GCSPF E-Newsletter #9 - March 2018

The IMF published the implementation plan of the recommendations of the IEO report on social protection, following the letters sent by the GCSPF, UN experts and economic experts on their approach to social protection. The implementation plan explains that they are launching a broad consultation, including with civil society, and aim to develop a strategic framework on social protection in 2019. The Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors was invited to participate in the consultation process that will inform the development of the new IMF framework. Read more

The GCSPF is now member of the interim steering group for the global partnership for universal social protection. Nicola Wiebe will represent the Global Coalition. ITUC is also member of the group.

The General Survey is an opportunity to identify shortcomings in the practical application of the instrument where relevant and to develop useful recommendations going forward. Replies to the questionnaire are expected from all the ILO Constituents – Governments, Workers and Employers – through a tripartite interaction. However, it is evident that the questionnaire is developed with governments in mind, as they are primarily responsible for providing full information about the effect given to ILO Recommendation 202 in law and in practice. Governments were asked to submit responses by 31 December 2018, and were expected to have consulted social partners in their responses. Trade unions have also been invited to send stand-alone replies. The deadline for unions’ responses is 30 June 2018. To support unions in preparing their replies, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has prepared some guidance for completing the questionnaire. You can read the ITUC guidance here (available in English, Spanish and French)

Everyone requires social protection systems that protect them as they work and undertake care responsibilities across their lifecycles. This includes pre, peri and post-natal care, maternity benefits, child grants and child care services. Cash or in-kind transfers for children and their carers have a limited positive effect in the absence of quality public child care services. Gender responsive quality public child care services for all workers is an immediate and necessary investment to promote gender equality, protect women workers’ livelihoods and improve the quality of women’s work. Please find a statement signed by informal workers' organisations and global trade unions calling for greater public investment in quality child care services for all workers as a critical component of social protection systems. This is part of a global campaign for quality public child care services. Read more

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has launched the Inequality Challenge – a fund that promotes innovative approaches, methods and tools that focus on reducing inequality and on the poorest and most marginalised people and groups. To reach this goal, the fund supports projects with up to 100,000 EUR per proposal in partner countries of German development cooperation. The call for applications is open until 31 March 2018. Read more

The World Bank publishes The State of Social Safety Netw 2018 report. The main objective of this report is to benchmark where individual countries, regions, and the world stand in terms of SSN/SA spending and key performance indicators, such as program coverage, beneficiary incidence, benefit level, and impacts on reducing poverty and inequality. To evaluate and benchmark these indicators consistently across space (countries/programs) and time, a major data collection and processing effort is required. Read more

Video: Social Protection: Churches called to action for a Just Society

As people of faith, we are deeply concerned by the growing inequalities and the impacts on the lives of people everywhere. Representatives of 25 churches and ecumenical organizations from 20 countries endorsed this Statement on Theology, Tax and Social Protection and video: Churches called to action for a Just Society, where we present a theological justification for taxation and social protection, and what we believe is the Church’s response and mandate in this time of inequality. We believe that social protection is an essential requirement for a just society, regardless of nationality, legal citizenship or the level of economic development in a country. We also believe that taxation is a fundamental instrument for redistributing wealth and for financing the common good so that all can have life in dignity.
To endorse the statement and/or the video, please send your organisation logo to gunilla.palm@svenskakyrkan.se Read more

Since 1995, the Center of Concern's Rethinking Bretton Woods Project has been researching, educating, and advocating to promote reforms of the international financial system, its rules and institutions, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The reforms it promotes have the purpose of ensuring that the global financial system contributes to democratizing economic policy making, safeguarding human rights, and advancing sustainable development.
The current main areas of interest of the RBW project are the problems related to the "fiscal space" needed for increasing public investment in social protection, and how such space is constrained by the particular fiscal and monetary policies in IMF policy advice and IMF loan conditions.

Contact: Rick Rowden, Director
For more information please visit their website at https://www.coc.org/rbw