GLOBAL COOPERATION NEWSLETTER
March 2015
In this issue:
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Featured article: AICESIS today: an international association for participatory governance
ICSW speaks out at the UN on the gender and ageing nexus of development
Interagency cooperation on social protecting: SPIAC-B meeting in New York
Useful resources and links

Featured article: AICESIS today: an international association for participatory
governanceby Patrick Venturini
Civil society organizations working at the global level play an increasingly important role in the world
development and are key social partners in shaping the post-2015 agenda.

We have asked Mr. Patrick

Venturini, the Secretary-General of AICESIS (International Association of Economic and Social Councils andSimilar Institutions) to tell the readers of the Global Cooperation Newsletter about some core activities of the
Association, its philosophy and present challenges.—The Editor

Patrick Venturini is the Secretary-General of the AICESIS since 2009. Heworked previously in the European institutions, notably as SecretaryGeneral of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC, 19982008) and a member of the cabinet of J. DELORS, European Commission
President (1988-1995).
It seems obvious today that public governance and its basic principles
are in a state of flux due to increased complexity and difficulties ofgovernance of modern societies; furthermore citizens and representative
organizations of civil society want better participation and wider consultations. Hence a need forintermediaries between governments, decision-makers and citizens. This is a lasting phenomenon
which can be widely seen in the world. This is the reason why participatory governance - definedas the set of institutions, rules and practices in a country where citizens and civil society are able
to participate in the formulation of public policies through representative organizations, using

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consultation and negotiation - appears more and more as a necessary complement, but certainly
not as a substitute, for representative democracy.
There is certainly no single answer in the face of such a request. It is up to each country, taking
into consideration its history, its culture, its characteristics and aspirations, and even its internal
power relationships, to define its own model, to find ways to involve representative organizationsof civil society, and to create effective procedures between policymakers and organized citizens.
In the range of possible options, economic and social councils (ESCs) and similar institutions (suchas tripartite commissions) provide an institutional solution, potentially effective and wellrecognized. The establishment of such structures is a growing trend in the world. When working
properly, they provide added value, becoming factors of modernization and social stability.
In recent decades the development of these institutions over the world and, beyond national
differences, the multiplicity of issues of common interest, explain the creation in 1999 of theInternational Association of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions (AICESIS),
established in Brussels (Belgium). AICESIS has been developing rapidly. It had initially 27 full
members. In early 2015, AICESIS includes 74 members from four continents: Africa, Asia-EurasiaMiddle East, Europe and Latin America-Caribbean. And the global database established by AICESIS
currently lists more than a hundred ESC-SIs around the world.
*This article presents, after some comments on the importance of ESC-SIs, missions and objectivesof AICESIS, its priorities and main tangible results and gives a special focus on its strategic
partnership with the ILO.
ESC-SIs: an important tool for the modernization of governance
The AICESIS members are economic and social councils or similar institutions, i. e. advisory bodies
composed of social partner organizations (employers, trade unions), other actors of civil society(NGOs, etc.), and sometimes members of the government. They are autonomous assemblies withnational competence, drawing their legitimacy from the constitution, law, decree or any otherofficial recognition made by public authorities, and enjoying a genuine representation of economic
and social interests.
From the perspective of public policy, on the one hand, ESC-SIs can better identify the needs ofthe community, define the objectives more clearly and assess the impact of public policies, and on
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the other hand, they can advise the Government and/or Parliament by making them attentive tocertain needs, expectations, suggestions, criticisms or fears of populations. They increase thelegitimacy of public decisions and social peace by promoting the participation of representative
organizations and by making the public decisions more transparent and efficient. In doing so, they
are factors of stability and social cohesion.
But beyond the obvious differences, these institutions have the same type of essential added value:
they are primarily spaces for dialogue, expertise - their members are men and women who arerooted in economic and social life of their country and who have a good knowledge of problems on
the ground - and synthesis, where divergent or even conflicting interests are represented. Secondly
and most importantly, they are real workshops where compromises or consensus can be worked
out. As such, they play a useful and irreplaceable role, and their work (opinions, reports) provides
good "indicators of acceptability" that show how the population receives examined public policy
proposals. Finally, ESC-SIs are used as a link between superstructures and organizations: theyfunction as bridges in both directions, between governments and civil society.
If what is at stake is to promote the participation of representative organizations and develop theiradvisory functions, then the ESC-SIs are certainly part of the solution. Actually in some cases, thismeans their renovation, modernization and, in particular, a greater openness to future generations,to whom it is fundamental to transmit the culture of dialogue, of respect for other people's ideas
and compromise research. Therefore the advisory function is fully legitimate in modern society, in
addition to the executive and legislative functions.
The AICESIS: missions and objectives
The Association, essentially acting as a network showing full respect for the independence of eachof its members, has three tasks on the whole: first of all - and this is its main function - promoting
dialogue and experiences exchanges as well as good practices among its members by promoting
cooperation projects; then, encouraging social and civil dialogue in the world, for example byforming partnerships with international organizations such as the ILO, UNDESA, UNESCO and FAO;
finally, the Association also aims to encourage the consolidation or creation of ESCs-SIs in statesthat do not possess any, and, more generally, to contribute to the development of participatory
governance and to the role of representative organizations of civil society in the world.
These three missions structure, of course, the actions of the AICESIS. In addition, every presidency- currently held by the Russian Civic Chamber for the period 2013-15 - naturally gives new impetusby proposing a roadmap and a biennial theme work covering its mandate. For example, 2014 wasPage 3 of 19

