Social Protection Policies Research Articles

Study on access to social protection policies by homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract The study analyzed the access of homeless people (HP) to health and social protection policies, including emergency measures, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Belo Horizonte (BH), capital of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Its main objective was to provide data on the profile of HP in the municipality, in addition to evaluating existing public policies focused on HP, based on the time frame of the health emergency. Study with mixed methods design with triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data. It used official databases in parallel with document analysis, interviews and focus groups. As a result, the cartography showed that in the first months of the pandemic the municipality had difficulty reorganizing the health system, which underwent constant protocol updates, consolidating, however, over the months. Important emergency interventions in the municipality of BH involved activities that facilitated HP’s access to the provision of services, including intersectorality between health services, social assistance and the third sector. The temporary offer of various intersectoral services, simultaneously with the offer of daytime shelters by organized civil society, was considered a key factor for the expansion and intensification of care networks for HP during the emergency phase. Itinerant services were among those with the greatest positive evidence of service to HP, with emphasis on the ‘Consultório na Rua’. The study concluded that understanding the profile of homeless people in BH and the intersectoral variables that impact HP contributes to better directing investments in interventions for these individuals and increasing the effectiveness of health and social protection systems, in line with with the work carried out by the third sector. Key messages • Understanding the inter-sector variables that impact Homeless People contributes to better targeting of investments in interventions in protection social. • Knowing the profile of the homeless population makes it possible to organize more effective health care and social assistance.

A More Effective Social Protection System for Older Workers: A Case Study of the Older Adult Employment Project in Thailand

The phenomenon of old-age pensioners reentering the workforce is neither new nor unique and has been well-reported in several published literature. However, there are remaining challenges to this group of job seekers whose needs have yet to be well-documented from employer’s perspectives, especially regarding decent work, legal landscape, and organizational culture. Our study seeks to provide a better understanding of the underlying causes of these and to help policymakers introduce social protection policies to create a more welcoming and supportive environment for older workers. The study used a case study from service companies in Thailand that participated in the Thai government’s campaign on promoting older employment. Data was collected from interviews with top managers of the human resources department, and that information was analyzed by thematic analysis. Key findings highlighted that the supportive mechanisms for matching decent work, a room for integrating legal framework, and a culture that values inclusivity and fair treatment of all workers, regardless of age, can enhance the social protection system for older workers. The establishment of a modern database of older workers’ skills, which ensures easy accessibility to both employers and older workers, the establishment of a task force specific for monitoring laws and regulations concerning older employment, and the development of effective measures against workplace discrimination are recommended as effective interventions for social protection.

Impact of social protection policies on inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from bias-corrected dynamic panel

Impact of social protection policies on inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from bias-corrected dynamic panel

Investigating social protection amongst platform workers in Germany: forced individualisation, hybrid income generation and undesired regulation

Abstract The social protection of platform workers is considered one of the most precarious features and political challenges of this new form of employment. Still, there have only been a few empirical investigations on this issue to date. This article presents an explorative empirical analysis of the social protection of platform workers in Germany – a conservative welfare regime with a strong link between standard employment and institutionalised social protection. On the basis of an online survey amongst 719 self-employed platform workers, we examine how different employment patterns correspond to institutionalised protection against sickness and old age. We empirically explore different protection types and analyse how they differ regarding working conditions in platform work and individual social policy preferences. Findings reveal that conditions of platform work and social protection as well as demands and regulatory preferences vary notably across different clusters of platform workers. Still, the vast majority votes against obligatory social insurances for platform workers and favours self-employment over dependent employment. Against this background, we discuss challenges for future attempts aiming at improving social protection for platform workers. This study adds to the literature by empirically exploring platform workers’ social protection and social policy preferences, which have been overlooked to date.

