Social Protection ~ a review of frameworks and programmes Rachel Sabates-Wheeler Institute of Development Studies UNICEF training, 14 th July, 2009

Frameworks for Protection Risk Risk Social Risk Management - World Bank (1999) Social Risk Management - World Bank (1999) Needs Needs Asset frameworks – Ford Foundation, US academics (Barrett and Carter), BRAC Asset frameworks – Ford Foundation, US academics (Barrett and Carter), BRAC Rights Rights Universal Social Minimum, Decent Work - ILO, Nordic Countries, GUFFP Universal Social Minimum, Decent Work - ILO, Nordic Countries, GUFFP Power and social justice Power and social justice Transformative social protection - IDS Transformative social protection - IDS

Risk: Social Risk Management Risk: Social Risk Management SRM is an analytical tool to identify alternative strategies and arrangements for dealing with risks SRM is an analytical tool to identify alternative strategies and arrangements for dealing with risks 1. The type of income risk incurred 1. The type of income risk incurred 2. The type of strategies to address income shocks 2. The type of strategies to address income shocks 3. The type of instruments by formality of arrangements 3. The type of instruments by formality of arrangements 4. The type of institutions/actors involved 4. The type of institutions/actors involved

Quality of shocks Idiosyncratic or covariate? Idiosyncratic or covariate? Recurrent or cyclical: Recurrent or cyclical: floods/drought/storms; seasonal epidemics; seasonal price fluctuations, economic recessions floods/drought/storms; seasonal epidemics; seasonal price fluctuations, economic recessions Long-term: Long-term: climate change; AIDs; long-term economic decline; civil war climate change; AIDs; long-term economic decline; civil war Sudden or one-off: Sudden or one-off: earthquake, financial crisis (eg East Asia, Argentina), accident at work earthquake, financial crisis (eg East Asia, Argentina), accident at work

Classifying Risks

Types of Strategies Measures to promote livelihoods (reduction): Measures to promote livelihoods (reduction): e.g. free education e.g. free education Measures to reduce income variance in the event of a shock (insurance and mitigation): Measures to reduce income variance in the event of a shock (insurance and mitigation): e.g. portfolio diversification or insurance e.g. portfolio diversification or insurance Measures to alleviate the impact of shocks (coping): Measures to alleviate the impact of shocks (coping): e.g. borrowing or dis-saving, charity, means-tested transfers and public works. e.g. borrowing or dis-saving, charity, means-tested transfers and public works.

Mechanisms for Risk Management Informal/personal arrangements Informal/personal arrangements marriage, real assets such as cattle, gold, community support marriage, real assets such as cattle, gold, community support Formal/ Market-based Formal/ Market-based financial assets and insurance markets financial assets and insurance markets Formal/publicly mandated or provided Formal/publicly mandated or provided rules, laws, social insurance, transfers rules, laws, social insurance, transfers

Asset approaches Asset approaches Focus on people’s needs and provision of assets in response to needs Focus on people’s needs and provision of assets in response to needs Physical; Financial; Social; Natural; Human Physical; Financial; Social; Natural; Human Income based poverty measures look at the outcomes, rather than at the structural changes in assets & returns affected by policy Income based poverty measures look at the outcomes, rather than at the structural changes in assets & returns affected by policy Risk is important but not the primary focus Risk is important but not the primary focus Examples of ‘graduation’ programmes: Examples of ‘graduation’ programmes: BRAC – ultra poor programme BRAC – ultra poor programme The Productive Safety Net Programme in Ethiopia The Productive Safety Net Programme in Ethiopia

’Predictable’ and ‘unpredictable’ food security in Ethiopia

Assets: Intergenerational poverty and poverty traps Individuals can break out of inter-generational poverty but it is not easy: Individuals can break out of inter-generational poverty but it is not easy: Poor health, little education, few assets, little aspiration Poor health, little education, few assets, little aspiration Impacts of shocks are not wealth neutral! Impacts of shocks are not wealth neutral! Chronic poverty exacerbates shocks Chronic poverty exacerbates shocks Thresholds and discontinuities Thresholds and discontinuities Where does an asset approach leave CTs? Where does an asset approach leave CTs?

