Social Protection System Research Articles

The challenge of building rights–based social protection systems in a crisis-prone world

The challenge of building rights–based social protection systems in a crisis-prone world

Assessment of the Viability of Community-Based Health Insurance Schemes in the Ziguinchor Department from 2016 to 2018 in the Context of Universal Health Coverage (Senegal)

<i>Introduction</i>: This study examines the viability of community-based health insurance schemes in the Ziguinchor department of Senegal from 2016 to 2018, within the context of universal health coverage. Health insurance schemes have emerged as a promising solution to extend social health protection to informal sector workers and rural populations. However, despite political support, these structures face persistent challenges in terms of enrollment, member retention, and management. The study aims to assess the viability of these schemes, as well as the perceptions of various stakeholders on mutual health insurance. <i>Methodology</i>: The study adopted a mixed approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, based on the theoretical framework developed with the support of the International Labor Office (ILO). This framework evaluates the viability of health insurance schemes according to four dimensions: institutional, technical, functional, and financial/economic. A questionnaire with 87 questions was used to collect quantitative data on these aspects from the seven health insurance schemes in the Ziguinchor department. For the qualitative component, focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with various actors, including beneficiaries, non-beneficiaries, community leaders, scheme managers, and healthcare providers. <i>Results</i>: The study's findings reveal a complex situation for the health insurance schemes in the Ziguinchor department. Institutionally, the schemes have a solid foundation with legal status, internal regulations, and affiliation to a departmental union. Technically, membership is voluntary and family-based, with control mechanisms in place, although their effectiveness is limited. Functional viability shows positive signs with a membership growth rate of 20.18%, but the overall penetration rate remains low at 16.99%, and the premium collection rate is very low, averaging 26.78%. The financial situation is particularly of concern: no scheme can meet its short or long-term debts, and the average claims ratio is excessively high at 282%. As for stakeholder perceptions, they are mixed: while the schemes are generally considered beneficial, significant practical difficulties are identified, including lack of information, funding problems, and procedural complexity. <i>Conclusion</i>: The study highlights the complexity of the role of health insurance schemes in the quest for universal health coverage. Despite undeniable strengths, the schemes face considerable challenges in terms of functional and financial viability. Corrective measures are necessary, including strengthening management capacities, innovating premium collection methods, and improving communication. An evolution of the model is also suggested, potentially towards greater integration into a national social protection system or the development of innovative public-private partnerships.

Linking Social Protection and Humanitarian Systems to Respond to Forced Displacement

With displacement occurring at record levels and often on a protracted basis, there is increasing interest in the potential to link humanitarian displacement responses with social protection systems. This article discusses how social protection and humanitarian systems can work together to meet the needs of displacement-affected populations, based on the findings of a three-year research project that drew on global literature alongside mixed-methods data collected in 2021 in Cameroon, Colombia, and Greece. The article discusses five lessons: (1) displaced populations’ distinct needs and implications for social protection design and delivery; (2) inadequate social protection for host communities and implications for social cohesion; (3) the priority basis for evaluating linkage approaches; (4) the need for sustained international financing; and (5) the general importance of greater transparency and collaboration. It concludes with recommendations for further research to build the nascent evidence base on this topic.

2008 economic crisis impact on perinatal and infant mortality in Southern European countries

Abstract Introduction The study of crisis events provides important lessons to prepare for upcoming events. The Great Recession’s impact on perinatal health in Europe can provide relevant insights into the healthcare and social protection systems’ response to protecting the health of the most vulnerable groups. Objectives To assess time trends and international disparities in perinatal mortality rates (PMR) and infant mortality rates (IMR), following the Great Recession, and their association with socioeconomic indicators in Portugal, Greece, Italy and Spain. Methods Associations were assessed through generalised linear models for all four countries. A Poisson joinpoint regression model was applied to explore PMR and IMR trend changes between 2000 and 2018. Country disparities were analysed using mixed-effects multilevel models. Results IMR and PMR have decreased overall in the four selected countries between 2000 and 2018. Still, whereas in Spain, Italy and Portugal the decreasing pace was attenuated after 2009, in Greece a positive trend was found after the 2008 crisis. IMR and PMR were significantly associated with socioeconomic indicators in all four countries. National disparities in the evolution of IMR and PMR were significantly associated with most socioeconomic indicators between 2000 and 2018. Conclusions Our results confirm the impact of the Great Recession on PMR and IMR trends in all four countries, taking recurring associations between macroeconomic cycles, variations in mortality trends, macroeconomic volatility and stagnation of IMR and PMR into account. The association with socioeconomic indicators stresses the need to strengthen social protection and healthcare systems to better protect the population’s health from the earliest days. Key messages • Mortality patterns refer to the internal variability of the crisis’ effect and to persistent spatial regional inequalities appealing to the need for attention in policymaking. • The relevance of considering the political economy of global health finance and macroeconomic volatility as a major influence on the association of mortality rates with socioeconomic indicators.