From colonialism to international aid: Social protection in former French colonies in sub‐Saharan Africa, 1890–2020

AbstractThis article examines social protection pathways in the former French colonies in sub‐Saharan Africa. We identify five steps to understanding the patterns and dynamics of social protection in these countries that provide evidence of its exogenous construction. First, we characterize the main developments in social protection systems and policies from their inception, covering the colonial era to the present, underlining the role of colonial legacy and the global social policy framework. Second, we document the similarity of national social protection trajectories and lack of national ownership of the policy problem markedly that characterizes social protection pathways.

Reflections on government‐led social assistance programmes under Zimbabwe's National Social Protection Policy Framework: A social contract lens

AbstractSocial protection has gained global recognition for its role in addressing poverty, yet delivering social protection remains an intractable challenge for governments in the Global South. In this article, we assess the performance of government‐run social assistance in Zimbabwe. Our assessment begins in 2016 when the National Social Protection Policy Framework (NSPPF) was promulgated to maximize returns on social investments. Utilizing a systematic review approach, we collated literature published between 2016–2023. We find that despite adopting the NSPPF, social protection programming remains a challenge in Zimbabwe. We find that the disbursement of transfers to beneficiaries are delayed, benefits are misaligned with market forces due to inflation, most programmes are run without monitoring and evaluation structures, funding in the sector remains inadequate to reduce poverty and vulnerability, and no grievance and redress mechanisms exist. Our synthesis underscores the need for the refreshment of the social contract in Zimbabwe, a renewal of political will to finance social assistance programmes, engagement to transform policy into action, the expansion of the civic space to ensure citizens effectively participate in calling for social assistance, as well as concerted efforts towards harmonizing existing social assistance programmes. We highlight the need to embed social protection within a human rights‐based framework, and the need for robust monitoring frameworks along with predictable and dedicated financing.

Perspectives pour l’environnement et l’agriculture brésilienne

Brazil is a major producer of food, fiber, and bioenergy because the natural and technological conditions are favorable. The Michel Temer and Jair Bolsonaro governments have encouraged the deforestation and occupation of indigenous territories. They have lowered social protection and family farming policies. As a result, one third of the population is food insecure and more than 33 million people have fallen back into poverty. The current government should prioritize the fight against poverty and hunger. It will have to (a) recover social protection policy and stimulate food production in a more sustainable way through family farming and (b) revitalize institutions, environmental protection programs, and resume international agreements on climate and biodiversity.

The analysis of sources on the methodology of demographic transition and impact on the sustainable socio-economic development of the country

The relevance of the study of the methodology of demographic transition lies in its significance for understanding and analyzing population dynamics, the challenges of an aging society, changes in fertility, mortality and migration, as well as assessing the impact on the sustainable socio-economic development of the country. This study has important practical significance for the development of policies for national population management, social protection and health care, as well as for forecasting trends in the development of society and its sustainability in the long term. The purpose of the study is to analyze various sources devoted to the methodology of demographic transition, including from the standpoint of influence on the sustainable development of the state. The authors seek to identify the main approaches used in research on this topic, evaluate their effectiveness and identify the most significant results obtained in this area. The research methodology includes a systematic review of the literature and analysis of various sources devoted to the methodology of demographic transition, on the basis of which five main approaches are formed, their drivers and mechanisms are identified, and recommendations for further research in this area are offered. The authors discuss current trends that researchers are facing, and also highlight promising directions for future research on the impact of demographic transition methodology on the sustainable development of the country.

SOCIAL INNOVATIONS AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE CONTEXT OF POST-WAR RECOVERY OF UKRAINE: CONCEPTUALISATION AND LEGAL ASPECTS