marked by the contributions of AICESIS in the debates of the international conference of the ILO's
work in June in Geneva on the theme "The transition of the informal economy to the formal economy", and also by its contribution to the high-level segment of the UN ECOSOC on “Addressing ongoingand emerging challenges for meeting the MDGs in 2015 and for sustaining development gains in
the future". Furthermore, reflection on the main working theme suggested by the Civic Chamber ofthe Russian Federation, which covers the two years of its presidency, was launched: "National
human capital and new sources of national competitiveness". Other important events took place
like the third edition of the Youth International Summer School in September 2014 (KabardinoBalkaria, Russia) as well as several conferences highlighting the role of ESCs-SIs on specific topics
and held in Curacao ("Economic growth through the strengthening of human capital "), Athens("Social Dialogue") and Rabat ("Social dialogue, civil dialogue, participatory democracy in modern
governance").
The two-year presidency of the AICESIS, has been successively applied from the beginning, on arotation basis between continents, by the institutions of the Netherlands, Algeria, France, China,
Brazil, Hungary, Italy, Algeria and Russia.
A few spotlights on concrete examples taken from the recent collective experience within AICESIS
provide a more concrete vision of initiatives diversity and of their contribution to members.
AICESIS activities: some spotlights
Food security
In close cooperation with the ESC of Congo and FAO, AICESIS organized in May 2013 in Brazzavillean international conference on "Food Security". Dozens of ESCs-SIs were represented and tookstock of the situation in their country and of the action of their respective jurisdictions. It was
obvious that beyond their differences, these countries all have commonalities in terms of goals for
improved food security. Actions supported or initiated by some ESCs-SIs included, among others,
water control; market development; the development of storage structures, processing and storageof agricultural products throughout the value chain; price regulation; promoting innovative
financing; the promotion of social dialogue between organizations of agricultural producers and thegovernment, or the implementation of protective measures for African agricultural markets. Several
common constraints were also discussed, particularly the deficit in transport infrastructures for
agricultural products, poor access to land for women and young people, lack of agricultural

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equipment, unfair competition from imported agricultural products and the phenomenon of land
grabbing by some multinational companies.

