This report has been prepared in the context of the Ghana Social Opportunities Project that seeks to support Ghana to rationalize its social protection expenditure. The Report analyses expenditure in terms of its sustainability, robustness, efficiency and effectiveness in preventing or reducing poverty, social exclusion and ill health. It...

The rapid increase of the number of older persons, particularly the oldest-old – those above 80 years – increases the need for long-term care for older persons in the Asia-Pacific region. This working paper series examines the prevailing system of provision and financing of long-term care for older persons...

The volumes on Social Protection Floors present best practices and experiences from countries that are useful for South-South learning, for practitioners and to provide the basis for more informed policy-making. Volume 3 describes mechanisms to build social protection floors, such as a national dialogue in Myanmar, reaching rural dwellers...

This paper identifies a series of macro-level tools to create a supportive environment and generate the resources to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to gender equality. The paper argues that financing for gender equality can be self-sustaining because of the feedback effects from gender equality to economy-wide...

In the present report, the Independent Expert assesses new developments since the visit of the previous mandate-holder in April 2013 to address human rights concerns arising out of the debt crisis and the economic structural adjustment programmes implemented in Greece (see A/HRC/25/50/Add.1).   Link to...

The expansion of social protection in low- and middle-income countries over the last two decades has been accompanied by a growing number of studies on the distributional impact of social protection spending. When such analyses consider social protection separately from tax policy, they provide a partial picture of the...

This paper discusses the policy options available to developing countries committed to offering universal pension coverage and maximising the incomes of older people. It presents a basic model of a pension system comprising up to three tiers that can be adapted to the circumstances of all countries. The model...

Children represent over half of the Senegalese population and a large portion of them remains poor and vulnerable. Health, education and poverty indicators suggest that many children are in critical situations, in urgent need of social protection and that significant disparities are found across location and wealth. Nationwide, 5%...

Social protection is globally recognized as a critical component of national development strategies and key to achieving inclusive pro poor, equitable development. To realize Uganda’s social protection goals the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development in partnership with the Department for International Development (DFID), Irish Aid and UNICEF,...

The expansion of social protection in low- and middle-income countries over the last two decades has been accompanied by a growing number of studies on the distributional impact of social protection spending. When such analyses consider social protection separately from tax policy, they provide a partial picture of the...

This paper focuses on the analysis of experience in creating fiscal space for the extension of social protection. It presents the results of studies conducted in eight developing countries (Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Costa Rica, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Thailand) that successfully extended social protection including floors for national...

With the deadline for achieving the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) less than a decade away, the uneven progress is raising important questions about the ability of the international community to ‘scale up’ its efforts to finance the goals. Securing adequate financing for development has thus become the most...

Designing social protection systems that are effective and equitable as well as fiscally, financially and economically efficient has been a challenge for many countries. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the many financing options available while also provides a thorough analysis of their advantages and disadvantages and their...

This report is part of a series of technical cooperation reports produced by the Social Security Department and the Employment Policy Department of the International Labour Office within the framework of the ILO/EU project “Improving Social Protection and Promoting Employment”. The project was funded by the European Commission and...

This report has the objective of documenting the key elements of the ongoing social protection policy reform in Mozambique and exploring the technical and financial arguments underlying the Government’s policy options for the implementation of a national social protection floor in the country. The report is organised in 5...

This report has been prepared to support Ghana to rationalize its social protection expenditure. The report analyses expenditure in terms of its sustainability, robustness, efficiency and effectiveness in preventing or reducing poverty, social exclusion and ill health. It includes an analysis of the current structure of social expenditure and...

This article focuses on three lessons that can be drawn from responses to the global crisis: People covered by different social security arrangements with respect to financing, design and coverage are exposed to economic shocks in different degrees. With adequate financing, design and coverage, social security acts as an economic...

Recommendation No. 202 is the first international instrument to offer guidance to countries to close social security gaps and progressively achieve universal protection through the establishment and maintenance of comprehensive social security systems. To this aim, the Recommendation calls for (1) the implementation, as a priority, of social protection...

Social protection policies play a critical role in realizing the human right to social security for all, reducing poverty and inequality, and promoting inclusive growth – by boosting human capital and productivity, and by supporting domestic demand and structural transformation of national economies. This ILO flagship report provides a...

Responding to the social protection needs of the population requires a sufficient level of resources. Most of these resources have to be raised at the national level, ensuring sustainability, equity and solidarity in financing, and good governance. National tax systems are one important source of financing, particularly with regard...