Global experiences of post-war and post-conflict recovery and reconstruction show that preparations for the post-war period should begin even before the conflict ends. For Ukraine's post-war recovery, promoting social entrepreneurship and implementing social innovations is crucial. These efforts will foster practical cooperation between the state, businesses, and the public, addressing various challenges collectively, solving socio-economic problems, and implementing reforms. The purpose of this article is to study the essence and evolution of knowledge about constructs and concepts in the fields of social innovation and social entrepreneurship, to substantiate the opportunities for the dissemination of social innovations, and to create conditions for social entrepreneurship in addressing social needs in the context of Ukraine's post-war recovery. Given its fragmented conceptualisation and widespread use by scholars, policymakers, and practitioners, this study is driven by the need for a theoretical justification of social innovation and entrepreneurship. Methods: To achieve this goal and solve specific tasks, empirical and theoretical research methods were used: analysis, synthesis, and generalisation. These methods, applied at a dialectical level, provide a scientific basis for theoretical and methodological approaches to introducing social innovations in public life. With the help of multidisciplinary ontological analysis and the use of bibliometric indicators, such as citations, co-citations, bibliometric links and coincidences, the main research trends in the knowledge clusters of social innovation and social entrepreneurship were identified. This was accomplished through system mapping with the VOSviewer tool and the analysis and synthesis of publications on social innovation and social entrepreneurship for deep theoretical and practical understanding, as well as evaluation of current research at the interdisciplinary level. Results and Conclusions: Ukrainian legislation does not define the concepts of "social innovation" and "social entrepreneurship," which hinders the development and functioning of social entrepreneurship and the production of social innovations. The war and its aftermath have created new challenges that require new practical approaches and means of solving social problems. One of these approaches is to combine the measures of the current social policy in Ukraine, limited by the organisational and financial involvement of the state in solving social problems, with the possibilities of public participation and entrepreneurial activity. Introducing modern world practices of social innovation and social entrepreneurship, as well as regulatory regulation of social enterprises, will be an essential step towards developing the non-governmental sector of social development and social protection policy.

EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT SERVICES ON DEPRESSION REDUCTION OF PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM IN RWANDAA CASE OF HEALTH ALERTS ORGANIZATION

Background: Individuals living with albinism face unique challenges, including living situation, socioeconomic status, and the effectiveness of the health education on their mental well-being. Creating focused interventions and support networks for this susceptible group requires an understanding of how these variables interact and how depression is affected by them. The goal of this research is to better understand the intricate interaction between these factors and how it affects the mental health of albinos in Rwanda. Three main goals served as the foundation for this investigation: finding out how common depression is among Rwandans who have albinism. to identify risk factors for depression in Rwandan individuals who are albinos. Also to look at how well health education programmes work in Rwanda to raise awareness of depression among those who are albinos. This research was guide by Disability Model, Eriksons Psychology Development Theories. Materials and Methods: Using a quantitative cross-sectional design and independent variables including gender, age, religion, place of residence, socioeconomic category, parental situation (living with parents or as orphans), and health risk factors like suicidal ideation, the mixed methods study evaluated the prevalence and factors linked to depression among individuals living with albinism in Rwanda starting in September 2023. Additionally, individual interviews were used to gather qualitative data in order to assess the efficacy of health education programmes aimed at reducing depression in the study population. In order to determine the components linked to depression, quantitative studies were conducted using logistic regression models. In the research with 75 participants, all individuals were considered as respondents using census sampling technique and these were the people living with albinism beneficiaries of the Health Alerts Organization, a Rwandan non-profit organization. Results: Most were young, female, and faced various life challenges. A significant majority experienced depression (69.33%), with occupation, literacy, socio-economic category, and facing challenges showing associations in bivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed that being in socio-economic category III was protective against depression (OR 0.11) while facing challenges substantially increased the odds (OR 48.15). Our study reveals a high prevalence of depression among individuals, particularly those dealing with life challenges. Occupation, literacy, socio-economic status, and challenges were linked to depression in our analysis. Socio-economic category III seemed protective, while challenges significantly increased risk. These findings emphasize the necessity for tailored interventions and support for mental health disparities, especially among vulnerable populations facing adversity. This study holds a significant importance for associations supporting individuals with albinism, providing insights into their mental health issues and specific support needs. Counselors benefit from a clearer understanding of the psychological challenges faced by this group. Conclusion: The findings can aid the Ministry of Health in planning and potential legislation to address mental health concerns among individuals with albinism, while the Ministry of Local Government can use them to develop a national social protection policy and enhance public awareness about the challenges faced by individuals with albinism.The recommendations derived from the study findings and conclusions are directed towards various stakeholders, each aiming at improving the mental health and overall well-being of people with albinism in Rwanda.

