This Issue Brief introduces readers to the human rights-based approach to social protection. It highlights the fundamental principles of this approach, which are explored in detail on the platform, and directs readers to the key human rights instruments and other tools that are available to help policy makers and...

This study examines the causes of exclusion from social protection systems and is based on a review of relevant literature, interviews with researchers and practitioners in Indonesia, Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa and...

Cash transfers have been increasingly adopted by countries worldwide as central elements of their social protection and poverty reduction strategies. A growing number of studies provide rigorous evidence on the impact of cash transfers, and the role of specific cash transfer design and implementation features in shaping outcomes. This...

The paper sets out the strengths and weaknesses of the current national social protection system and shows that, if Vietnam were to adopt a more inclusive life cycle social protection system – at a cost, initially of no more than 1% of GDP – the reforms would have significant...

The launching of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the dawn of this century ushered in one of the most important initiatives undertaken by the United Nations. The implementation of this initiative formally expired in 2015 and the world is now set to embrace the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable...

The 10 case studies presented in this document clearly demonstrate that social protection works for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. In particular, they show how social protection benefits the AIDS response through increased access to HIV services for all people including the most marginalized and excluded in society....

Every child has the right to health, education and protection, and every society has a stake in expanding children’s opportunities in life. Yet, around the world, millions of children are denied a fair chance for no reason other than the country, gender or circumstances into which they are born....

Public assistance in the Caribbean generally does not include special provisions for sole parents. Instead, such families—if they are fortunate—receive support through the limited general public assistance schemes.  The amount of benefits in Caribbean countries is likely to be lower than in developed countries in both absolute and relative...

St Lucia’s Quarterly Labour Force Surveys of 2012 suggest that the educational achievements of women aged 15 years and above are noticeably higher than those of men in the same age group. Thus 12 percent of women record having a diploma, certificate or degree with a further 31 per...

UN Women’s work in this area focuses on measures that enhance and secure the financial independence of women; promote their equal participation; and, provide socio-economic protections that would contribute to reduction in poverty and inequality, would enhance the quality of life of women and their families. This paper draws...

Informed by the results of several investigative efforts, St Lucia is now at an advanced stage in developing and implementing an integrated social protection system. The Ministry of Social Transformation, Local Government and Community Empowerment has made major strides in establishing a social protection platform for St Lucia with...

Establishing gender and child responsive social protection schemes that ensure universal access to health care including maternity care, and basic income security, will protect women and their families from the effects of economic shocks and crises that may result in job and wage losses. UN Women and UNICEF through...

Eastern Caribbean countries are currently developing and implementing substantial social safety net reforms. Governments of six Eastern Caribbean countries conducted social safety net assessments in 2009 – 2010, with the support of UN Women and UNICEF in partnership with the World Bank. These reforms, which have been ongoing for...

Eastern Caribbean countries are currently developing and implementing substantial social safety net reforms. In 2009 – 2010, UNICEF and UN Women in partnership with the World Bank supported the governments of six countries in the OECS sub-region to conduct national social safety net assessments. A striking feature of the...

The social safety net assessments conducted in Eastern Caribbean states in and around 2009 recommended that countries should develop a proxy means test (PMT) to replace the diverse approaches they were using to target poverty-related benefits. Proxy mean tests were argued to be an objective and transparent alternative mechanism,...

The social safety net assessments conducted in Eastern Caribbean states in and around 2009 recommended that countries should develop a proxy means test (PMT) to replace the diverse approaches they were using to target poverty-related benefits. Proxy mean tests were argued to be an objective and transparent alternative mechanism,...

FAO recognizes that scaling-up cash-based programming and risk-informed and shock-responsive social protection systems is a strategic priority in particular to improve food security and nutrition and protect households’ assets as well as increase income of the most vulnerable population. Over the past 15 years, there has been a rapid...

This report provides the latest ILO data on women’s position in labour markets, examines the factors behind these trends and explores the policy drivers for transformative change. The report provides a picture of where women stand today in the world of work and how they have progressed over the...

The portfolio of policy guidance notes illustrates the ILO’s holistic approach to promoting decent work in the rural economy and brings together the broad range of instruments and tools developed over the past years. The goal of the policy guidance notes is to offer guidance to policy makers, the...

This report includes a forecast of global unemployment levels, looking at the situation in developed, emerging and developing economies, with detailed charts and numbers. The report also focusses on the share of vulnerable employment as well as on the scale of the informal economy. It provides policy guidance to...

At the 101st International Labour Conference in 2012, 184 members unanimously adopted the Social Protection Floors (SPFs) Recommendation No. 202, which provides guidance to members for establishing and maintaining SPFs as a core element of their national social security systems, guaranteeing access to essential health care and a basic...

The right to adequate food lies at the heart of the mandate of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). That concept takes into consideration the availability, access and adequacy of food, and that individuals, alone or in community with others, may acquire food through their...

This brief looks at the effects of a basic income pilot project conducted in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Despite a short implementation period and relatively low benefit levels, the effects were impressive: by the end of the project it was possible to see significant improvements in living...

In 1792, the first consumer boycott was organised to protest against the inhumane treatment of slaves in the production of sugar in the West Indies. In his comic novel of the time, Melincourt, Thomas Love Peacock (1817) wrote of the trade in sugar that it was “economically superfluous, physically...

Social protection can help guarantee adequate living standards for children and contribute to the realization of their rights. Investing in it helps States build more cohesive societies, more resilient communities and stronger economies. To fight child poverty and social and economic vulnerability, countries need to develop well-integrated social protection...