Responses by international organizations
This page provides information and links on stances that various
international organizations have taken on issues related to
comprehensive social policies.
African Union
African Union (AU) is the regional cooperation organisation for
the African countries.
The vision of the AU is such that
- The AU is Africa's premier institution and principal
organization for the promotion of accelerated socio-economic
integration of the continent, which will lead to greater unity and
solidarity between African countries and peoples
- The AU is based on the common vision of a united and strong
Africa and on the need to build a partnership between governments
and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth and
the private sector, in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion
amongst the peoples of Africa.
- As a continental organization it focuses on the promotion of
peace, security and stability on the continent as a prerequisite
for the implementation of the development and integration agenda of
the Union.
The work that AU currently does for comprehensive social
policies is based on the
"Draft Social Policy Framework for Africa"
(pdf file). Objective of the Framework is "to foster sustainable
human and social development in Africa." It gives guidelines for
building up social policies in African countries, with strong
stress on regional cooperation. It was published in the Third
Ordinary Session of the Labour and Social Affairs Commission of
the African Union, 18-23 April 2005, Johannesburg, South
Africa.
See also
Aide Mémoire for regional workshops on
integrated employment policies and programmes in Africa -
September - December 2006 (RTF)
Globalism and Social Policy Programme
(GASPP)
Stakes is involved in GASPP (Globalism and Social Policy
Programme) Network. It was initiated in 1997 as a Finnish-British
joint project. The project studies the impacts of globalization
upon social policy. Currently GASSP is a network of four
Collaborating Centres:
GASPP research in STAKES focuses currently on global health
policy and in analysing the impacts of globalisation on health
policy. For more information see
GASPP
website.
Two recent events have pushed the idea of regional social
policies further up the agenda.
a) Within the context of UNESCO's International Social
Sciences Science Policy Nexus event convened in Argentina and
Montevideo in February 2006 GASPP and UNU-CRIS convened a High Level Symposium on
Regional Social Policy. The
background paper (PDF) reviewed the extent
to which ASEAN, MERCOSUR, SAARC, SADC and CAN have initiated
cross-border co-operation in aspects of social policy. The
Policy Nexus closing plenary agreed the
Buenos Aires Declaration (RTF) one paragraph
of which reads:
"We call upon the regional organisations such as
MERCOSUR and the Africa union, in association with social
scientists and civil society, to further develop the social
dimension of regional integration, and call upon the United Nations
to facilitate inter-regional dialogues on regional social
policies".
A moving force behind the declaration had been the Forum of
Latin American Ministers of Social development in collaboration
with the Africa Forum of Ministers of Social Development. One
strand of this initiative is being taken forward by the UNESCO MOST
programme under the Presidency of South Africa's Minister of Social
Development.
b) Within the context of the above event it was
suggested that a social dimension needed to be built into the
NEPAD. UNDESA agreed to work with the South Africa government to
advance this based upon the AU's existing draft Social Policy
Framework for Africa. The
very first draft of this work (RTF)
articulates the principles of a regional and sub-regional
approach to social policy within Africa in terms of
- Intergovernmental cross border cooperation (and best practice
lesson learning) in sector investments and programmes in the fields
of employment, education, health, social protection and
utilities.
- Supra-national policies of cross-border redistribution (e.g
regional social funds/food banks), regulation (e.g common labour
standards and migration policies), and rights (e.g a sub-regional
charter of human and social rights).
- Intergovernmental cross border co-operation addressing disaster
mitigation, social exclusion and inclusion, social justice and
equity, social empowerment and voice.
Helpage International
HelpAge International is a global network of not-for-profit
organisations with a mission to work with, and for, disadvantaged
older people worldwide to achieve a lasting improvement in the
quality of their lives.
See
policy note of the side event in Lisbon
(PDF) at the recent EU/ILO/Govt of Portugal conference on
social protection, which HAI organised at the request of the ILO
with Save the Children, and
recent briefing (PDF) Helpage International
has done on the social pension.
