Dear All,
Timo's conclusion: "I agree. Social Protection for all is a good goal, as well as a smart means" is precisely argument of the the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors.
I am writing on behalf of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors. We presented a joint statement of 81 Civil Society Organizations and Trade Union Federations requesting a sustainable development goal on social protection floors. Together we are representing globally thousands of national and international organizations and through them millions of people who are working for social justice and social development.
The Statement (five page document plus two pages listing signatory organizations) can be accessed at http://tinyurl.com/pkbnz56. I draw your attention to the annex, "A social protection floor for everyone: A universal rights-based development goal" that outlines two objectives and three major targets. We have presented this document on two events (the Civil Society Forum preceding the Commission for Social Development on 10 February 2014 and on a side event on 18 February 2014).
We think that rights-based national social protection floors are overarching, coherent, comprehensive and indispensable social policy tools for achieving the eradication of poverty and the reduction of inequality by 2030. This requires the implementation of the ILO Recommendation No. 202, which guarantees universal access to income security and health services, within the context of a wide social protection floor strategy, which also guarantees universal access to food security, education, water and sanitation. In June 2012 the ILO Recommendation was adopted unanimously by ILO member states and workers’ and employers’ delegations. It was already at that time supported by more than 60 civil society organizations.
Social protection floors are:
Conceptually clear:
- as they embody a comprehensive and coherent goal for the social dimension of sustainable human development that avoids competition between different social goals, and
- are being developed at national levels successfully.
Technically possible:
- have proven to be feasible and affordable, even if they are ambitious,
- are flexible in means and clear on objectives, and
- are concrete and measurable.
Politically accepted/acceptable:
- as they emerge from participatory national policy development and standards, and
- are accepted by global consensus.
Social protection floors have proved that they can contribute to:
- the eradication of extreme poverty,
- the reduction of inequality,
- gender equality,
- the improvement of educational status of people,
- health protection for vulnerable groups, and
- increase productivity.
The Global Coalition notes that pivotal elements of social protection floors are – either explicitly or implicitly - already mentioned in ten out of 19 of the focus areas for the forthcoming SDG negotiations, namely poverty eradication, food security and nutrition, health and population, education, gender, water and sanitation, employment and decent work and promoting equality.
We think that our proposal would give more prominence and coherence to these aspects and collect them all into a more visible, implementable and pragmatic goal for social development and social justice.
Best regards,
Winifred Doherty,
NGO Representative to the UN for the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity,
on behalf of the Global Coalition
Timo's conclusion: "I agree. Social Protection for all is a good goal, as well as a smart means" is precisely argument of the the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors.
I am writing on behalf of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors. We presented a joint statement of 81 Civil Society Organizations and Trade Union Federations requesting a sustainable development goal on social protection floors. Together we are representing globally thousands of national and international organizations and through them millions of people who are working for social justice and social development.
The Statement (five page document plus two pages listing signatory organizations) can be accessed at http://tinyurl.com/pkbnz56. I draw your attention to the annex, "A social protection floor for everyone: A universal rights-based development goal" that outlines two objectives and three major targets. We have presented this document on two events (the Civil Society Forum preceding the Commission for Social Development on 10 February 2014 and on a side event on 18 February 2014).
We think that rights-based national social protection floors are overarching, coherent, comprehensive and indispensable social policy tools for achieving the eradication of poverty and the reduction of inequality by 2030. This requires the implementation of the ILO Recommendation No. 202, which guarantees universal access to income security and health services, within the context of a wide social protection floor strategy, which also guarantees universal access to food security, education, water and sanitation. In June 2012 the ILO Recommendation was adopted unanimously by ILO member states and workers’ and employers’ delegations. It was already at that time supported by more than 60 civil society organizations.
Social protection floors are:
Conceptually clear:
- as they embody a comprehensive and coherent goal for the social dimension of sustainable human development that avoids competition between different social goals, and
- are being developed at national levels successfully.
Technically possible:
- have proven to be feasible and affordable, even if they are ambitious,
- are flexible in means and clear on objectives, and
- are concrete and measurable.
Politically accepted/acceptable:
- as they emerge from participatory national policy development and standards, and
- are accepted by global consensus.
Social protection floors have proved that they can contribute to:
- the eradication of extreme poverty,
- the reduction of inequality,
- gender equality,
- the improvement of educational status of people,
- health protection for vulnerable groups, and
- increase productivity.
The Global Coalition notes that pivotal elements of social protection floors are – either explicitly or implicitly - already mentioned in ten out of 19 of the focus areas for the forthcoming SDG negotiations, namely poverty eradication, food security and nutrition, health and population, education, gender, water and sanitation, employment and decent work and promoting equality.
We think that our proposal would give more prominence and coherence to these aspects and collect them all into a more visible, implementable and pragmatic goal for social development and social justice.
Best regards,
Winifred Doherty,
NGO Representative to the UN for the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity,
on behalf of the Global Coalition