Evaluating social protection mitigation effects on HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis through a mathematical modelling study

The global economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, and worldwide inflation surge may have a profound impact on poverty-related infectious diseases, especially in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). In this work, we developed mathematical models for HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis (TB) in Brazil, one of the largest and most unequal LMICs, incorporating poverty rates and temporal dynamics to evaluate and forecast the impact of the increase in poverty due to the economic crisis, and estimate the mitigation effects of alternative poverty-reduction policies on the incidence and mortality from AIDS and TB up to 2030. Three main intervention scenarios were simulated—an economic crisis followed by the implementation of social protection policies with none, moderate, or strong coverage—evaluating the incidence and mortality from AIDS and TB. Without social protection policies to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis, the burden of HIV/AIDS and TB would be significantly larger over the next decade, being responsible in 2030 for an incidence 13% (95% CI 4–31%) and mortality 21% (95% CI 12–34%) higher for HIV/AIDS, and an incidence 16% (95% CI 10–25%) and mortality 22% (95% CI 15–31%) higher for TB, if compared with a scenario of moderate social protection. These differences would be significantly larger if compared with a scenario of strong social protection, resulting in more than 230,000 cases and 34,000 deaths from AIDS and TB averted over the next decade in Brazil. Using a comprehensive approach, that integrated economic forecasting with mathematical and epidemiological models, we were able to show the importance of implementing robust social protection policies to avert a significant increase in incidence and mortality from AIDS and TB during the current global economic downturn.

Beyond reducing direct medical cost: examining health outcomes in tuberculosis through a difference-in-differences analysis of South Korea’s out-of-pocket payment exception policy

BackgroundUniversal health coverage and social protection are major global goals for tuberculosis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an expanded policy to guarantee out-of-pocket costs on the treatment outcomes of patients with tuberculosis.MethodsBy linking the national tuberculosis report and health insurance data and performing covariate-adjusted propensity-score matching, we constructed data on health insurance beneficiaries (treatment group) who benefited from the out-of-pocket payment exemption policy and medical aid beneficiaries as the control group. Using difference-in-differences analysis, we analyzed tuberculosis treatment completion rates and mortality in the treatment and control groups.ResultsA total of 41,219 persons (10,305 and 30,914 medical aid and health insurance beneficiaries, respectively) were included in the final analysis (men 59.6%, women 40.4%). Following the implementation of out-of-pocket payment exemption policy, treatment completion rates increased in both the treatment and control groups; however, there was no significant difference between the groups (coefficient, −0.01; standard error, 0.01). After the policy change, the difference in mortality between the groups increased, with mortality decreasing by approximately 3% more in the treatment group compared with in the control group (coefficient: −0.03, standard error, 0.01).ConclusionThere are limitations to improving treatment outcomes for tuberculosis with an out-of-pocket payment exemption policy alone. To improve treatment outcomes for tuberculosis and protect patients from financial distress due to the loss of income during treatment, it is essential to proactively implement complementary social protection policies.

Reflections on How Social Protection and Social Welfare Policies are Unfolding in Low- and Middle-Income Countries around the World

Social protection in the form of cash transfers to reduce poverty and inequality is described as the “big idea” that emerged in the Global South over the past three decades. This article reflects on the direction that social protection is taking and reviews its achievements. A key challenge is how social protection policies are delinked from a wider system of social welfare and development programs in low- and middle-income countries. Drawing on lessons learned from cross-country studies, pointers are provided on how to overcome this bifurcation, including ways of strengthening social development theory, policy, and practice.