On the website there are a number of relevant documents,
including the 'Livingstone Call for Action'. The website has also
material on cash transfers and social pensions, under a section
called 'pensionwatch' recently launched on October 1st, see
http://www.helpage.org/researchandpolicy
Sylvia Beales, Helpage:
Beyond Livingstone: Profiling social transfers
in national development policy (powerpoint presentation from
the Kellokoski event)
ILO
Social protection has been a core element of the
International Labour Organization's mandate
virtually since its creation in 1919. The ILO enshrined its
recognition of the need to provide an adequate level of social
protection in the Declaration of Philadelphia in 1944. The
Organization has developed a series of Conventions and
Recommendations concerned with social security and social
protection. Over time, the notion of social security as a basic
human right has gained wide acceptance, and has been progressively
developed in many other forums and legal standards. Moreover, the
central role of social security is evident in the light of
increasingly structured approaches to poverty prevention and
alleviation, such as the development by many countries of Poverty
Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), and the targets set by the
relevant Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Following the "new consensus" on social security reached by the
International Labour Conference in 2001 and the launching by the
ILO in 2003 of the Global Campaign on Social Security and Coverage
for All, the World Commission on the Social Dimension of
Globalization promoted the idea of a socio-economic floor for the
global economy and indicated that social security and wider social
protection had to become an important component of such a set of
minimum social standard.
Krzysztof Hegemejer (ILO / Social Security):
Future Challenges - Affordability of social
protection and the Decent Work Agenda (powerpoint
presentation from the Kellokoski event)
Can low income countries afford basic social
protection? First results of a modelling exercise (PDF),
2005, Issues in social protection, Discussion paper 13, 93 pages
, ISBN: 92-2116935-9 Author SEC/S0C Karuna Pal, Christina
Behrendt, Florian Léger, Michael Cichon, Krzysztof Hagemejer
Social security in low and middle-income
countries: the role of household survey data (PDF), 2006,
Issues in social protection, discussion paper 14, 54 pages ,
ISBN: 92-2-118205-3 Author :Agnieszka Sowa, Christina
Behrendt
Cash benefits in low-income countries:Simulating
the effects on poverty reduction for Senegal and Tanzania
(PDF) - Issues in Social Protection, Discussion Paper 15,
Franziska Gassmann, Christina Behrendt, ISBN 92-2-119172-9 &
978-92-2-119172-8 (print), ISBN 92-2-119173-7 &
978-92-2-119173-5 (web pdf), ILO 2006
Social security for all: Investing in global
social and economic development - A consultation (PDF) -
Issues in Social Protection, Discussion Paper 16, SEC/SOC, ISBN
92-2-119269-5 & 978-92-2-119269-5 (print), ISBN
92-2-119270-9 & 978-92-2-119270-1 (web pdf), ILO 2006
Costing of basic social protection benefits for
selected Asian countries: First results of a modelling exercise
(PDF) - Issues in Social Protection, Discussion Paper 17, S.
Mizunoya, C. Behrendt, K. Pal, F. Léger, ISBN 92-2-119322-5
& 978-92-2-119322-7 (print), ISBN 92-2-119323-3 &
978-92-2-119323-4, ILO 2006
Read
more about employment policies
International Council on Social
Welfare
The International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) is a global
non-governmental organisation. It represents a wide range of
national and international member organisations. "ICSW's basic
mission is to promote forms of social and economic development,
which aim to reduce poverty, hardship, and vulnerability throughout
the world, especially amongst disadvantaged people."
(International Council on Social Welfare --
Global Programme 2005 to 2008, rtf document).
Denys Correll:
ICSW response to the challenge of social and
employment policies for development in Africa and other parts of
the Global South (powerpoint presentation from the
Kellokoski event)
Read the ICSW:s position paper on the CSocD priority theme
Promoting full employment and decent work for
all (rtf document)
The paper "Promoting full employment and decent work for all" is
a draft comment on the ICSW process. The outline of this paper was
presented to a meeting of ICSW members in Brasilia in July 2006.
