Paragraph 1: A Milestone Achieved in Global Social Protection
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has marked a significant achievement in its mission to establish comprehensive social protection floors worldwide. Its Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All has surpassed expectations, providing over 55 million people with access to essential social security benefits since 2021. This achievement underscores the program’s effectiveness in bolstering social protection systems globally, enhancing coverage, improving benefit adequacy, and ensuring comprehensive protection. The program’s success is a testament to the collaborative efforts of governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations, and international development partners.
Paragraph 2: Exceeding Expectations and Driving Institutional Change
The second phase of the Flagship Programme (2021-2025) has significantly exceeded its initial targets. The program aimed to facilitate 80 institutional changes across participating countries, including new laws, policy reforms, and expansions of existing social security schemes. However, the program has driven nearly double that number, with 149 institutional changes implemented. These changes represent concrete steps towards strengthening social protection systems and extending coverage to vulnerable populations, including informal workers who often lack access to traditional social security programs. The program’s success in driving institutional change demonstrates its impact on national policy landscapes and its ability to translate global goals into tangible national action.
Paragraph 3: Progress Towards Universal Social Protection and Remaining Challenges
The ILO’s 2024 World Social Protection Report revealed that 52.4% of the global population now has access to at least one form of social protection, a significant step towards universal coverage. This progress is attributed, in part, to the efforts of the Flagship Programme and the collective commitment of its partners. However, a substantial gap remains, with 3.8 billion people still lacking any form of social protection. This highlights the urgent need to accelerate progress towards universal coverage, ensuring that everyone has access to basic social security benefits and healthcare. The ILO emphasizes the importance of continued investment and collaborative action to address this remaining challenge and ensure that no one is left behind.
Paragraph 4: Success Story: Côte d’Ivoire’s One Million New Enrollments
One striking example of the program’s success is in Côte d’Ivoire, where a collaborative effort between the government, the ILO, and the World Bank resulted in a remarkable achievement: one million independent workers enrolled in the national social security system. This achievement stemmed from a targeted awareness campaign that effectively communicated the benefits of social security to informal workers and facilitated their enrollment. This success story demonstrates the power of collaborative partnerships and effective public communication in driving social protection coverage, particularly among vulnerable and often excluded groups.
Paragraph 5: Addressing Diverse Challenges and Contributing to Sustainable Development Goals
The ILO’s Flagship Programme operates in 50 countries across 16 thematic areas, tackling diverse challenges related to social protection. These challenges include addressing the vulnerabilities of informal workers, managing the implications of ageing populations, adapting to the impacts of climate change, and promoting gender equality in social security access. The program’s multifaceted approach reflects the complex and interconnected nature of social protection challenges and the need for tailored solutions. Importantly, the program directly contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 1.3 (eradicate extreme poverty) and 3.8 (achieve universal health coverage), underscoring its crucial role in advancing global development priorities.
Paragraph 6: Looking Ahead to Phase III and Beyond
With the current phase concluding in 2025, the ILO is already looking ahead to Phase III (2026-2030). This next phase aims to further reduce the global social protection gap and accelerate progress towards the 2030 SDG deadline. The program’s partners emphasize the importance of continued collaboration, policy innovation, and sustained investment to achieve universal social protection. Social protection is not merely a safety net; it is a crucial investment in building stable, inclusive, and resilient societies. By strengthening social protection systems, countries can better withstand economic shocks, address social inequalities, and empower individuals and communities to thrive. The Flagship Programme serves as a vital mechanism for achieving this critical goal, ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of a more just and equitable future.
