As we approach the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter, and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), urge the international community to take bold action to address the financing gaps for social protection.
Governments have made repeated pledges to support the establishment of social protection floors. These pledges remain largely unfulfilled. In order to deliver on these promises, progress should be made towards establishing an international financing mechanism (i.e., a ‘Global Fund’) to mobilise and coordinate international support to social protection to address critical financing gaps for low-income countries. Such a mechanism would greatly support delivery on agreed international commitments to extend social protection, address poverty and reduce inequalities, in line with targets 1.3 (universal social protection), 3.8 (universal access to healthcare) and 10.1 (reducing income inequalities) of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Call to action for FfD4 and beyond (the below is a summary of the call, which can be downloaded in full here)
The FfD4 conference provides an important opportunity to secure joint commitments from governments and international organisations on financing strategies for major development priorities – including on social protection. Securing commitments at FfD4 to advance towards a new international financing mechanism in support of social protection floors would allow for a transformation of existing financing modalities – away from fragmented, short-term aid towards a long-term, rights-based financing approach for social protection.
We call on governments and international institutions to:
- Make clear, time-bound commitments for international financing for social protection, ensuring low-income countries receive adequate and predictable financial support. Governments should commit to meet the UN target of allocating 0.7% of GNI to Official Development Assistance (with 0.2% for least developed countries specifically) and to increase the share of ODA towards social protection to at least 7% of overall allocations.
- Restart concrete discussions towards the establishment of a Global Fund for Social Protection, leveraging existing mechanisms and institutions.
- Mobilise a range of international financing instruments, ensuring robust and sustainable resource flows for social protection.
Investing in social protection is not just a moral imperative – it is an essential strategy for sustainable development and economic resilience. Strengthened commitments at FfD4 can ensure that countries receive the support they need to establish universal social protection systems.
We look forward to engaging with governments, international organisations, social partners and other relevant stakeholders involved in the FfD4 process to restart discussions for setting up such a Global Fund for Social Protection, which would enable us to make our common objective of universal social protection a reality.
Luc Triangle, General Secretary, ITUC
Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights