Financing Universal Social Protection

By Nicola Wiebe

Experts call upon Financing for Development Forum to focus attention on financing social protection. See here the webcast of this side event at the UN Headquarter from 23.4.2018.

There can be no doubt: social protection has been recognized as a key instrument to end poverty and to give people access to opportunities for a self-determined life. The international commitment is explicit and ambitious: “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, Target 1.3)

However, the gap between the commitment and the current situation is extremely wide. The ILO World Social Protection Report 2017-2019 shows that only 29% of the world’s population is covered by adequate social protection.

A commonly cited problem for extending and improving social protection systems remains to create and protect fiscal space.

This side event to the Financing for Development Forum 2018  takes stock of the latest developments in financing Universal Social Protection, including Floors, and discusses the following questions:

• What is the current situation of social protection financing worldwide?
• How can governments ensure adequate national fiscal resources to sustainably finance universal social protection (SDG 1.3)?
• How can social protection spending be protected in times of economic crisis?
• How should the United Nations Financing for Development Forum encourage initiatives to institute, foster, deepen and protect financing for universal social protection around the world?

Representatives from Governments, the ILO and the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors share their experiences, insights and proposals.

Speakers include:

• Jens Frølich Holte, Deputy Minister of Development, Government of Norway
• Stephan Reichert, Financing for Development Division, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany
• Vinicius Pinheiro, Special  Representative  to the UN, International Labour Organisation
• Barry Herman, Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors

Moderator: Peter Bakvis, International Trade Union Confederation

This side event is co-organised by the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors, International Labour Organization (ILO), Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations, NGO Committee on Financing for Develpment and actalliance.

Further information:

Webcast "Financing Universal Social Protection"

Flyer of the event.

Interventions are also available here.