The outline was approved with amendments. Since July the full paper
was drafted and sent to all members of ICSW for input. Therefore it
is not a final document and I would ask that it not be circulated
beyond the participants in the Kellokoski meeting. After responses
have been received from ICSW member organisations the final
statement will be sent to the Commission. At the same time ICSW
will send it to its member organisations with the request that they
submit the statement to their governments. The intention is that
member governments of the Commission receive the ICSW statement
during the process of developing their own government's position on
the Priority Theme.
Read
the ICSW statement to the United Nations Commission for Social
Development.
International Development Economics
Associates (IDEAs)
(based on a chapter in a book "Comprehensive Social Policies for
Development in a Globalizing World")
IDEAs, the International Development Economics Associates,
is a pluralist network of progressive economists across the world,
engaged in research, teaching, and dissemination of critical
analyses of economic policy and development. Its members are
motivated by the need to strengthen and develop alternatives to the
current mainstream economic paradigm as formulated by the
neo-liberal orthodoxy. The organisation is based in the South and
led by economists based in several developing countries, but
membership of the network is open to all those committed to
developing and using alternative non-orthodox tools of economic
analysis appropriate for meeting development challenges.
The Objectives of the Network-IDEAs (International Development
Economics Associates) are:
- Building a pluralistic network of committed researchers,
teachers and other economists interested in advancing progressive
heterodox approaches to critically analysing and addressing the
problems of economic development processes.
- Developing, consolidating and promoting such approaches and
strengthening economists receptive to, and willing to collaborate
in developing, such approaches.
- Providing better facilities, access to information and
analysis, and greater possibilities for interaction and
co-operation among such economists and development
practitioners.
- Developing resources - ranging from basic theoretical methods
and tools, to empirical analyses of concrete and specific
situations - as well as related teaching and study materials, and
widely disseminating such resources.
- Facilitating closer cooperation with sympathetic and interested
government, inter-governmental, non-governmental organizations and
other social movements seeking to promote more sustainable and
equitable economic development.
- Recognizing, appreciating and promoting excellence in
activities that advance these objectives.
During the World Social Forum in January-2007, in Nairobi, the
Network-IDEAs organised two seminars under the theme "Strategies
for Economic Justice under Globalisation', and a major conference
on 'Sustainable Employment Generation in Developing Countries:
Current constraints and alternative strategies". See
the IDEAs
website for further infomation on these, as well as wide range
of other relevant documents.
International Social Security
Association (ISSA)
The International
Social Security Association (ISSA) is an international
organization which essentially brings together institutions and
administrative bodies dealing with one or more aspects of social
security in different countries of the world, namely all forms of
compulsory social protection which, by virtue of legislation or
national practice, are an integral part of the social security
system of these countries.
The ISSA Fourteenth Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific
was held in New Delhi, November 2006. The theme of the Regional
Conference was Social security: Global challenges and regional
responses; and the agenda covered the following topics:
sustainability and effectiveness of health care delivery;
management and performance challenges encountered in the investment
of social security funds; the role of social security in protecting
migrant workers; and administrative innovations to improve
compliance and enforcement. Read more from the outcome document
ISSA Summary of proceedings (PDF).
See also powerpoint presentation by Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, the
Secretary General of ISSA:
"New
ISSA: Promoting Dynamic Social Security" - Proposal for
Programme Orientations 2008-2010.
See also other ISSA documents, briefings, meeting papers and
periodicals.
OECD POVNET
The OECD-DAC is the joint think tank of the donor governments on
development policy issues. POVNET is the Poverty Network, one of
the most important fora where donor experts share experiences and
brainstrom about good approaches for poverty-reducing development
cooperation. During 1999-2001 POVNET drafted and negotiated the
influential DAC 2001 Poverty Reduction Guidelines. During 2003-2006
POVNET focused on the challenge of Pro-Poor Growth: i.e. how should
we change our thinking about economic growth so that the growth
could become a more effective tool in eradicating poverty. The main
outcome of the work was the POVNET Guidelines on Pro-Poor Growth.
