1. Social protection floors
AEPF Thematic Dialogue:
Guaranteeing transformative social protection and reclaiming the social commons
Yangon, 16 August 2014
Lou Tessier
ILO Social Protection Technical Officer

2. Social protection A human right A social necessity
An economic necessity

3. International definition of social protection / social security
All measures providing benefits, in cash or in kind, to secure protection, inter alia, from:
lack of work-related income (or insufficient income) caused by sickness, disability, maternity, employment injury, unemployment, old age, or death of a family member;
(b) lack of access or unaffordable access to health care;
(c) insufficient family support, particularly for children and adult dependants;
(d) general poverty and social exclusion.
What happens in case of…
Sickness
Disability
Maternity
Old age …

4. Social security as a human right
Universal declaration of human rights, : social security is a human right
Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102) : flagship Convention on social security
Recommendation on nationally defined social protection floors, (No. 202): reaffirms the universal right to social security
Video by Youth for Human Rights International

5. Social protection worldwide – current situation
80 % of the world population do not have access to comprehensive coverage
30% of the population do not have access to essential health care
Almost 60% of the elderly do not receive a pension ( excluding China)
50% of children live in poverty, many lack access to health and education
National social security strategies, based on social dialogue
Strengthening social health protection
Social security coverage gap
Social pension programmes
Child and family benefits

6. Social protections floors Emergence of a concept
April’09
Launch of joint-UN Social protection Floor Initiative
June’09
ILC 2009 ● Global Jobs Pact
Feb’ 10
UN ECOSOC resolution on promoting social integration
Sept’10
UN General Assembly resolution on the MDG Summit
Nov’11
Full support from the G20
Dec’11
Launch of the Bachelet Report (SPF Advisory group)
June’12
Adoption of ILO Recommendation no. 202 by the ILC
June’12
RIO+ 20 summit
Jul’12
Social protection international cooperation mechanism
(ILO and the World Bank)
UN General Assembly resolution on universal health coverage
Dec’12

7. Social protections floors International initiatives
Created in April 2009 by the UN CEB (one of 9 joint crisis response initiatives) Global coalition agencies and development partners
Contributed to a global call for social protection and endorsement of the SPF concept by G20, MDG Summit, ILC ....
2012: Social Protection Inter-Agency Cooperation Board (SPIAC-B).
Response to the G20 call for global coordination on social protection and international cooperation in country demand-driven actions.
Priority of SPIAC-B is support to coordination of country activities related to social protection.
Global lead agencies: ILO, World Bank Members: UNESCAP, UNCEPAL, UN Habitat, UNAIDS, UNDESA, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UNRWA, UNWOMEN, WFP, WMO, FAO, OHCHR, UNFPA, IMF, Asian Development Bank, EC, OECD, SIDA (Sweden), the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Finland, GIZ (Germany), GIP SPSI, Education and Solidarity Network, HelpAge International…

8. Social protection floor
Four basic guarantees: 
All residents have access to essential health care, including maternity care 
All children enjoy basic income security, providing access to nutrition, education, care, and any other necessary goods and services 
All persons in active age who cannot earn sufficient income, enjoy basic income security, particularly in cases of sickness, unemployment, maternity, disability 
All older persons have basic income security

9. Families with children Death of the breadwinner
A life cycle approach
People face contingencies during their life-cycle, which have financial consequences
Maternity
Sickness
Unemployment
Work injury
Medical care
Families with children
Invalidity
Death of the breadwinner
Old age
Life-cycle

10. Social protection floors
SPFs are defined nationally, depending on the context
No ‘one size fits all’ approach in designing and implementing SPFs
Each country decides on targeted vs. universal schemes, contributory vs. non-contributory schemes
The SPF approach is result-based
The SPF Recommendation no. 202 provides guiding principles for the design and implementation of such floors.

11. Extending social protection: two dimensions
For a long time, social security was contributory and mainly adapted to the formal sector
Assumption that informal sector would progressively shrink and come under social security coverage - this did not happen
Level of protection
???
Poor
Rest of informal sector
Formal sector
Population

12. Extending social protection: two dimensions
In countries of Asia, formal sector workers have access to social protection
Some programmes target the poorest, leaving the rest of the informal sector uncovered
Existing universal schemes (e.g. UCS, old-age pensions in Thailand)
Level of protection ??
Poor
Rest of informal sector
Formal sector
Population

13. Extending social protection: two dimensions
Discussion on social security in ILC 2001 led to a new consensus: priority to be given to the extension of coverage, exploring strategies like adapted social insurance, microinsurance, social assistance
Level of protection
Poor
Rest of informal sector
Formal sector
Population

14. Extending social protection: two dimensions
All residents should enjoy at least a minimum level of social security through social protection floors (SPFs)
Member states of the ILO should establish SPFs as a fundamental element of their social security systems
Level of protection
Nationally defined SPF
Poor
Rest of informal sector
Formal sector
Population

15. Extending social protection: two dimensions
Based on this floor, extend social security to provide progressively higher levels of SP benefits to more people
Level of protection
Higher levels of social security to more people
Nationally defined SPF
Poor
Rest of informal sector
Formal sector
Population

16. SPF endorsed globally
ILO’s Recommendation on Social Protection Floors, 2012 (No. 202) was endorsed by 185 member States in June 2012 with 456 ‘yes’ votes and 1 ‘not present’
Recommendation No. 202 guides member States on establishing and maintaining nationally defined SPFs

17. SPF adopted in Asia
The 15th Asia Pacific Regional Meeting, Dec 2011, prioritizes “reducing poverty and wide inequalities in income and wealth” and “building effective social protection floors in line with national circumstances”
ASEAN member States adopted the Declaration on strengthening social protection, Sep 2013

18. Social protection: a priority for ASEAN leaders
Declaration on strengthening social protection adopted by ASEAN leaders on 9 October 2013
Towards the development of a common social protection denominator:
ABNDs, recommendations for the design of SPFs, development of national social protection strategy, support to the design and implementation of social security, south-south cooperation, knowledge development & knowledge sharing
Towards a specific protection for migrant workers:
Ensure non discrimination in national SS laws, and facilitate portability through bilateral agreements

19. ILO’s work on social protection in Asia Towards a common social protection denominator
Social security staircase, R202, C102
Situation analysis and recommendations: ABND exercises
Support to the development of strategies and laws
Design of SS systems and SPF components
Implementation through SWS and IT systems
Documentation, research, training, awareness raising, education     

20. ILO interventions

21. ABND in Asia Completed Started Mongolia Myanmar Lao PDR Vietnam
Philippines
Thailand
Solomon
Indonesia
Vanuatu

22. Reference documents
ILO social security strategy and Social Protection Floors Recommendation
Social protection for all: Building social protection floors and social security systems: The strategy of the International Labour Organization, Geneva: ILO, 2012.
ILO Recommendation concerning national floors of social protection (Social Protection Floors Recommendation), 2012 (No. 202).
Report of the Social Protection Floors Committee, Provisional Records No. 14, 101st Session of the International Labour Conference, Geneva, ILO, 2012.
Social protection floors for social justice and a fair globalization, Reports IV(1, 2A and 2B), 101th Session of the International Labour Conference, Geneva: ILO, 2012.
Report of the Committee for the Recurrent Discussion on Social Protection (including Resolution and Conclusions), 100th Session of the International Labour Conference, Provisional Records No. 24), Geneva, ILO, 2011.
Social security for social justice and a fair globalization, 100th Session of the International Labour Conference, Report VI, Geneva, ILO, 2011.
Gender and social protection web page:
Social protection floors and gender equality. A brief overview, ESS 37,
World Social Security Report 2010/11: Providing coverage in the time of crisis and beyond (Geneva: ILO, 2010).
Extending social security to all. A guide through challenges and options (Geneva: ILO, 2010).
Social Protection Floor Advisory Group: Social protection floor for a fair and inclusive globalization (Geneva: ILO, 2011).
Sharing Innovative Experiences: Successful Social Protection Floor Experiences (New York and Geneva: UNDP, Special Unit for South-South Cooperation and ILO, 2011).
See also GESS web portal:
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