Right to Social Security
Background
Currently, 60 per cent of the world has no access to any form of social security and 20 per cent has inadequate access – even though the right to social security has bee recognised in numerous international standards. In contrast to the historical experience of Western countries, countries in the South and the international development policy agenda in general has given little attention to developing social security systems. General Comment No. 20 on the Right to Social Security (2008) by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights indicates that States have obligations to establish social security systems and progressively provide access to adequate benefits without discrimination.
The ILO has also called for the development of a basic social protection package in all countries and social protection schemes are now surfacing in the international development agenda. However, the focus can often be on promoting conditional cash transfer systems, developed in some Latin American countries, which raise some human rights concerns. SERP aims to increase the focus on and space for a human rights approach to social security at the national and international level both in terms of the scope and nature of schemes.
Current Projects
International symposium on right to social security in development
On 19 and 20 October 2009, the Programme hosted an International symposium on right to social security in development in Berlin with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. The conference brought together governments, international agencies, experts and NGOs and will look at how to integrate a rights-based approach.
Child Social Grants Project
A research paper on child cash grants, human rights and economics will be prepared in order to stimulate thinking on whether development actors should develop a specific international campaign in the area. The paper would be published in a book on Human Rights and Economics (OUP). A follow up paper would evaluate whether a pilot project on child grants in a country could be scaled country-wide.
Economic Rights of Girls Symposium and Publication
The Oslo Symposium on the Economic Rights of the Girl Child will be hosted with PLAN Norway on 24 September 2009 with a focus on asset protection, income support and income generation for girls. The objective of the symposium is to consider and conceptualise the main economic rights challenges for girls, whether a human rights approach can add value in advocacy and monitoring and are there good practices which illuminate these approaches?
Training for Norwegian Embassies on Human Rights and Development
In April 2010, the Programme is seeking to arrange in Oslo a one day seminar with First Secretaries from Norwegian Embassies in developing countries on human rights and development approaches. The seminar would combine human rights experts and the officials in making presentations and creating dialogue on the issue.
MDG Target for Social Protection from 2010?
There has been a growing call for including social protection as a MDG from 2010. The Programme is examining how this could be articulated as a target with indicators. For background see, Malcolm Langford Taking Rights Seriously: Six Ways to Fix the MDGs, and Chronic Poverty Centre, Escaping Poverty Traps