ABSTRACT This paper explores the distinctive dynamics of entitlement versus non‐entitlement social programmes, focusing on how this distinction influences frontline workers' management of access to social provisions. While much of the existing literature emphasises the macro‐level impacts of these alternative policy designs, this study focuses on their operational dimensions by examining how frontline workers steer users' access in each type of programme. Drawing on qualitative interviews with social workers in Israel, the findings reveal how this foundational design choice creates two starkly different operational contexts that, in turn, determine the nature of frontline discretion. By ensuring that resources meet demand, the entitlement framework creates conditions that allow for professional discretion aimed at upholding statutory rights. In contrast, the non‐entitlement context is defined by fixed resource limits that generate inherent competition and uncertainty, which in turn compels frontline workers to develop rationing discretion. This shifts significant distributive decision‐making from policymakers to the frontline, placing workers in a contradictory role as both advocates and rationers and intensifying disparities in access. The paper contributes to the literature on street‐level bureaucracy and benefit take‐up by demonstrating how a top‐down feature of policy design fundamentally shapes the nature of frontline work and the realisation of social rights.

The extent and depth of States’ obligations concerning women’s equal property (ancestral) rights are the cornerstone of this article. Analysing the two most important treaties, i.e. the International Convention of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and the International Convention on The Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Women’s Convention) to which Bangladesh is a party allows the author to focus on concerns such as non- discrimination and equality with regards to property rights. Subsequently, personal law governing women’s inheritance rights in Bangladesh and national legislation will be evaluated to determine if they comply with the state’s international human rights obligations. This article also resolves to understand the feasibility of bringing legislative reforms to the personal laws in a way that guarantees women’s equal right to inheritance, following the right to property standards incorporated in international human rights treaties, without impairing the core values of the religion and the society. Dhaka University Law Journal, 2025, 36 (1), 209-233

Demographic trends over the last decades and future projections clearly indicate a steady increase in the proportion of older adults (65+) relative to both the working-age (15–64) and child populations (0–15) across Europe. This demographic shift—driven by rising life expectancy and declining fertility—raises pressing challenges for intergenerational equity and questions the sustainability of the implicit formal and informal “social contract” that links generations through the distribution of rights, responsibilities, and resources. In particular, the two fundamental pillars of European post-industrial societies, namely an extensive welfare state and a liberal–democratic institutional framework, appear to be at risk. To address this issue, the notion of “intergenerational fairness”, recently adopted by social policies in both USA and Europe, appears flexible and fundamentally ambiguous. As a substantial variant of neoliberal austerity policies, it is simply used as a justification for further austerity measures, the withdrawal of entitlements to social and economic rights by citizens and the dismantling of welfare states. A second meaning of “intergenerational fairness” is possible starting from the concept of ambivalence used to describe the mix of conflict and solidarity that characterizes intergenerational relations in contemporary post-industrial societies. In this respect, the two concepts of “successful ageing” and “active ageing”, often considered as overlapping, actually involve very different perspectives: successful ageing adopts a substantially reductionist, individualistic, and static approach to the process of ageing, whereas active ageing is a more comprehensive and dynamic strategy that seeks to overcome all these limitations by a life-course perspective. This recognizes that a person’s path to old age is not predetermined but depends primarily on earlier life experiences and their influence: the ageing process affects people of all ages, not just the elderly. And since the subjectivization of ageing in contemporary societies has challenged the conventional notion of “natural life stages”, the new theoretical concept advanced in the article of “ageing styles” becomes central to understanding the ageing process today. Ageing styles are the outcome of the interplay between the objective and subjective dimensions of the life course, represented, respectively, by life chances (social structure) and life choices (agency). A theoretical framework is proposed for analyzing ageing styles that can be used from a life-course perspective to highlight their complex and dynamic nature. An evidence-based European political strategy aimed at promoting active ageing from a perspective of intergenerational fairness, based on the eight principles indicated, can be flexible enough to ensure that everyone can adopt their preferred ageing style without top-down imposition and contribute to the maintenance of the intergenerational social contract.

The Colombian transnational adoptee diaspora is a marginalized subgroup of the Latine community seldom acknowledged yet growing in solidarity. As evidence of the illicit Colombian transnational adoption practices have intensified so have the efforts to support adoptee social justice rights. This article outlines how Liberation Psychology principles serve to facilitate action to address historical injustices promulgated by illicit adoption practices. The mental health consequences impacting adult Colombian transnational adoptees are described. Implications for psychologists and mental health providers are discussed.