The fight against economic crime and corruption
Corruption is one of the key factors for lack of growth, as it hinders the development of economies
and discourages investment, especially foreign investment. Corruption affects the public sector andprivate companies, for example when they are involved in public procurement. The Italian CNEL
took up this subject, has established an observatory of this phenomenon and submitted a report
proposing the systematic tracking of all payments made under a contract or a subcontracting public
contract. The Italian Government and the Italian Parliament welcomed the CNEL proposal andadopted a law in August 2010 entitled "Anti-Mafia Extraordinary Plan" incorporating the principle oftraceability and confiscating illegally accumulated assets. Also on the initiative of the Italian CNEL
an exchange of practices on the subject was organized within the AICESIS and it was attended bymore than a dozen members. It was an opportunity to take particular knowledge of the practice of
the Civic Chamber in Russia which is in charge of drafting an annual report on the subject. A firstsummary report was distributed and work continues on the basis of a detailed questionnaire.
The fight against poverty
The fight against poverty is another subject on which an exchange of experiences and goodpractices was organized with the Chinese ESC as leader. Each member of the AICESIS could
contribute and, again, a summary report was distributed. In particular, the ESC of Benin showedthat the issue of poverty was a real thread linking the various studies of self-referrals to actions ofsocio-economic development it initiated. Meanwhile, in its report on "The ESC contribution to the
National Social easing," it intervened in a period of social crisis where government, firms and tradeunions were staring at each other like statues doing nothing. The recommendations it made to the
Head of State have been implemented, which has contributed to the easing of the social crisis of2010.
Youth employment
At the start of its term, the presidency, then provided by the CNES of Algeria, proposed as the main
working theme for 2011-2013: "What are the new issues and what role can the organized civilsociety play in promoting employment and socio-professional integration of young people?» The
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development of AICESIS report was the subject of intense preparation spread over 18 months. The
final text is developing a widely shared analysis and highlights the role of social partners and othercivil society organizations in the socio-professional integration devices as middlemen, ombudsmen,coaches or facilitators. The report emphasizes that the ESCs-SIs, with their various components,
can be a central reference, through their action on the ground but also through their direct
involvement in the assessment of public policies for young job seekers. The economic and social
partners and other civil society organizations have therefore a broad perspective of action, which
can install them as effective partners of government. Among the many actions identified, one
should underline the practices of some councils that brought or supported the following activities:
networking of organizations, institutions and businesses in order to promote the creation of support
networks to youth employment; mobilization of the resources held by chambers of agriculture,industry and crafts; or the development of microfinance associations in rural areas.
The International Summer School for youth
At the initiative of the SER (Economic and Social Council) of the Netherlands, AICESIS organizes
every two years a university opened to all young professionals of ESCs-SIs members or involved insocial dialogue in their countries in order to promote mutual understanding and exchange ofexperiences among participants. Thus, the first University held in 2009 in Noordwijk (Netherlands)
gathered participants from 40 different countries and focused on "The ESCs in a globalized world”.
A second edition was held in Shanghai in 2012 with the topic “ESCs and sustainable development”.
The third edition was hosted by the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation (CCRF) in Nalchik,capital of the Kabardino-Balkaria Republic in 2014 on the theme of "International cooperation
between ESCs-SIs for the overall development." Each time, all participants coming from different
backgrounds and beginning their careers, were enthusiastic with regard to this opportunity, theygave the best of themselves and got actively involved in the proposed activities. The fourth edition
will take place in 2016 on the African continent.
Action in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)AICESIS periodically awards the Millennium Development Goals of Development Prizes. The firstprizes were awarded by President Lula of Brazil in 2007 in Brasilia to civil society organizations andpublic institutions that had undertaken outstanding initiatives on the theme of education. In 2011
in Rome, attended by President Napolitano, second prizes were awarded to operations promoting"Gender equality and the empowerment of women." The third prize awarded in 2013 in Algiers,
paid tribute to civil society organizations for their efforts in favour of "full employment, decent andPage 6 of 19

productive work for poverty reduction." Finally, the fourth edition of the Prize, dedicated to thepost- 2015 agenda, will take place in 2015 at the International Meeting of Moscow.
A strategic focus: the partnership with the ILO
AICESIS has been linked to the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2012 by a cooperationagreement. This strategic partnership is legitimized by the highly complementary composition of
the two institutions, shared values and the multiplicity of themes of common interest. In addition,
ESCs-SIs are useful actors to promote the key elements of the ILO agenda: social dialogue, global
pact for employment and decent work, social protection floors.
Continuous development
In 2010, several AICESIS-ILO conferences had already been organized in cooperation with ESCsSIs host Member of AICESIS to exchange good practices on a given topic. This was the case in2010 in Cotonou, with "The role of ESCs in the implementation of the Global Job Pact"; in 2011 in
Dakar on “The status of the Global Job Pact in Africa and the role of ESC-SIs" with the adoption ofa roadmap. In 2012 in Geneva, a meeting was organized on the theme "Social Protection Floor fora Fair and Inclusive Globalization".
As part of this partnership formalized in 2012, a major conference was organized in December 2013
in Madrid on "The role and impact of the ESCs-SIs in response to the global financial, economic andemployment crisis: sharing of experiences and good practices". The conference brought together
over forty boards. As part of its preparation, a detailed questionnaire was sent to about 90 ESCsSis around the world. The outcomes of this investigation have been particularly rewarding, several
ESCs-SIs having played a major role in the face of the crisis.
In 2008-2009, most states responded with fiscal stimulus packages to mitigate the effects of thecrisis and accelerate the recovery. In countries such as South Africa, Poland, Brazil or South Korea,
the ESC-SIs were at the core of the political response. They have thus successfully negotiatednational agreements on anti-crisis measures. Overall, the accompanying measures include
provisions for part-time employment, job sharing, strengthening of social security, training andinvestment in infrastructures to foster the creation or maintenance of jobs. At a later stage of thecrisis, some ESCs-SIs were involved in new collective responses, such as Honduras, the Netherlands
and Slovenia, with particularly interesting results. Yet, in these countries, the consequences of thecrisis varied, as well as their professional relationships and the configuration of their ESCs-SIs,because the power of the unions at the national level varies, as does the tradition of social dialogue.
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The ESCs-SIs of Brazil, Republic of Korea and South Africa are tripartite bodies, while the Bulgarian
one is rather a civic dialogue platform.
All in all, the Madrid Conference, enriched by contributions from academic experts and from
representatives from the ILO and the IMF, has been particularly useful, and a summary report was
published.