Both of the two guidelines are available
here.
The main themes in the POVNET work plan for 2007-2008 are
- Social Policy/Social Protection and
- Employing the Poor.
Please see the early draft concept papers for this work, and
please join in the work, by contacting Bill Nicol, the Head of
POVNET Secretariat, at: william.nicol(at)oecd.org.
DAC/POVNET 2007 - 8 Draft Work Programme
Outline. Output area: Guidance on using aid effectively to
promote social inclusion and empower the poor (RTF)
POVNET 2007- 8 Draft PWB. Activity area:
employing the poor - analysis and policy guidance on labour
market dynamics (RTF)
UN General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly, the main deliberative organ of
the United Nations, publishes its reports and resolutions online.
Some interesting documents concerning comprehensive social policies
are:
UN/DESA
The United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs has
observed that inequality has risen during the last decade both
within countries and between countries. It has concluded in its
Report on the World Social Situation 2005
that "the comprehensive vision of social development agreed upon
at the World Summit for Social Development ought to dominate and
shape the agendas of national Governments and international
organizations so that the strategic benchmarks identified in the
Millennium Development Goals and the larger objectives of
sustainable and equitable social and economic development can be
achieved."
The UN-DESA identifies four areas that require attention in
order to achieve social development:
- global asymmetries deriving from globalization need to be
redressed;
- reduction of inequalities need to be incorporated in poverty
reduction policies and programmes;
- expansion and improvement of opportunities for employment
should be given priority;
- social integration and cohesion must be promoted as key to
development of peace and security.
Isabel Ortiz, Senior Interregional Advisor, United Nations DESA:
Building Equitable National Development
Strategies: Social Policy (powerpoint presentation from the
Kellokoski event)
UNDP
UNDP is the
coordinating representative of the United Nations at the country
level. UNDP advocates for nationally-owned solutions to reduce
poverty and promote human development. It sponsors innovative pilot
projects; connects countries to global good practices and
resources; promotes the role of women in development; and brings
governments, civil society and outside funders together to
coordinate their efforts. Much of UNDP's work centers on achieving
the Millennium Development Goals.
Dorothy Rosenberg, Senior Policy Advisor for MDGs and Civil
Society (Poverty Group, Bureau for Development Policy) gave a
presenation
Social Policies for Development in a Globalizing
World (powerpoint file) at the Kellokoski event.
See also the website of UNDP
International Poverty Centre, a joint project
between the United Nations Development Programme and the Brazilian
Government to promote South-South Cooperation on applied poverty
research.
UNICEF/Asia
In terms of supporting a global dialogue on appropriate social
policies, the UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA) has
several relevant processes underway. South Asia is among the worst
performing regions globally in terms of performance on the MDGs.
The efforts of UNICEF therefore include analysis of MDG data on the
countries of the region, conceptual work on transformative social
policy from a child rights perspective - which stresses
universality, the need for special efforts to overcome social
exclusion processes, and urgency - and in-depth work on education
and health policies, among others. This is underpinned by UNICEF
programmes in each of the countries of South Asia.
The Report
MDG Performance and Challenges in South Asia
2006 (PDF) unmasks the low MDG performance of South Asia
among the Asian countries.
See also
speeches and notes based on the above
report
In May 2006, UNICEF Regional Office South Asia, UNICEF Innocenti
Research Centre and UNRISD organised a workshop on social policy,
In Kathmandu, Nepal, in May 2006: Social Policy in South Asia:
Towards Universal Coverage and Transformation for Achieving
Millennium Development Goals. A compilation of presentations and
follow-up papers from that event is now available. There are also a
series of studies on education, and a report on MDGs in South
Asia.
The social exclusion and policy note
"Social inclusion and the case for
transformative
and inclusive social policy in South Asia" (RTF) written by
Gabriele Köhler.
