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Social Security and Social Security and Social Protection for Social Protection for WomenWomen

A presentation By Dr. Vibhuti PatelDirector, PGSR Professor and HeadP.G. Department of Economics, S.N. D. T. Women’s University, MumbaiE mail: Vibhuti.np@gmail.com, vibhuti@mtnl.net.inMobile- 9321040048 Phone-91-022-27770227

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What is Social Security What is Social Security (SS)?(SS)? ““The protection which society provides The protection which society provides

for its members, through a series of for its members, through a series of public measures, against the economic public measures, against the economic and social distress that otherwise would and social distress that otherwise would be caused by the stoppage or substantial be caused by the stoppage or substantial reduction in earnings resulting from reduction in earnings resulting from sickness, maternity, employment injury, sickness, maternity, employment injury, unemployment, invalidity, old age and unemployment, invalidity, old age and death, the provision of medical care and death, the provision of medical care and provision of subsidies for families with provision of subsidies for families with children.” ILO, 1989children.” ILO, 1989

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Alternate DefinitionsAlternate Definitions: :

ILO Definition was ILO Definition was found inadequate for developing country as found inadequate for developing country as it assumes that most persons are generally in a state of it assumes that most persons are generally in a state of employment from which they can earn enough to meet their employment from which they can earn enough to meet their basic needs. basic needs.

Social Security represents a guarantee, by the whole Social Security represents a guarantee, by the whole community to all its members, of the maintenance of their community to all its members, of the maintenance of their standard of living or at least of tolerable living conditions by standard of living or at least of tolerable living conditions by means of redistribution of income based on national means of redistribution of income based on national solidarity.solidarity.

Social Security means the support provided to the individual Social Security means the support provided to the individual by the society to enable him/her to attain a reasonable by the society to enable him/her to attain a reasonable standard of living, and to protect the same from falling due standard of living, and to protect the same from falling due to the occurrence of any contingency.to the occurrence of any contingency.

Any kind of collective measures or activities designed to Any kind of collective measures or activities designed to ensure that members of society meet their basic needs ensure that members of society meet their basic needs (such as adequate nutrition, shelter, health care and clean (such as adequate nutrition, shelter, health care and clean water supply), as well as being protected from water supply), as well as being protected from contingencies (such as illness, disability, death, contingencies (such as illness, disability, death, unemployment and old age), to enable them to maintain a unemployment and old age), to enable them to maintain a standard of living consistent with social norms. standard of living consistent with social norms.

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Social Security of WomenSocial Security of Women Social security for women has three Social security for women has three

major aspects. The first is major aspects. The first is ‘Protective’‘Protective’ aspect of preventing decline in living aspect of preventing decline in living standards. Second is standards. Second is ‘Promotive’‘Promotive’ aspects of enhancing normal living aspects of enhancing normal living conditions and the third one is conditions and the third one is requirements of ‘requirements of ‘income maintenance’ income maintenance’ & ‘income support’.& ‘income support’. Social security Social security measures are implemented through measures are implemented through affirmative action by the state, the affirmative action by the state, the community/ NGOs/ SHGs and employers. community/ NGOs/ SHGs and employers.

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Constitutional Constitutional GuaranteesGuarantees Article 38-state to promote Social Security Article 38-state to promote Social Security

thro’ all institutes of national lifethro’ all institutes of national life Article 41- Effective provision for securing Article 41- Effective provision for securing

right to work, education & public assistance in right to work, education & public assistance in case of unemployment, old age, sickness & case of unemployment, old age, sickness & disablement + other cases of undeserved disablement + other cases of undeserved wantswants

Article 42- just & humane condition of work, Article 42- just & humane condition of work, maternity reliefmaternity relief

Article 47- raising the level of nutrition & Article 47- raising the level of nutrition & standard of living, improvement in public standard of living, improvement in public healthhealth

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Entitlements, Ensuring Economic Entitlements, Ensuring Economic Independence and Risk CoverageIndependence and Risk Coverage

Three important components of concept of Three important components of concept of Social Security for women are: Social Security for women are:

promotional component that aims at promotional component that aims at improving endowments, exchange improving endowments, exchange entitlements, real incomes and social entitlements, real incomes and social consumptionconsumption

Preventive component that seeks to avert Preventive component that seeks to avert deprivation in more specific waysdeprivation in more specific ways

Protective component that ensures relief Protective component that ensures relief against deprivation against deprivation

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Women Empowerment Women Empowerment Policy, 2001 of GoIPolicy, 2001 of GoI

EducationEducation HealthHealth NutritionNutrition Drinking Water & SanitationDrinking Water & Sanitation Housing & ShelterHousing & Shelter EnvironmentEnvironment Science and TechnologyScience and Technology Women in Difficult CircumstancesWomen in Difficult Circumstances

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SAP-Structural Adjustment SAP-Structural Adjustment ProgrammeProgramme After the post 1991 period marked by After the post 1991 period marked by

economic reforms, the state and employers economic reforms, the state and employers payments for social security benefits have payments for social security benefits have reduced drastically as you can see in the reduced drastically as you can see in the figures below. Privatisation of social figures below. Privatisation of social security has created a situation where 77% security has created a situation where 77% of social security schemes are financed by of social security schemes are financed by people themselves.people themselves.

Financing of Social security schemes, 1995Financing of Social security schemes, 1995 Govt. Expenditure on Health- 20 %Govt. Expenditure on Health- 20 % Insurance & employer payments- 3 %Insurance & employer payments- 3 % Payment by people themselves- 77 % Payment by people themselves- 77 %

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Role of Voluntary Organisations and Role of Voluntary Organisations and SHGs in Providing Social Security:SHGs in Providing Social Security:

The The Self-Employed Women's AssociationSelf-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) was founded in 1972 as a trade (SEWA) was founded in 1972 as a trade union representing self-employed union representing self-employed women vegetable vendors, home-based women vegetable vendors, home-based garment workers, and service providers garment workers, and service providers (such as rag-pickers) in the western (such as rag-pickers) in the western Indian state of Gujarat. It has since taken Indian state of Gujarat. It has since taken on the additional roles of bank, co-on the additional roles of bank, co-operative marketing agency, service operative marketing agency, service provider, educator, and advocate for provider, educator, and advocate for changes in government policy. "changes in government policy. "

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Legislations for women’s Legislations for women’s

EntitlementsEntitlements Strict enforcement of all relevant legal Strict enforcement of all relevant legal

provisions and speedy redressal of grievances provisions and speedy redressal of grievances must be ensured, with a special focus on must be ensured, with a special focus on violence and gender related atrocities. violence and gender related atrocities.

Measures to prevent and punish sexual Measures to prevent and punish sexual harassment at the place of work, protection harassment at the place of work, protection for women workers in the organized/ for women workers in the organized/ unorganized sector and strict enforcement of unorganized sector and strict enforcement of relevant laws such as Equal Remuneration Act relevant laws such as Equal Remuneration Act and Minimum Wages Act must be undertaken. and Minimum Wages Act must be undertaken.

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International Labour OrganisationInternational Labour Organisation

comprehensive laws regarding comprehensive laws regarding Standardisation of work hoursStandardisation of work hours Child labour preventionChild labour prevention Occupational health and SafetyOccupational health and Safety Compensation for displaced populationCompensation for displaced population Human rights of ethnic minorities- wages Human rights of ethnic minorities- wages

& safety& safety Economic activities for women refugeesEconomic activities for women refugees Visibility of Women in Statistics and Visibility of Women in Statistics and

Indicators Indicators Maternity BenefitsMaternity Benefits

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Thank YouThank You