This International Labour Organization (ILO) brief introduces a new international standard adopted in June 2012, the Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202), that provides guidance to member States in building comprehensive social security systems and extending social security coverage by prioritizing the establishment of national floors of social protection accessible to all in need. The Recommendation was adopted nearly unanimously by government, employer, and worker delegates of the ILO’s 185 member States. The brief underlines that national social protection floors, as fundamental element of national social security systems, constitute an essential element of national and international policies aiming at building more inclusive societies and economies.
Of particular relevance to children’s care, the recommendation focuses on ensuring coverage for the unprotected, poor, and most vulnerable, including workers in the informal economy and their families. It aims to ensure effective access to essential health care and basic income security throughout the life cycle, by establishing national social protection floors that should include at least: basic income security for children, providing access to nutrition, education, care and any other necessary goods and services; basic income security for persons in active age who are unable to earn sufficient income, in particular in cases of sickness, unemployment, maternity and disability; basic income security for older persons (of particular relevance to kinship care); and access to essential health care, including maternity care.
Such guarantees should be provided to all residents and all children through the most effective and efficient combination of benefits and schemes in the national context, with regular national monitoring. Examples provided include child and family benefits, maternity benefits, disability benefits, survivors’ benefits but also universal benefit schemes, social insurance and social assistance schemes, negative income tax schemes and employment support schemes.
The actual text of the recommendation concerning national floors of social protection can be accessed here.