Social protection: the conference and the Seoul Declaration and their consequences
Strengthened by this success, the ILO and AICESIS organized jointly with the CDES of Republic ofKorea, a new high-level conference in Seoul on 20-21 November 2014 on "The role of the ESCsSIs and social dialogue in the implementation of a social protection floor for all". Several
contributors from international (World Bank, IMF, ISSA) and regional (ADB, ESCAP) organizations,as well as those of the International Organization of Employers (IOE) and the International Trade
Union Confederation (ITUC), intervened to highlight and complement the testimonies andcontributions of more than 30 ESCs-SIs from Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe. In particular,
the ILO was represented by Isabel Ortiz, Director of the Department of Social Protection, and the
spokesman for the International Council on Social Welfare (CIAS / ICSW) was Dr. Heung-Bong
CHA, Regional President for North-East Asia.
An introductory report has usefully informed discussion at the conference. Not surprisingly, itreveals disparities in the levels of commitment of the various ESC-SIs. Some boards are very active
stakeholders in the national effort aimed at building a social protection floor, either by negotiating
agreements, the search for social coverage defects or the defence of the social protection level
against the measures of fiscal consolidation. Other members have no explicit mandate fornegotiation, but have a full consultative function as they give advice on proposed reforms, organize
public hearings and / or make concrete proposals. However, a third group of ESCs-SIs remains
away from any initiative or solicitation in the matter. The complex and technical nature of social
protection, resource limitations, the priority given to issues relating to the labour market and thelack of constructive relationships with the executive and legislative powers are all the more reasonsthat could explain such a deficiency.

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In any case, this document details the four avenues to follow in order to strengthen the role ofintervention ESCs-SIs in this area: increase skills and invest in knowledge to become a (more)
relevant actor; establish close links with the marginalised and vulnerable groups, especially whenthese populations themselves are poorly represented; focus on clearly identified priorities andallocate the corresponding resources; and finally, adopt in the public debate a proactive stance forpromotion and defence of social protection and of the most directly involved populations. In a moregeneral way, it is recommended that some ESCs-SIs strengthen their relationships and dialogue
with the Government, the Parliament, employers' organizations and workers' unions and other civilsociety organizations.
The Seoul Declaration
Aware that the ILO Recommendation 202 on the Social Protection Floor is a major breakthrough inthe global commitment to social protection, development and the fight against poverty, theparticipants have adopted the "Seoul Declaration on the promotion of national social protection
floors for all by the Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions ".
This text, in the form of a manifesto commitment, envisions that the ESCs-SIs try on the one handto "include social protection floors in their agendas, prioritize engagement in the field of social
protection in line with Recommendation 202 and contribute to the development of national
dialogues, by making time and resources available"; "actively participate in the definition,
implementation and monitoring of social protection floors and other aims of national strategies forthe extension of social security"; "actively promote the fundamental principles of Recommendation
202; undertake proactive advocacy and awareness efforts among stakeholders and the generalpublic on the key role of social protection for national development; help shape virtuous alliances
for the development of national strategies for the extension of social security. "For its part, the AICESIS intends to "promote the exchange of information, experiences and bestpractices between national ESCs-SIs for their contributions and their specific roles" and to "takeaction in response to the Seoul Conference will be presented at the Moscow General Assembly in2015 and could include specific initiatives to strengthen the capacity of ESCs-SIs to support theimplementation of national social protection floors at the country level and to ensure public
discussion of any reform of social assistance. " The ILO finally commits to "promote social dialogue
and consultations (...), with the support of large platforms such as ESCs-SIs, in the formulationand implementation of reforms and strategies for social protection at the national level” and “toPage 9 of 19

offer its expertise to ESCs-SIs to formulate strategies aimed at establishing national social security
systems that are socially and economically viable and adequate. "Extensions
Beyond the timely success of this conference, the first initiatives for its implementation have beentaken. In the first half of 2015, the ESC of Congo Brazzaville will organize a training and skillbuilding workshop of its advisers, in collaboration with the AICESIS and the ILO. The general theme
will be: "Strengthening ESC and social dialogue capacity in favour of an efficient and sustainablesocial protection floor". Its ultimate aim is to define the elements of a road map for the ESC of
Congo so that it strengthens its role in the field of social protection.
*

