A national social protection floor creates a solid foundation upon which effective mechanisms to reduce poverty and enhance human capital and productivity can be mobilised to promote inclusive, sustainable and resilient development. Upon this foundation, States have moved away from fragmented social protection schemes toward integrated systems that avoid overlap and address gaps in coverage. Moving beyond the social protection floor also requires the implementation of programmes that are more robust and sustainable and support intergenerational solidarity through domestic resource mobilisation.
Closing social protection gaps requires the consideration of the three dimensions of coverage: scope, extent and level. Scope of coverage is measured by the range and type of social protection programmes available to the population. At the national level, it is important that scope of coverage is defined by a legal framework which grants equal rights to all residents and guarantees a comprehensive range of social protection programmes. Ensuring appropriate extent of coverage, which refers to the percentage of the population and target groups covered under specific schemes, is important in achieving the social protection floor. For instance, free and compulsory universal education systems must be inclusive of migrant children, equally accessible to children with disabilities and compulsory for both girls and boys. The level of coverage refers to the actual amount of benefits provided and the quality and adequacy of services and programmes available to children. For example, it is important that compulsory education provides all children with access to effective education at least to the primary level. Making secondary school also compulsory would thus, increase the level of coverage.
The provision of free and compulsory education creates an integral part of a national social protection floor and can be complimented by additional schemes in order to move beyond the floor. For example, transportation to schools could be provided to ensure equal access for those in rural areas and meals could be provided in schools in order to increase access to nutrition.
Further Reading:
International Labour Organization (2010). World Social Security Report 2010/11: Providing coverage in times of crisis and beyond. Geneva.