Achieving Decent Work for all ages

The role of social protection

United Nations 9 February 2007

Sylvia Bealessbeales@helpage.org

HelpAge International…

Is a global network working with and for disadvantaged older women and men to make sustainable change

…with a focus on supporting their rights, empowerment and their contributions in poor and middle income countries to social protection, reduction of poverty, access to health and HIV/AIDS programmes and equality of treatment

… supporting older citizens and governments to understand and implement recommendations of 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing

Relevance of Decent work Agenda

for the people in, and economies of, developing countries…

Most people work in the informal sector & have “poor quality” jobs

Women workers, young and old workers - the bulk of those in the informal economy - have low incomes, and lack social protection

Relevance of Decent Work Agenda for …

child labour

migrant labour

loss of work

informal, poorly protected work

under-employment, reduced employment

post-employment, “retirement”

older carers of HIV/AIDS affected families; 60% SSA

Decent Work Agenda and older people in developing countries

01020304050607080

Moredeveloped

regions

Lessdeveloped

regions

Leastdeveloped

regions

Men

Women

% of over 60’s in the labour force

Source: Population Ageing 2006 Wallchart, UNDESA

Revisiting the concept of the Decent Work Agenda…

•Balancing economic performance with social justice – an enabling environment to tackle poverty

•The right of all to work in good quality employment across the lifecourse

•Recognising all workers - in informal sector as well as formal - as valuable contributors

•Ensuring social protection available to all workers; not just those in formal employment schemes

Revisiting the content of the Decent Work Agenda

4 pillars; based on international standards (ILO/UN); national programmes linked to PRSPs

1.Productive and freely chosen employment

2.Rights at work, including the core labour standards

3.Social protection; right to social security (UDHR)

4.Social dialogue and the inclusion of the gender dimension

Social Protection/social transfers: the underutilized pillar of the Decent Work Agenda

Social security is a universal right

Social protection/ social transfers effectively reduces poverty of the poorest (older people, children, disabled)

Implementing transfers is a clear indication of political intent to address vulnerability and support the poorest

Social tranfers deliver rapid impacts – «quick wins» for poverty reduction; ILO estimate for poverty reducing impact of social pension and disability grant in Tanzania is 40%

Poverty Reducing impact of social transfers in South Africa;

source Statistics South Africa and Economic Policy Research institute (EPRI)

67%

48%

37%

21%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Destitution gap

Poverty gap

Destitution headcount

Poverty headcount

Effect and cost of universal pensions (ECLAC2006)

05

10152025303540

Arg

entin

a

Bra

zil

Chi

le

Mex

ico

Uru

guay

Latin

aA

mer

ica

and

Car

ibbe

an

Poverty before

Poverty rate after

Cost in % of GDP

Effect of universal pensions on old age poverty (ECLAC)

Impact of social protection; social impact indicators/access to essential services

Education

School enrolments School attendance School performance

Access to health care; support for HIV/AIDS affected HH

Nutrition; and stunting and wasting Reported hunger Expenditure on food Diversity of food consumption

Rate of return analysis on investment – social returns for poor people, including older people and children, and for the unemployed

Impact of South Africa’s Social Pension on adult labour force participation

source South Africa Labour Force calculations and EPRI Household does not receive social

pension in 2004

Household receives

social pension in 2004

Improvement associated with social pension

Probability that a poor adult of working age in 2005 will:

Find employment 7% 9% 2%

Actively look for work 13% 15% 2%

NOTE: Sample includes working age adults (older than 16) in households in the lowest income quintile but with no working individuals in September 2004.

Social transfers are affordable

Cost of universal old age pension and disability grant (ILO 2006)

0.0%

0.2%

0.4%

0.6%

0.8%

1.0%

1.2%

Bang

lade

sh

Indi

a

Nepa

l

Pakis

tan

Viet

Nam

Burk

ina

Faso

Cam

eroo

n

Ethi

opia

Gui

nea

Keny

a

Sene

gal

Tanz

ania

Perc

ent o

f GDP

2010

2020

2030

Asia Africa

Social protection/social transfers are … an essential development tool and core

component of the social protection pillar of the Decent Work Agenda

especially well targeted to older workers and dependents and also mitigate vulnerabilities at other stages in the work/life course;

the main pillar of the DWA to support those workers outside the formal sector

an essential means for all people across the lifecourse to benefit from essential services

Social Protection as a core element of DWA needs to be

embedded in nationally owned DWA /PRSP linked development programmes with resources

higher up the political and effective aid agenda …ref follow up to Livingstone Call for Action and G8 aid discussions

Supported more by development partners to enable practical action to deliver

• Accountable and transparent national and integrated systems – part of good governance agenda

• Capacity building and investment in social sector

• Universal coverage – from pilots to the big picture

Some conclusions on social protection and Decent Work

‘Without social security neither work nor life in the formal and informal economy can be decent’ (ILO 2006)

Achieving progressive social security for all is a clear demonstration of serious investment in people and progressrive eradication of poverty

Investing in social security is a political process; it is not an unaffordable dream

Action now is needed to ensure social protection/social security is included and resourced via national development programmes with support of development partners and our global community of citizens