This panorama aimed to concretely describe the diversity of approaches and realities of the ESCsSIs, their great potential or actual value, and AICESIS activities, showing the dynamism of thisAssociation which is, after all, only 15 years old. As for the future orientations of the AICESIS, one
has – something that is done too rarely along the period - to "look far and wide," without
preconception or precipitation, respecting diversity and each priority of its members. Even though
the existence of some ESCs-SIs is sometimes fundamentally undermined by the executive in somecountries, as is the case now in Italy, it is allowed to remain confident and aware that, globally,
participatory democracy has fine days to come. Helping find the right path of development is thechallenge facing the next Algiers symposium on "The future of the AICESIS", to be held towards
the end of 2015.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect a
position of the ICSW Management Committee

ICSW speaks out at the UN on gender and ageing nexus of development.

ICSW Statement to the 59th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, 9-20
March 2015, New YorkThe International Council on Social Welfare, one of the oldest non-governmental organizations witha global reach, promotes social development, social welfare and social justice worldwide. Promotionof gender equality for girls and women of all ages is one of our priorities. Given that older women
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remain particularly disadvantaged and excluded in many societies, we believe that the international
community should not overlook such an important aspect as social protection of older women when
undertaking the review of Beijing Platform of Action, and even more when the post-2015
development framework is discussed. Twenty years after the adoption of the Beijing Platform for
Action the international community still has to address specific needs of older women in society andaddress the existing gaps. The adoption of a life course approach in development strategies
together with well conceived anti-poverty measures and other social protection schemes helps topromote gender equality and social inclusion. The International Council on Social Welfare considers
it crucial to address the following policy concerns in future deliberations at the international level:
Population Ageing: The world-wide demographic revolution in longevity continues into the 21st
century against a backdrop of lower birth rates in many countries, with the projection that by 2050
the number of the world’s citizens 15 years and younger will equal those age 60 years and older
for the first time in history. Developing countries are experiencing a demographic transition evenmore dramatically than developed countries with developed social protection schemes available forthe old and disabled. Today two in three people age 60 years and above live in developing countries
and by 2050, almost 4 in 5 will live in the developing world. How to protect the vulnerable in a
rapidly ageing world is a crucial question for policymakers.
Gender Disparities: Gender differences and disparities remain marked for older adults in all
countries of the world. Starting from birth, females in many societies have less status, less accessto education, less choice in marriage and childbearing, less access to paid work and employment
in the formal economy compared to men. They are less likely to inherit property, more likely to be
widowed, and more apt to be disadvantaged by harmful traditional practices. Women are more
likely than men to be unpaid caregivers of children and grandchildren, spouses and other relatives,and in turn less likely to be able to count on their spouses for care in old age. Women in older age
are more likely than men to experience both absolute and relative poverty, and social exclusion.
Social exclusion of women in society is related to a multitude of factors including marital, healthand employment status.
Growing Inequality and persisting income insecurity: Growing inequality within and between
nations plagues societies in a number of ways. For older people in both developed and developing
countries increasing levels of poverty and income inequality, declining health and pervasive
discrimination based on age serve as barriers to the full enjoyment of their human rights. Older
women are particularly vulnerable to poverty and social insecurity. Due to changing family
structures, older people’s lives become less socially secure. They are being housed and cared forPage 11 of 19

