planning.

Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable. SDG 1.3 One UN, beyond 2015 “This new, universal, sustainable development agenda requires an international community that is ‘fit for purpose’ in order to support countries to implement a new generation of sustainable development goals.” - UN Secretary-General’s Synthesis Report

Organizing field operations “In April 2009, the UN CEB launched the Social Protection Floor Initiative (SPF-I)... we ask Resident Co-ordinators and UNCTs to consider a number of specific steps to advance this work...” - UNDG Chair Helen Clark and ILO Director- General Guy Ryder in letter to all UNRCs/UNCTs March Creation of national joint SP/F teams -Supporting national dialogues -Conducting joint assessments -Integrating SP/F into national development plans -Building national statistical capacities STEPS

Continued UNDG endorsement to implement SDGs though multi-layered coordination: -Global level -Regional level -National level Coordination through UNDG UNRCs / UNCTs UNDG REGION UNDG/DOCO GLOBAL Wignaraja letter (Mar ‘15) Ryder-Clark letter (Mar ‘14) Regional Chair letters + joint knowledge products UNRCs / UNCTs NATIONAL REGIONAL “… within your national context, [take] the necessary steps to support countries in extending national floors of ‘social protection for all’ in the Post-2015 period...” - UN DOCO Director, Kanni Wignaraja in letter to all UNRCs/UNCTs March 2015

NATIONAL UN SPF Task Teams of UNCT interested members Organize joint activities among Team members: -Assessments -National dialogue -Administrative capacities -etc. Work with government to integrate SP/F into UNDAFs Conduct SP/F national trainings for UNCTs, other UN staff PHILIPPINES: - SPF Core Group with ministries/UN agencies - Joint dialogue/assessment in 2015 MONGOLIA: - UN Working Group on SP - Joint dialogue/assessment conducted MOZAMBIQUE: - Joint assessment conducted - ILO/IMF report published CAMBODIA: - Joint development of NSPS - Single-Window Service (SWS) mechanism THAILAND: - SPF Joint Team - Joint assessment of SP - Recommendations on child support grant and long-term care benefits adopted NIGER: - Request from gov to form UN SPF team - Joint assessment planned in 2015

REGIONAL LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN: - Paper on SPFs in LAC with inputs from ILO, PAHO, ECLAC, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, UNESCO, HelpAge International and OEA / RIPSO - Joint compendium on national dialogues planned and pensions note ASIA-PACIFIC: - Thematic Working Group on SP with 11 UN agencies/commissions - Joint Issues Brief on SP published in Joint tool-kit on SP coordination under development EASTERN-SOUTHERN AFRICA: -Joint Issues Brief on SP in approximately 10 regional countries under development -Exploration of potential African-wide SP/F monitoring framework WESTERN-CENTRAL AFRICA: - Joint Issues Brief on SP planned in 2015 Thematic Working Groups made up of interested UN regional agencies Develop joint knowledge products among Group members, foster common positions and vision: -Good practice guides -Tool-kits Integrate SP/F into regional UNDG work plans Conduct SP/F regional trainings for UNRCs, other UN staff EUROPE - CENTRAL ASIA: - Thematic Working Group TORs under review by UNICEF, UNDP, ILO, others ARAB STATES: - Thematic Working Group discussions w/ UNICEF, UNDP, ILO, others

GLOBAL March 2015 UN DOCO letter to UNRCs calling for SPF implementation to realize SDGs, improve coordination SPF-I brochure, Web site (un.social-protection.org) Upcoming UNDG blog post ( Include SPF-I components in global and regional training on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in May/June 2015 UN staff and national delegates Develop global Issues Briefs, tool-kits, manuals, etc. on SP/F Integrate SPF-I into training curricula at UN Staff College

Timeline SPF-I launched by CEB Adoption of ILO R202 Joint Clark- Ryder letter Launch of first regional UNDG Issues Brief (Asia) Issues Briefs, Tool-kits in other regions SPF in Post Agenda Thematic Working Groups in all UNDG regions Guidelines published in all UNDG regions Training available for UNRCs SP/F in all UNDAFs Bachelet report Manual and strategic framework for joint UN operations

SPF-I in Southeast Europe Countries generally enjoy comprehensive social protection systems, but risks remain: – Potentially excluded or vulnerable groups - Roma, IDPs, refugees and asylum seekers – Pressures on social insurance and social assistance systems (deficits, austerity measures, etc.) Need for minimum standard safeguards: – Establish nationally-defined and monitored minimum levels of income security through the life-cycle (SPF)

SPF-I in Southeast Europe A coordinated UN response in the region: – Thematic Working Group on social protection among UN agencies (UNICEF, UNDP, ILO, others) – Working under auspices of UNDG Europe and Central Asia Regional Chair (proposal scheduled for next UNDG-ECA meeting on May 2015) – Potential for development of a regional Issues Brief on social protection with good practices on SP/F extension and UN coordination – Potential for applied tool-kits on priority issues for regional governments, UN agency activities

Delivering Social Protection and SPFs as One THANK YOU