Social protection and an enabling environment for the right to adequate food
This Thematic Study takes a retrospective glance at social protection related developments over a span of a decade from 2004 to 2014. It starts off mentioning the historical shift in development policymaking in the early 2000s from a narrow focus on risks to a wider focus on rights. This shift created the context within which application of a human rights-based approach to social protection has found a greater audience in the past ten years. The study takes a wide angle view to capture trends at global and regional level which support endorsement of a rights based approach to social protection, reveals the expanding international consensus on the link between social protection, food security and the right to adequate food, and takes stock of a noticeable increase in the presence of non-state actors in social policy development. It looks at key opportunities that have surfaced for technical cooperation, knowledge exchange, and financial assistance which make social protection a feasible development option for poverty reduction and economic growth both of which can enhance food security.