less frequently by younger family members than before. Due to gendered income discrimination
patterns throughout their lives, women accumulate less individual wealth and individual rights toincome security transfers (such as pension entitlements) and hence remain much more vulnerable
in old age. As a result, older women face multiple disadvantages related to both gender and age.
Gender Differences in Employment and Poverty: The impact of gender differences and inequalities
in education and employment opportunities increases through every stage of an individual’s life
accumulating and hitting hardest in old age, and as a result women are more likely to be poor in
old age in both developed and developing countries. Older women and poverty are connected formany structural reasons and also are affected in different ways related to marital status, age in life
course, race, ethnicity, linguistic background, ability, sexual orientation, citizenship, caste andclass. Women who live alone are more likely to be in poverty than women who are married or livewith extended families. Women are also more likely than men to have gaps in their employment
histories due to child birth and child care as well as caregiving for older relatives and for spouses
as they age. This translates into disadvantages in retirement income that can be exacerbated by
the death of a (male) spouse and loss of retirement income in his name.
Women are paid low wages for “women’s work”, and by and large they are expected to do for freesuch work as caring for and teaching children, nursing the sick, preparing food, cleaning, andserving others. Women in developing countries who migrate to other countries to work in theinformal economy, for example, as domestic workers, can find themselves without access topensions or work as they age. No society so far has found a fair means to compensate women for
their reproductive work that is of pivotal importance for the continued existence of any society.
Gendered Social Protection Schemes: While many older adults in both developed and developing
countries remain in the paid workforce, eventually the demands of the jobs they perform may
exceed their ability to perform needed tasks. In developed countries social security and pension
schemes along with savings replace earned income for many older workers and in both developed
and developing countries families may provide needed economic support for older members. While
women are entering the labour force in greater numbers and staying longer over their life course,
gender differences still persist in labour force participation, distribution of paid and unpaid work
between genders, employment conditions and earnings. Especially in developing countries, women
more often than men work in poorly paid jobs that lack social protection and are often found in theinformal sector. In developing countries informal employment makes up over half of total non-Page 12 of 19

agricultural employment. Informal employment usually means that there are no or only low pension
entitlements unless there are non-contributory systems of significant reach.
Gender and Family Caregiving: Unpaid work burden can negatively affect older women in bothdeveloped and developing countries. While the majority of caregiving is provided by women tofamily members, the long term care system both mitigates the burden on women family caregivers
and also provides needed in-home care to care dependent older adults who live alone. Women are
also more likely than men to be unpaid caregivers of children and grandchildren, spouses and otherrelatives, and in turn less likely to be able to count on their spouses for care in old age.
There are increasing numbers of skipped generation households with older people and dependent
children, the result of HIV and AIDS and the rural to urban migration of working age adults. In
countries where HIV and AIDS has decimated the working age population, grandparents are left
with no adult children to care for them in old age, and instead are providing caregiving to orphaned
grandchildren and other dependent relatives. The impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on older womenin Africa include greater care responsibilities, violation of housing and property rights, increased
exposure to violence, and increased vulnerability to poverty.
In some parts of the world older women are the targets of community vengeance throughaccusations of practicing witchcraft, and disadvantaged by inheritance laws that prevent them fromremaining in their homes if divorced or widowed. The cumulative effects of such practices arepoverty and social exclusion.
The International Council on Social Welfare considers social protection of all people as a crucial
step in creating a “society for all” identified as one of the core objectives by the World Summit forSocial Development convened in Copenhagen twenty years ago. The new impetus to the efforts
aimed at promoting social protection worldwide was provided when Recommendation 202 on
national floors of social protection was unanimously adopted by the International Labour Conference
at its 101st session in 2012. There is increasing recognition of the fact that the implementation ofnationally defined social protection floors may be regarded as an important tool in the fight against
poverty and inequality of all people, including older women. The social protection floors are essential
for preventing marginalization of older women in society and securing their rights. A rights-based
approach aimed at protecting women, men and children from risks and vulnerabilities helps tosustain their well-being throughout the lifecycle, guaranteeing access to health care and other basic
services, as well as at least a basic level of income security. The International Council on Social
Welfare has supported that initiative since its inception by the United Nation in 2009. Joining forces
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with more than 80 other Non-Governmental Organizations, the International Council on Social
Welfare formed a Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors, which has an increasingly importantrole to play in shaping the debate, raising awareness, achieving a national consensus on Social
Protection Floors and making economic order world over more people-oriented and humane.
We strongly agree that “no one should be left behind” and urge the Commission to consider thefollowing recommendations:
The “Data revolution” advocated by the Secretary-General of the United Nations should be extended
to detailed poverty data (including localized data gathering) and disaggregation by age and gender
for all Member States of the United Nations;
Anti-poverty measures for older women should begin with girls and continue throughout the life
course, ensuring adequate nutrition and health care including reproductive health and violence
prevention, education, elimination of discrimination in access to employment opportunities, social
protection schemes across the life course, and a fair recognition for unpaid work including
caregiving;
Governments should consistently work to reduce inequality in income, and improve opportunities
for girls and women of all ages;
Social Protection Floors initiative should be embraced by all countries, adapted to specific national
circumstances and consistently implemented at the national level.