Introduction. The life of any person begins at the moment of birth and is largely shaped during their childhood. After this stage of life, the younger generations fully integrate into society. Once they become part of the whole, they determine the vitality of the entire society and set the direction of its development for decades to come. The circumstances that a person encounters during their childhood, as well as the experiences and lessons they learn, shape their personality, determine their views on the world, and instill in them a desire to create or distance themselves from society. Thus, the state of childhood affects not only the future of the individual, but also the future of nations and humanity as a whole. One of the dangers is emergencies. Whether they are man-made or natural, they pose a threat to children’s lives and health. New circumstances have emerged due to armed conflicts, Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and the attempts of unfriendly forces to encroach on Russia’s national security, including through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and the threat of using other types of weapons. As a result, situations arise that require prompt decisions to ensure the full range of personal, social, and economic rights and freedoms for minors (children), especially those who have been left without parental care. The current Federal Law “On Protection of the Population and Territories from Natural and Man-Made Emergencies”, hereinafter referred to as the Law, does not provide for children as a special subject of protection in emergency situations and their consequences, which creates legal barriers in the activities of state authorities and hinders the full implementation of children’s rights. The purpose of this study is to develop universal legal regulations for protecting children’s rights, regardless of the reasons for the introduction of emergencies, territorial boarders, and possible consequences. Theoretical analysis. Scientific research in the field of social relations under consideration concludes that it is necessary to specify the definition of the concept of “emergency situation,” as well as to conduct additional research on issues related to the legal regulation of the protection of children’s rights in emergency situations. The main focus of scientific research is on general issues related to the protection of children’s rights in emergency situations, but it does not fully explore the mechanism of protection. The main body of scientific research reveals the elements of the mechanism for protecting children from the perspective of medical law, social protection of the population in emergency situations, provision of psychological assistance, the activities of law enforcement agencies in these situations, as well as the role of international organizations, whose activities cannot currently be considered effective. From the perspective of the constitutional law of the Russian Federation, these social relations have not been sufficiently examined. Empirical analysis. Recently, the issue of child protection has been the subject of speeches by the President of the Russian Federation and strategic documents on Russia’s development. The Commissioner for Children’s Rights under the President of the Russian Federation has received appeals regarding the protection of minors’ rights, including those related to the consequences of man-made accidents, natural disasters, and attacks on Russia’s national security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Results. The conducted theoretical research and the results of law enforcement practice demonstrate that there is a need for a comprehensive approach to the relations under consideration. It is necessary to amend the Federal Law “On Protecting the Population and Territories from Natural and Man-Made Emergencies” and include children as a separate subject of legal protection in emergency situations, as well as to specify the concept of “emergency situation” itself.

The article conducts a comprehensive analysis of mechanisms for safeguarding social and humanitarian human rights during the Russo-Ukrainian war. It establishes that the legal regime of martial law permits restrictions on certain constitutional rights, including: freedom of movement through curfew implementation; free choice of residence through mandatory evacuations; freedom to leave Ukraine's territory for specific demographic groups; along with rights to work and education. The study reveals that effective humanitarian policy directly depends on identifying critical threats: to national identity, ethnopolitical tensions, historical memory manipulation, and instrumentalization of religious institutions for social destabilization. Consequently, the formation of a unified civic identity constitutes a fundamental objective of state humanitarian policy. The threat to Ukrainian national identity has emerged from societal ambivalence, characterized by the competition between pan-Russian imperial and European Ukrainian identities within Ukraine, alongside the resonance of "Russian world" ideology among certain population segments. Drawing on the Council of Europe's Needs Assessment Report "Social Rights in Ukraine during War," this study highlights the critical importance of safeguarding civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights during periods of armed conflict. The mass displacement of populations coupled with the systematic destruction of social infrastructure during warfare severely compromises people's ability to access education, employment opportunities, healthcare services, and other vital resources necessary for sustaining proper living conditions and means of subsistence.

