GCSPF E-Newsletter #8 - March 2018

Members of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors participated in the fifty-sixth session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD56). The CSocD56 took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 29 January to 7 February 2018. The Commission is the advisory body responsible for the social development pillar of global development.

The side event “Social Protection Floors as Key Tool for Eradicating Poverty: Best Practices and Strategies for the Future” was held last February 2^nd.
The key messages discussed during the side event were the need to extend social protection coverage to all people — including those left furthest behind. The speakers highlighted the importance of providing social protection through a rights-based approach where communities, especially the marginalized ones, are at the centre. Their needs and voices must be integrated through meaningful participation in the design, implementation and monitoring of social protection schemes that directly affect their lives. At the policy level, further global commitments should be taken by governments to increase levels of social protection around the world. Adopting a specific resolution on social protection at the next Commission on Social Development in 2019 could be an opportunity to further encourage Member States in their commitment to protect their citizens from various setbacks and shocks throughout their lives. Read more

The GCSPF participated at the side event of the Global Partnership on Universal Social Protection (USP2030) that was held on January 31^st. The GCSPF expressed that the social dimensions of development has to be strengthened and the Global Coalition will be very happy to contribute to that goal of the Global Partnership. As it is an important step that two strong global players – World Bank and ILO – committed to this joint initiative and agreed to focus on a universal approach seeking to overcome exclusion and fragmentation of programs, ensuring social protection systems that leave no one behind and contribute to cohesive societies. The Global Coalition insists on the importance of the rights-based approach in this endeavor. Read more

The meeting of the core team of the GCSPF highlighted opportunities and challenges existing in the area of implementing social protection floors and charted the way forward for the activities of the Coalition. Among the key issued discussed were how to provide support to Coalition members in terms of information sharing and the coordination of regional activities, the preparation of “shadow” reports in the context of the monitoring and evaluation of international commitments, advocacy for and promotion of resolutions dedicated to social protection systems. The issue of social protection financing and new approaches in that area were also discussed.
The meeting “Opportunities and challenges in implementing Social Protection Floors” was held in Nairobi, Kenya last January and it was organized in close cooperation with the African Platform for Social Protection. Read more

The GCSPF announces the publication of the Social Protection Floor Index, Update and Country Studies 2017.
The Index measures the amount of resources that a country would have to allocate to social transfers and health services in order to achieve the minimum level of income and health security that is required by Recommendation R. 202 concerning national floors of social protection of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Download the index here

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) composed of Non-governmental Organization (NGOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) as well as other stakeholders such as humanitarian and relief organizations came together to establish THE SOCIAL PROTECTION PLATFORM-THE GAMBIA (SPPG) in 2013.
The vision of SPPG is “A society where the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged in The Gambia a secure and dignified life” “To promote an active and more equitable distribution of resources to enable People living in the Gambia to lead a decent and dignified life through their participation in social protection programmes”.

Today the Gray Panthers can be described simply as a rapidly growing network of people old and young drawn together by deeply felt concerns for human liberation and social change. The old and young live outside the mainstream of society. Agism – discrimination against persons on the basis of chronological age – deprives both groups of power and influence. The Gray Panthers believe that the old and the young have much to contribute to make our society more just and humane, and that each needs to reinforce the other in goals, strategy, and action.
For more information please visit http://graypanthersnyc.org/