Peru’s National Policy on Financial Inclusion and Its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goal I

This article analyzes the implementation of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) and its alignment with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) I: Eradicate poverty. Despite the progress achieved, structural gaps persist and substantially limit the NFIS’s contribution to poverty reduction, especially among rural, indigenous, extreme poverty, and other vulnerable groups. The article employs a mixed methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. On the qualitative side, a hermeneutic documentary analysis of the NFIS and related regulations was carried out, with a critical textual interpretation supported by specialized software. Quantitatively, descriptive statistical techniques were applied to analyze official financial inclusion indicators—methodological integration was achieved through analytical triangulation under a concurrent mixed methods approach. The progress of initiatives under the NFIS was evaluated, identifying limitations such as the digital divide in rural areas, limited financing for Micro and Small Enterprises, gaps in financial education, and growing exposure to digital fraud. Although the NFIS promotes greater access to financial services, it does not explicitly focus on the poorest and most excluded populations. Therefore, it is recommended that the objectives and indicators of the NFIS be reformulated to focus on universal access and effective use of financial services by the population in extreme poverty and chronic exclusion. In addition, a strategic articulation with social protection policies is necessary, as well as promoting culturally relevant microfinance and inclusive finance models, strengthening consumer protection, and consolidating public–private alliances in high-poverty areas. Finally, strong monitoring and accountability are also key.

The Governance of Internal Migration: Learning from the Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Policy Responses of Indian States

While the governance of global migration is a growing conversation in policy and academia, internal migration has remained under-researched and under-represented as an area of focus. The increased policy attention on internal migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity for examining the governance of internal migration. Drawing on a review of literature and two consequent rounds of an ex ante policy indexing tool—the Interstate Migrant Policy Index (IMPEX) 2019 and IMPEX 2021—this article focuses on policies formulated by Indian state governments that are prominent recipients of internal migrants in the pre- and post-pandemic period. We find that while the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the vulnerability of low-income internal migrants in India, it only partially translated into long-term policy measures. This article demonstrates that the complexity of migration policymaking governance in federal democracies like India is an important aspect of global migration governance. It argues that such a focus will enable a number of developing economies to refine labour and social protection policies toward sustainable economics and human development. The article motivates a research and policy agenda that can especially help developing countries improve labour mobility patterns for economic development as well as ensure fuller coverage of social welfare measures in response to climate migration.

Financial inclusion and the contested infrastructures of cash transfer payments in South Africa

Across much of the South, digital technologies are increasingly central to the expansion of state social protection systems. Supported by major development agencies, many of these distributive technologies are developed and implemented by financial technology companies with the specific aim of accelerating financial inclusion. While researchers have documented the influence of these financial actors and logics over social policy, we know less about how these interventions are transforming the experience of receiving social protection. Based on qualitative and observational research with social grant recipients in South Africa, this research demonstrates how digital and financial technologies produce confusion, informational opacities and new forms of exclusion among grant recipients. It suggests that the increasingly prominent role of financial technologies in the delivery of social protection undermines state capacity and further entrenches the influence of neoliberal logics over social policy. Finally, the article suggests that these technologies may be transforming the nature of social citizenship in South Africa, undermining efforts to advance universal and redistributive social protection policies.