The article analyzes international legal documents containing provisions on the principle of equal rights and non-discrimination, in particular, examines international legal standards that serve as the basis for modern regulation of ensuring equal rights for workers in labor relations in Ukraine. It is noted that today the current labor legislation of Ukraine does not fully meet modern requirements, contains a number of gaps and conflicts in the field of ensuring equal rights and opportunities for workers, which necessitates a comprehensive analysis of international legal standards in the field of ensuring equality. It is established that the international legal basis of the principle of equal rights and opportunities for workers is formed on the basis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, UN and ILO conventions and recommendations, the European Social Charter (revised), and EU declarations. The author’s comprehensive analysis of these international legal documents indicates the presence of a number of legislative provisions that regulate the principle of equal rights and opportunities for employees, the prevention of their discrimination, in particular, providing for equal opportunities, equal remuneration for equal work, safe working conditions, career development and a balance between work and personal life, which, in turn, indicates the recognition of the problem and efforts to prevent its occurrence by legal means. It is noted that international legal standards of equality and the prevention of discrimination in the labor sphere have today also found their embodiment in some legislative acts of Ukraine. That is, Ukraine, as a country – a member state for accession to the European Union, is actively working on the harmonization of national legislation with international legal acts. Since the implementation of international uniform and generally binding standards for ensuring equal rights of employees is an important step towards creating an effective and civilized instrument for the protection of both employees and members of their families.

The article examines some aspects of research into theoretical knowledge about human rights to social protection. Social protection of the population is one of the defining directions of the state’s social policy, the implementation of its social function. Even with the traditional nature of the issues of social protection for sectoral legal sciences, a significant number of general theoretical aspects related to the essence of social protection require careful rethinking and further constructive coverage. The law of social protection is developing on the basis of new concepts and principles. Its scope includes new social relations that were not previously included in the area of legal regulation. In the time since Ukraine gained independence until today, perhaps no other branch of law has undergone such cardinal changes. The social function of the state is diverse in content and significant in the scope of its activities. Its main purpose is to eliminate or mitigate possible social tension in society, to equalize the social status of people, to develop healthcare, education and culture. This clearly reflects the goal of the state - to ensure a decent existence for a person, free development of the personality, protection of the family, social justice and social security. The main content of the social function of the state is socio-economic human rights. The formation of the concept of human rights and the social state are considered as two mutually dependent processes, because the formation of a social legal state was historically and logically preceded by the recognition of the concept of human rights and freedoms. In legal literature, the basic social rights and freedoms of a person and a citizen are understood as a set of constitutional rights of a person (or only a citizen of a particular state), which enables his claims to receive certain material benefits from the state under appropriate conditions. The basic social rights and freedoms of a person are designed to ensure the last decent standard of living, the right to work, the right to housing, the right to free medical care, etc. One of the social rights that the state guarantees and must ensure is the right to social protection. However, the implementation of rights in the field of social protection requires the state not only to proclaim such rights, but also to foresee a legal mechanism for their provision (specific grounds, conditions and procedure for exercising the right, obligated subjects) and a financing mechanism. It should be noted that the legal mechanism for the implementation of human rights in the field of social protection has significant differences in states of different socio-economic orientation. It is noted that social protection is associated with the social policy of the state, which is implemented in the interests of the main social groups of the population. Therefore, social policy is understood as the purposeful activity of clearly defined subjects, primarily the state, aimed at regulating social relations, social needs and interests of various groups of the population, related to ensuring their well-being and personal development.