See the Analytical Report by G. Köhler and J. Keane:
Social Policy in South Asia: Towards Universal
Coverage and Transformation for Achieving the Millennium
Development Goals (RTF) and the paper by G. Köhler:
A New Push Towards Achieving the MDGs in SA
Reflections on Transformative Social Policy and the Welfare
State (RTF)
See also papers on
UNRISD
The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
(UNRISD) is an autonomous UN agency engaging in multidisciplinary
research on the social dimensions of contemporary problems
affecting development. Through its research, UNRISD stimulates
dialogue and contributes to policy debates on key issues of social
development within and outside the United Nations system.
The UNRISD flagship project "Social Policy in a Development
Context" was carried out from 2000 to 2005. Its outcomes were
presented at the
SIDA/UNRISD seminar in Stockholm - a joint
event with the Kellokoski expert meeting. Findings of the policy
brief
Transformative Social Policy - Lessons from
UNRISD Research (PDF) highlight the developmental role of
social policy, even as it addresses issues of intrinsic value
such as social protection, equality and social citizenship, and
call for rescuing social policy from the residual role it was
assigned during much of the 1980s and 1990s.
See also article on
Targeting and Universalism in Poverty Reduction
by Thandika Mkandawire
World Bank
The recent analytic work of the World Bank has re-examined
perspectives the Bank has towards social development. For instance,
the approach of the World Development Reports (WDR) has evolved
from the last resort safety nets approach to examine the broader
institutional prerequisites for development. In the course of the
1990s, the WDR 1990 framework that emphasized labour-intensive
growth and the provision of services was reviewed and revised. The
WDR 2000, with a theme of "Attacking Poverty", adopted the
multidimensional and dynamic approach to the concept and the causes
of poverty. Poverty involves material deprivation, low human
development, lack of voice and acute vulnerability to various
shocks. "Soft data", interviews of poor people themselves, were
also used to get a grip of the reality of poverty. The poor were
seen as agents of action of their own lives. The role of
institutions and inequalities were acknowledged. Poverty reduction
strategies were built on the conceptual framework containing three
mutually reinfocing pillars: opportunity - empowerment - security.
This multidimensional conceptualization set the stage for a more
comprehensive approach to poverty reduction by the Bank.
The WDR of 2006 focused on equity and development. It was noted
that inequalities result in waste of human capital and that more
equal opportunities boost growth and reduce poverty more
effectively than economic growth alone. The Report called for
levelling the playfields both in domestic and global arenas to
create more equal opportunities for people and countries. At the
same time, the WDR 2006 warned of the disincentive effects hidden
in badly designed equity policies.
The World Bank is a huge and somewhat fragmented organization.
In order to understand the Bank's role and approaches to
comprehensive social policy, it is useful to clarify that the key
social policy areas of social inclusion and social protection have
been isolated from each other into separate departments and even
separate sectors. This means that professionals of comprehensive
social and employment policy in all governments and other
international organizations have to deal with two World Bank
departments.
Website of the World Bank Social Development Department deals
with the Social Policy Program. The Program, led by the Social
Development Department (SDV), builds on the institutional space
created by the World Bank's Social Development Strategy, approved
in February 2005 and recent World Development Reports (WDRs) ,
including the most recent report on Equity and Development (2006).
The Social Policy work program will focus on making policies and
programs in developing and transitioning economies more equitable
and sustainable. The roots of the Social Policy program lie in the
commitments made in Copenhagen in 1995, at the World Summit on
Social Development (WSSD).
The Social Policy Programme organized an important Conference on
New Frontiers of Social Policy in Arusha,
Tanzania, in December 2005, with financial support from Finland,
Great Britain, Norway, and Sweden.
World Bank Department for Social Development includes the
following themes: Community Driven Development, Indigenous Peoples,
Social Analysis, Involuntary Resettlement, Participation and Civic
Engagement Group, Conflict Prevention and Reconstruction, Social
Policy's work program, and Safeguard Policies.
World Bank Department for Social Protection includes the
following themes: Child Labor, Safety Nets & Transfers,
Disability, Social Funds, Labor Markets, Social Risk Management,
and Pensions.
See also
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