Globalization and its Effect on the National Economy: The Albanian Case

Globalization is a widely discussed phenomenon that involves the free flow of goods, services, capital, and people across the world. It is mainly focused on economic and cultural aspects, among others. Globalization can be considered as a trend towards increasing of the interdependence and integration among the countries and regions of the globe. Globalization affects us all and leads a radical change in the human’s lives all over the planet, in the relations between them as well as in culture and other aspects related to institutions. So globalization increases incomes but simultaneously increases social inequalities, leaving some countries and groups of people behind. To put it simply, globalization can rapidly enrich a small group of capable individuals while impoverishing the larger population. This ultimately leads to a decline in living standards across the world. Globalization has both positive and negative sides, globalization also produces winners and losers, both between countries and within them, so there are losses and the lost, but the supporters of globalization do not accept this fact. In conditions when the economies are converging and that this phenomenon is generally acceptable, national governments should look forward to pay attention to the growth of domestic capital the pursuit of international financial reforms with the aim of making it possible to find solutions to help losses and the lost. National governments should have social protection policies on the top of their agenda as well as programs that will help as much as possible in the correcting of the unequal distribution, to help different groups in need. Labor migration is a negative phenomenon that caused by the globalization and damages the economy of small countries in transition as people capable of working move to developed countries for a better life than what they leave in their country of origin. The main indicators of the globalization of the national economy are producing for world markets, being part of the global financial markets, as well as foreign direct investments. Globalization is inevitable, under these conditions the duty of the national governments is to face of the pressure that leads to the subordination of the local economy to the global one. Globalization facilitates the connection of different parts of the world, reducing borders and allowing national economies to cater to global tastes. The decreased transportation costs also contribute to the intermingling of the global and local aspects, ultimately leading to the unification of regions. About globalism, there are currents for and against, while the opponents of globalism as well as those who call globalization the cause of poverty and inequality have not drawn up any alternative model for economic growth and development throughout the globe. Small countries like Albania require large international corporations or companies to invest in them to achieve comprehensive economic development, reduce unemployment, and increase well-being. Financial institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund also play a crucial role in this process. Received: 25 December 2023 / Accepted: 25 February 2024 / Published: 23 April 2024

Social Security Protection Policy: in a Legal Approach

Social Security Protection Policy: in a Legal Approach

Street Begging among School Age Children and Social Protection Policy in South western, Nigeria

This study discussed the factors that caused street begging among school age children and investigated social protection policies aimed at eradicating the menace in Southwestern, Nigeria. It also examined the impact of the social protection policies on street begging among school-age children and assessed the challenges confronting social protection interventions. The study’s primary data were sourced through multi-choice structured questionnaires and semi-structured interview guides. The study administered one hundred and fifty copies of questionnaires on teachers, parents, and school age children in Ondo, Oyo and Lagos States. Interviews were conducted with twelve 12 respondents on the basis of four from each state based on their experience of street begging by school-age children and social protection policies meant to tackle the menace. Purposively sampled interviewees were from ministries of education and schools, with two education officials from each of the three states and two school principals from each of the three states. Secondary data were from books, relevant journals, government publications, policy guides, gazettes, and online publications. We analyzed quantitative data with the use of descriptive and inferential statistical tools, and qualitative data with content analysis. The study showed poverty, unemployment, broken homes, and poor feeding and other factors as responsible for street begging among school age children. Some of the social protection policies that are in place to eradicate street begging by school-age children in Southwestern Nigeria include Zero Project, Better Education Service Delivery for All, Integrated Qur'anic and Tsangaya Education, and other domesticated policies of the federal government. Social protection policies in Southwestern, Nigeria are impactful in reducing street begging but poor funding, change in government, overstretched facilities, and corruption are some of the challenges militating against them. The study concluded that street begging by school age children in Southwestern, Nigeria is a social menace that requires intensification of existing social protection policies and serious government attention.

TB and poverty: the effect of rifampicin-resistant TB on household income.

The Republic of Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, also bears one of the highest burdens of rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB). To trace the patients' journey through TB in terms of the relationship with poverty and assess its determinants. This cross-sectional study used secondary data from a survey assessing catastrophic costs in RR-TB-affected households. Data were obtained from 430 RR-TB patients. The percentage of poor TB-affected households rose from 65% prior to TB to 86% after TB treatment completion (P < 0.001). Social factors leading to poverty were identified for each stage: diagnostic period (history of incarceration: cOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-5.2); treatment period (being unemployed or unofficially employed: cOR 6.7, 95% CI 4.3-10.0); and post-treatment (being married or cohabiting: cOR 5.7, 95% CI 2.9-11.0). Participants who had ≥3 members in their households were more likely to be poor at all TB stages: diagnostic period (cOR 5.7, 95% CI 3.7-8.8), treatment period (cOR 3.8, 95% CI 2.5-5.6) and post-treatment (cOR 7.2, 95% CI 3.6-14.3). The study identified risk factors associated with poverty at each stage of TB. These findings outline that innovative social protection policies are required to protect TB patients against poverty.