HighlightsWhat are the main findings?This is the first study to systematically describe the stratification and management of individuals with severe disability in Sicily under the D.M. of 26 September 2016, using data from ASP Catania, in Sicily (Italy).The analysis integrates multiple dimensions—age, sex, healthcare district, type of disorders, and income level—revealing significant demographic, clinical, and territorial heterogeneity in the distribution and needs of the population.What are the implications of the main findings?The findings highlight the need for integrated, personalized care models that are sensitive to age, gender, geographic, and socioeconomic differences, particularly in underserved districts.Addressing the complex needs of individuals with severe disability requires coordinated, multisectoral strategies that ensure equitable access to care while safeguarding social rights and economic sustainability.Background: Individuals with severe disability require intensive and long-term healthcare, rehabilitation and social support. Updated population data are essential to inform planning and resource allocation. This study aimed to quantify—with a cross-sectional analysis conducted in 2025—the demographic, clinical, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics of individuals with severe disability within the Provincial Health Authority (ASP) of Catania (Sicily) in Italy, and to identify statistically significant differences across subgroups. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 3277 individuals officially certified as having severe disability under the Italian Ministerial Decree of 26 September 2016. Data were extracted from administrative records and stratified by age, sex, clinical classification, income level, and healthcare district. Associations were tested using chi-square statistics. Results: Participants had a mean age of 39.14 ± 28.64 years; Minors represented 33% of the disability cohort (vs. 19.4% minors in the general provincial population) with a mean age 10.28 ± 3.55. Adults accounted for 67% of the cohort (vs. 81% adults in the general population), with a mean age of 69.94 ± 24.61 years. Females constituted 43% of the sample (compared with 51% females in the provincial population), whereas males represented 57% (vs. 49% males in the general population). Most individuals (95.9% of the cohort) had an income level below €25,000/year. Conclusions: The study reveals substantial demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical heterogeneity among individuals with severe disability and highlights significant district-level disparities. Notably, minors appear markedly over-represented in the disability cohort compared with the general population, while females are under-represented, indicating potential age- and sex-related differences in disability burden, access to assessment, or underlying diagnostic patterns. These findings indicate the need for stratified, district-sensitive planning approaches, ensuring equitable access to services and optimizing allocation of healthcare and social resources.

This study aims to analyze efforts to implement legal protection for the social welfare rights of street vendors based on Regional Regulation Number 5 of 2022 and to analyze the obstacles faced in implementing regional regulations related to the protection of social welfare rights of street vendors. The research method used is qualitative research and descriptive research type, and uses a normative juridical approach to analyze regional regulations and an empirical juridical approach to explore real conditions in the field. The subjects of this study were Street Vendors and the Head of Public Order in Sempakata Village, Medan Selayang District. Data collection used is primary data and secondary data. Primary data in the form of observations and interviews, while secondary data in this study is legal literature, government policy documents such as regional regulations. Data analysis used the Miles and Huberman approach, namely data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. Based on the results of the study, it shows that legal protection for street vendors as regulated in Regional Regulation Number 5 of 2022 has not been fully realized in Sempakata Village. The implementation of this regional regulation, such as limited public awareness campaigns, the lack of suitable relocation sites, and the lack of empowerment programs, are major obstacles to its implementation. Although the regulation normatively includes social welfare rights, such as training, business assistance, and protection from eviction, in practice, these are still not optimally enjoyed by street vendors. This study recommends strengthening the role of local governments and sub-districts, improving cross-sectoral coordination, and adopting a more humane approach to managing street vendors to ensure the fair and sustainable fulfillment of their social welfare rights.

Abstract In 2019 and 2022, Indigenous leaders mobilized rural comunas in general strikes that forced the national government of Ecuador to negotiate the terms of newly introduced fiscal and policy measures. These mobilizations came despite long-term demographic decline in these same rural comunas . Further, the ministries charged with granting this authority to comunas today exercise little oversight. Why, then, has the comuna persisted as the preferred form of local organization amid widespread shifts to postagrarian ways of life? We have approached this problem through field research in over a dozen rural comunas , a review of comuna registrations, interviews with comuna leadership, and intergenerational dialogues among comuna members. In practical terms, we find comuna leadership consolidating an agenda focused on infrastructure development in the place of activism for land or the pursuit of agricultural investments. At the same time, it is through rituals of registration and management that local authorities not only find legitimacy but also secure a measure of “cultural autonomy” insofar as comuna members associate the disciplined fulfillment of procedures with the historical expansion of social rights. As the younger generation pursues nonagrarian careers, older comuna members underscore the mutuality of comuna life and lay out a moral purpose and a pathway that in effect centers state procedure as essential for indigenous autonomy.

This paper studies how national welfare-state institutions influenced the positions states took on the social rights of refugees during the negotiation, adoption, and ratification of the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Through an analysis of the drafting process and the reservations and interpretative declarations states issued when rat-ifying the Convention, the paper demonstrates that concerns about national welfare-state institutions shaped the commitments states made. Earlier scholarship on the origins of the refugee regime has focused on international relations, diplomatic history, and law and largely neglected the role of welfare-state institutions.