Rights: The Universal Social Minimum The social minimum is the basic means including resources, opportunities, and rights to lead an adequately decent and dignified life, and to participate and advance as a free and equal member in society Justification: Justification: Inequality Inequality Poverty and human rights Poverty and human rights How useful is a rights based approach? How useful is a rights based approach? Resource envelope Resource envelope Final vision Final vision Political constituency Political constituency

Rights: Decent Work Agenda “to promote opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity” Employment creation Employment creation Guarantee rights at work Guarantee rights at work Extend social protection Extend social protection Promote dialogue and conflict resolution Promote dialogue and conflict resolution

Power and Social Justice Power and Social Justice Focus on political dimensions of vulnerability Focus on political dimensions of vulnerability Exclusion Exclusion Structural causes of vulnerability Structural causes of vulnerability If the vulnerable are those with less power, then those with more power decide how the vulnerable should be assisted If the vulnerable are those with less power, then those with more power decide how the vulnerable should be assisted Those with power decide who is eligible Those with power decide who is eligible Protection policies may reinforce vulnerability and powerlessness Protection policies may reinforce vulnerability and powerlessness Policy implications: to enhance the social status and rights the excluded and marginalised. Policy implications: to enhance the social status and rights the excluded and marginalised.

Transformative refers to.… ‘the need to pursue policies that integrate individuals equally into society, allowing everyone to take advantage of the benefits of growth and enabling excluded or marginalised groups to claim their rights. Resilience is also about: Resilience is also about: Established livelihoods, which reflect: Established livelihoods, which reflect: cumulative shocks cumulative shocks structural vulnerabilities structural vulnerabilities Marginalisation and exclusion Marginalisation and exclusion Power inequalities Power inequalities

Protective Social assistance Preventive Insurance mechanisms Promotive Economic opportunities Transformative Social transformation A Comprehensive Framework for Social Protection

Classifying Social Protection Instruments Social assistance [Protection] Social assistance [Protection] Cash transfers or food aid to the poor; child support; OVC reception centres; abolition of health charges. Social insurance [Prevention] Social insurance [Prevention] Pension systems; health insurance; funeral societies, unemployment benefits; crop insurance. Productivity-enhancing [Promotion] Productivity-enhancing [Promotion] CCTs; public works; school feeding. Legislative framework [Transformation] Legislative framework [Transformation] Statutory minimum wage; maternity benefits; anti-stigma campaigns; anti-corruption legislation.

Broad Differences in Agency Approaches World Bank: World Bank: Focus on the ‘economics’ of risk management Focus on the ‘economics’ of risk management ILO/Nordics: ILO/Nordics: Focus on extension of social insurance Focus on extension of social insurance Rights-based; ‘Society for All’ Rights-based; ‘Society for All’ Universality of coverage Universality of coverage DfID/GTZ: DfID/GTZ: Focus on poor and chronic poor Focus on poor and chronic poor UNICEF: UNICEF: Focus on children and rights Focus on children and rights

Group work Think back to yesterday’s group work where you listed some of the specific risks and vulnerabilities specific to children Think back to yesterday’s group work where you listed some of the specific risks and vulnerabilities specific to children Take one of the three dominant frameworks (risks, assets or rights) and consider: What are the strengths of this framework in addressing the risks and vulnerabilities specific to children What are the strengths of this framework in addressing the risks and vulnerabilities specific to children What are the weaknesses of this framework for addressing child sensitive social protection What are the weaknesses of this framework for addressing child sensitive social protection To what extent does your understanding of child protection overlap with social protection: what would be included, what would be excluded…..how do we draw the boundaries? To what extent does your understanding of child protection overlap with social protection: what would be included, what would be excluded…..how do we draw the boundaries?