Interagency cooperation on social protection: SPIAC-B meeting in New YorkThe 6th meeting of the Social Protection Inter-Agency Cooperation Board (SPIAC-B took place on
3 February 2015 at the UN Headquarters in New York. Co-chaired by ILO and the World Bank, it
was attended by 53 participants representing 28 international organizations, bilateral development
agencies, social partners, and civil society organizations. The agenda included the following key
items: (1) Social Protection (SP) targets in the Sustainable Development Goals: Measuring andMonitoring progress; (2) cost of the implementation of the SP outcomes and methods of its
financing; (3) Supporting the achievement of the SP targets: tools and country operations.
General discussion revealed a strong appreciation that SPIAC-B members had come a long way tobuild a rapport in higher spirit of cooperation. The implementation of the Post 2015 sustainable
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development agenda represents an important opportunity to enhance policy coherence, improving
cooperation and coordination of social protection actions at global, regional and national levels. A
clear mandate expressed in target 1.31 has been given to the international community on theextension of coverage of social protection systems, including social protection floors. It was agreed
that as the leading global issues-based coalition on social protection, the SPIAC-B is well positioned
to provide support in the framing, monitoring and implementation of these aspects of the newagenda. The UN System, including international financial institutions (IFIs), should be ready to act
together in delivering on the SDGs from its onset.
Much discussion was revolving around the above mentioned target 1.3 of the SDGs. Target 1.3
calls for universal social protection (“implement nationally appropriate social protection systems
and measures for all, including floors”) and brings a time-bound SP coverage objective (“by 2030
achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable”).The definition of “substantial
coverage” should be done at the country level according to national priorities and possibilities. The
language used (social protection systems, measures and floors) is broad enough to allow forcountry-specific solutions applied at the national level. But internationally agreed instruments suchas the ILO Recommendation 202 on National Floors of Social Protection should be used as guidance
for supporting Member States. Linkages between the normative and operational frameworks should
be enhanced.
Some participants emphasized that more ambitious outcomes on universal social protection could
be pursued to ensure that a dream of”no one is left behind” is realized in practice. While universality
has been fully accepted as a core principle for health and education, it is not yet accepted for social
protection. It was noted that although included under the Poverty SDG, target 1.3 should also beassessed based on its contribution to achieving the other Agenda goals, in particular reducing
inequality and promoting decent work for all.
Implementing the target 1.3, it would be important to focus on broad and systemic social protection
programmes that effectively deliver “access to adequate and predictable cash benefits in case ofneed and access to health services” rather than short-term social protection projects delivering
cash transfers for a limited group and over a limited time period (a “safety nets” approach).
The issue of global indicators was discussed at length. As stressed by many participants possible
global indicators to frame the protection target should address both coverage and adequacy of

1 Outcome document of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals - SDG 1 on “Eradicate Poverty in all

its Forms”; Target 1.3: “Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors,and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable solutions ”.

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social protection systems and floors. The SP coverage indicator should measure effective coverage(i.e. number of persons receiving a benefit/service) disaggregated by sex, with breakdowns bychildren, unemployed, old age, people with disabilities, pregnant women/newborns, work injury
victims, the poor and vulnerable and other relevant factors to the extent possible. The indicator
operates at the system level, i.e. how many persons receive benefits and are covered in case ofneed across all programmes and schemes, including social assistance and social insurance. The SP
adequacy indicator would measure the social protection transfers as percentage of income / orpoverty line and capture the impact of social protection on poverty reduction.
While administrative government- supplied data of social protection schemes remains the primary
information source for the coverage indicator, household survey data is fundamental to measureadequacy and to calibrate the overall global assessment of coverage performance. It was agreed
that global data bases containing relevant data to monitor the SP target should be enhanced.
A limited set of global indicators could be complemented by a much more refined dashboard ofnational indicators, including also impact, efficiency and quality social protection indicators atcountry level. Participants felt that it was of utmost importance to strengthen national statistical
capacities for the measurement of progress towards the SDGs at the country level and to feed
global datasets. It was agreed that SPIAC-B secretariat will provide updates on proposals of global
social protection indicators.
The financing of social protection has been considered as one of the core issues under deliberationas part of the discussions on Financing for Development and preparations for the Addis Ababa
conference (July 2015). While domestic financing is still considered the primary source of funding,
official development assistance and in particular technical assistance/capacity building also have afundamental role to play in some developing countries.
SPIAC-B members strongly called for a systematic change in language used in various documents
on SP, emphasizing that social protection spending is “investment” rather than “costs”. It was notedthat “affordability” is often in the eye of the beholder and is determined politically, depending upon
prevalent perceptions. All in all, political commitment drives the creation of fiscal space.
A proposal to establish a Social Protection Floors Fund/Facility to support social protection capacity
building and start-up in the least developed countries was controversial. Supporting it, somemembers proposed further discussion, but others disagreed, expressing concerns regarding a
proliferation of vertically-siloed funds and calling for integrated approaches.