This article examines the legal, social, and economic impacts of Brazil’s labor reform (Law No. 13,467/2017) and pension reform (Constitutional Amendment No. 103/2019), within the broader context of structural changes implemented between 2017 and 2025. It focuses on core legislative innovations, such as the predominance of collective bargaining over statutory law and the imposition of a minimum retirement age, assessing their implications for the effectiveness of fundamental social rights, union performance, and the financial sustainability of the social security system. The research adopts a qualitative approach, grounded in bibliographic review, legal analysis, and empirical data from official sources. The study concludes that the reforms shifted the axis of social protection toward economic rationality, weakening historic labor guarantees. It highlights the urgency of compensatory policies, reinforcement of collective bargaining, and measures for inclusive pension coverage as strategies to restore balance to the social protection framework.

Abstract EP2.3, e-Poster Terminal 2, September 4, 2025, 10:05 - 10:30 According to the World Health Organization, at least 50 percent of the world’s population still lacks access to essential healthcare services. The United Nations human rights committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural rights in their General Recommendation 14, explains the four components of human rights based approach to health -availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality (AAAQ) which are crucial to the enjoyment of the right to health by all and to address global health inequalities. This study aimed to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of healthcare providers on AAAQ of health service delivery in Kakuma and Kalobeyei refugee camps in Kenya. The study also examined the extent of application and nature of AAAQ integrated into service delivery in humanitarian settings. The research study employed qualitative methodologies, including four focused group discussions (n = 28), and four health facility assessments. Homogenous sampling was used to recruit healthcare workers. All interactions were audio recorded upon consent. The study used principles of community-based participatory research. Partner organizations contributed to the research process at all stages. The data was collected in February 2024 and stakeholder consultation workshops were conducted in July/August 2024. Data analysis is being conducted on MaxQDA. A codebook with preliminary themes and categories has been designed using a deductive and analytic inductive approach. The results are currently being analyzed and a complete analysis of the data collected is expected to be completed by May 2025. We hope the insights from our findings could lead to improvements in reproductive health service delivery that integrates a human rights approach to health to achieve the realization of the right to health. The study also aims to inform policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and donors to invest in robust, rights-based solutions for reproductive health in crisis settings.

Goal. Taking into account this goal, the scientific article contains an analysis of the financial and legal regulation of compulsory social insurance in Russia in the context of historical, legal, institutional and functional approaches. It is shown that the modern model of compulsory social insurance combines insurance principles with a high degree of state participation, centralization of management and significant dependence on transfers from the federal budget. The deformations of the regulatory legal framework of the compulsory social insurance system are highlighted, as well as the legal risks and legal opportunities of digital transformation in the field under consideration. Methodology. In preparing the scientific article, a set of scientific methods was used, including general scientific, private scientific, special legal methods (analysis, synthesis, historical-legal, comparative-legal, formal-legal, and others), which made it possible to identify modern challenges for the compulsory social insurance system from the perspective of law and digitalization and formulate the main directions for improving financial and the legal foundations of this system. Conclusions. The authors of the article set priorities for improving Russian legislation on compulsory social insurance: systematization of legislation, strengthening guarantees for the implementation of digital rights of insured persons, adaptation of compulsory social insurance to platform employment and institutionalization of non-judicial protection of social rights.

This article critically analyzes the effectiveness of the legal protection afforded to the homeless population in Brazil, investigating the extent to which the national legal system concretizes the principle of human dignity for this socially vulnerable group and what the main challenges are for accessing justice and guaranteeing fundamental rights. The research starts from the hypothesis that there is a structural contradiction between the formal recognition of rights in the 1988 Constitution and the reality of exclusion and violence faced. Methodologically, the study employs a critical-legal approach, using bibliographic and documentary research to analyze legislation, public policies, and the paradox of the judicialization of social rights. The results demonstrate that vulnerability transcends economic deprivation, being the result of structural inequalities, institutional discrimination, and the insufficiency of state action to guarantee a minimum existential standard. It is concluded that the challenge lies not only in the formulation of new policies but in overcoming legal invisibility and demanding an ethical-political commitment from the State and society, reinforcing dignity as a concrete value and a material experience.

Female paid domestic workers are among the most vulnerable occupational groups globally, often lacking formal social protection and limited labour rights. The COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated these vulnerabilities, yet quantitative evidence from low and middle income countries is scarce. This study examines health disparities in Peru between female paid domestic workers and females employed in the formal service sector before, during, and after the pandemic. We used pooled cross sectional data from the Peruvian National Household Survey (ENAHO, 2018-2023). The primary outcomes were self reported illness symptoms and healthcare seeking behaviour. We compared female paid domestic workers to female formal workers in other service occupations-including both personal and nonpersonal services-across three time periods: prepandemic (January 2018 - February 2020), pandemic (March 2020 - October 2022), and postpandemic (November 2022 - December 2023). Analyses involved comparing differences in proportions and conducting Wald tests. We also stratified results by key social determinants of health, including education, ethnicity, age, income, chronic disease status, household head status, and access to labour rights. Female paid domestic workers reported more illness symptoms and sought less healthcare than females working in nonpersonal service roles, especially during the pandemic. The difference in proportions - 5.9 percentage points (pp.) for illness symptoms and 16.5 pp. for healthcare-seeking behaviour- became smaller after one year. There were no significant differences when comparing female paid domestic workers to other personal service workers. Stratified results indicated that outcome differences between female paid domestic workers and female working in non-personal services were wider among household heads, those with chronic conditions, and those with limited access to labour rights. Post-pandemic disparities were especially pronounced among younger females, low-wage earners, and those with less education. In Peru, female paid domestic workers experienced persistent health disadvantages before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic when compared with females with formal employment. Addressing these disparities requires comprehensive policies that promote formalization and social security coverage to advance progress on Sustainable Development Goal 3.

Abstract 1 The employment status of trainees and its influence on labour and social security rights and working conditions is still an unresolved issue. This article analyses the employment status and rights of vocational education trainees in Finland in the light of the EÚs Quality Framework for Traineeships (QFT), and the proposals for a reinforced QFT and a Traineeships Directive. In Finland, vocational education trainees are explicitly excluded from the category of employees. It is argued that this exclusion is not in accordance with the practice of the Court of Justice of the EU or with Finland’s own definition of an employment relationship, and has negative effects on the labour rights and social protection of vocational education trainees. Non-employed vocational education trainees have only limited protection as regards their working time, health and safety, information and equality rights, and their social protection is weaker than that of employees. Nevertheless, due to the Finnish universal social protection system, vocational education trainees are covered by mandatory social protection, which fulfils the requirements of formality, effectivity, adequacy and transparency.

Informal work is one of the main forms of subsistence for millions of Brazilians, especially street vendors and street vendors, but the lack of formalization limits access to social and labor rights and makes it difficult to include it in public policies to support entrepreneurship and socioeconomic development. Feirante Amigo project, developed by NAF/UFR, is based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth, by promoting the formalization and appreciation of work as an instrument of social inclusion and sustainable development. The initiative holds meetings and conversation circles to diagnose the demands of the target audience, workshops and practical training, in addition to individualizing face-to-face and online services and strengthening technical and entrepreneurial skills. The project is also aligned with the Fiscal Citizenship Program of the Federal Revenue of Brazil and the University Extension Guidelines (CNE/CES No. 07/2018), which consider the relevance of street markets as spaces for the proximity economy and the circulation of cultural and social knowledge. The proposal is based on socioeconomic vulnerability, which is understood as the restriction of access to resources and rights that directly impact quality of life. The central objective is to transform the reality of street vendors and street vendors, promote the formalization of their activities, ensure access to legal benefits, promote productive inclusion and strengthen entrepreneurship. The project has already partially achieved results, including the formalization of workers as MEIs, expanding social protection and access to credit lines.

The article aims to describe the meanings that young people construct around the exercise of basic rights in contexts of urban poverty in the district of San Martín, Buenos Aires. We argue that schooling provides a space where students critically engage with the ways in which social rights are denied or violated in times of growing inequality and social exclusion. Simultaneously, they claim recognition as citizens and demand improved living conditions. Based on a qualitative research design, we conducted in-depth interviews with secondary school students aged 12 to 18 between 2022 and 2024. The findings reveal that students acquire knowledge about social rights through their school experiences—knowledge that is shaped by claims, reflections, and lived experiences of vulnerability. From this standpoint, they question the precarious conditions affecting their lives and assert rights to food, education, recognition, and even to “keep on living.”