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Broadening “fiscal space” was also addressed. While there is a variety of ways to create fiscal space
ranging from the reprioritization of resources, increasing tax-collection efficiency, using reserves,
re-negotiating debt, reducing subsidies, fighting illicit financial flows, raising taxes, and so on, there
is strong competition with other sectors over funds generated through any of these measures. At
least within the domestic social portfolio, integrated approaches should be developed to enhancesynergies and complementarities.
In the discussion on removing subsidies, the importance of carefully managing the transition by
putting adequate compensatory measures in place (e.g. through an increase in the minimum wage,
cash transfers, public transport costs, etc.) before removing the subsidy was emphasized. The
present low level of fuel prices present an important window of opportunity for governments toenhance fiscal space and gradually convert subsidies into social protection transfers.
A holistic approach to social protection financing should be considered, taking into consideration afinancing mix that includes contributory and non-contributory programmes. For contributory
schemes, the importance of ensuring compliance and reducing tax evasion to relieve pressure on
the Social Protection budget was stressed.
The mobilization of private sector funding, including from corporations, foundations and non-profit
sector should be considered as part of the arsenal of social protection resources mobilization
strategies. In the discussion on the role of the private sector, it is important to also consider the
supply side (the role of the private sector as service providers) and not only think about the demandside.
The discussions of financing should be linked to measures to reduce fragmentation and improve
efficiency and quality while minimizing leakages and errors. A system’s perspective should be
adopted, including adequate identification systems, benefit payments and eligibility control
mechanisms. A proper administration of social protection schemes is a real investment and can
produce substantive gains in the short and long run. It was suggested by the Members thatorganization of high level conference/event on financing for social protection should be on theagenda of intergovernmental deliberations, as it could provide evidence and present concrete
solutions to support the implementation of the social protection SDG target 1.3. Possible dates andlocation will be proposed by the Board co-chairs. Possible linkages could be explored in connection
with the Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, next July.
It was stressed that development cooperation in supporting the implementation of social protection
outcomes should always be guided by national priorities and constraints. International tools andPage 17 of 19

approaches should be flexible and adaptable to national circumstances. Regional bodies also play
an important catalytic role in translating global policies and agreements into agenda provisions that
resonate with national aspirations. These bodies should be informed and supported accordingly.
In the context of the SDG discussion, it became clear that countries are overwhelmed withexpectations of what they are supposed to implement – it is therefore important that development
partners present a coordinated approach. It is important to send strong messages regarding how
SP relates to each of the three pillars of sustainable development: economic (building theinvestment case, providing evidence on the return), social (including relation with access toservices) and environmental (increase resilience, facilitate adaptation and transition).
There are multiple social protection entry-points at country level since programmes can be spread
across various Ministries, such as Agriculture, Family, Social Affairs, Social Development,
Employment or others. It was agreed that SPIAC-B members therefore need to act as connectors
for each other to enable a coordinated approach. The participants briefed each other on the current
SP-related activities of their respective organizations. The importance of taking back evidence fromcountry work to global debates and the UN system (Commission for Social Development and otherfora) was also underscored.



Useful resources and links

1- International Migration: Evolving Trends from the Early Twentieth Century to the PresentThis book recently published by Cambridge University Press is written by professor Susan Martinand discusses ways used by governments to address various aspects of international migration ina collaborative way. The book examines how these efforts have evolved from the early 20th century
to the present. The scope encompasses all of the components of international migration: labour
migration, family reunification, refugees, human trafficking and smuggling, and newly emerging
forms of displacement (including movements likely to result from global climate change).
For

more

details:

http://www.cambridge.org/br/academic/subjects/politics-international-

relations/international-relations-and-international-organisations/international-migration-evolvingtrends-early-twentieth-century-present
2- OECD Urban Policy Reviews: Mexico 2015

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Transforming Urban Policy and Housing Finance, Paris, OECD, 2015
This book, published by OECD as part of the Urban Policy Review series, examines how Mexico candevelop more competitive, sustainable and inclusive cities; improve the capacities of institutions
and foster greater collaboration among them, and how they can better fulfil their pension mandate.
For more details please see: http://www.oecd.org/publications/oecd-urban-policy-reviews-mexico2015-9789264227293-en.htm

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