Indigenous Peoples and Social Protection: The Case of the Peruvian Amazon

The persistence of indigenous poverty and exclusion is one of the main challenges for social policy in Latin America. Social protection programmes, in particular conditional cash transfers, have been among the main instruments used by governments over the past two decades to respond to the high incidence of poverty in indigenous contexts. The inclusion of indigenous peoples as social protection beneficiaries remains a largely unexplored topic, despite its relevance to understand social policy trajectories in the global South. This article discusses the expansion of poverty alleviation social programmes in the Peruvian Amazon. Although the expansion of these programmes increased the state’s capacity to deliver welfare services in historically excluded areas, it also revealed the limitations of existing social protection instruments to effectively respond to indigenous poverty and vulnerability. Addressing this challenge constitutes a key opportunity to promote transformative approaches in social protection systems in Latin America.

6.X.2. Food Insecurity in Europe: Voices from across Europe

Abstract Food insecurity (FI), “lack of regular access to enough safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active and healthy life”, is a global public health issue. The United Nations (UN) have identified achieving food security as a key Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), where all people should “have access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round.” However, disasters related to the consequences of changing climates, pandemics, wars, displacement of populations, high inflation rates, changes in social protection systems, and food system changes challenge the achievement of this SDG. FI persists even in high-income countries including Europe. This workshop session will foster a knowledge, research and experience exchange on the situation of individuals / different population groups in the context of FI in different European countries. Starting with a contribution from Austria, the term food poverty is introduced and considered from a food system perspective / from an equity perspective. The second contribution illuminates the relationships between FI, shopping behaviours and social support among food bank users in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic. The final third contribution comes from the Netherlands and explores the needs and perceptions regarding healthy eating among people at risk of FI. In all three studies, standardized measurement tools were applied to measure FI but recruiting methods and data collection methods varied considerably between and within the studies. The session enhances the knowledge on FI in Europe from different perspectives. Key messages • Food insecurity does exist in Europe: there is a need for regular, consistent monitoring across European countries. • Food insecurity involves more than just access to food; it also considers nutritious and climate-friendly options, addressing the link between climate, health, and equity.

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.

Realigning Social Protection Across the Nexus: Reflections from Protracted Crises in the Arab Region

Humanitarian emergencies are increasingly protracted and characterised by multiple compounding crises. International social security standards provide a roadmap for building national social protection systems. In the Arab States region, the International Labour Organization has been critically assessing how to apply these standards across the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus when countries face protracted crises. This article presents case studies in four countries: Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It addresses questions on how to strengthen humanitarian–development transitions using international standards, where entry points exist or challenges remain, and how these transitions may contribute to strengthening peace through social cohesion.

What’s pension got to do with it? Mortality inequality at older ages

Abstract Background The potential role of social protection systems and welfare states for population health and mortality has attracted increased interest in recent decades but mostly focused on overall characteristics or clusters of countries. Moreover, often neglecting older people even though the great majority of all deaths in high-income countries occur at later ages. We focus on the key social protection scheme for old adults: the generosity of the level of pensions. We compare pensions based on previous work history to basic minimum pensions. Our study is novel both by linking pension system to remaining life expectancy at age 65(LE65+), but also by studying the association to variation in LE65+, since that gives a measure of inequality. We do so across countries and over time. Methods and Materials Our sources of data are from the Human Mortality Database and the Social Policy Indicator Database. Data for OECD countries are matched over a long period of time and analysed by pooled time-series regression analyses with fixed effects. Results Although the results indicate that the generosity of pensions based on both pervious work history and basic minimum income our results primarily show the importance of basic minimum income. Here the effect sizes are larger and especially for women than for men (0.149*** vs. 0,.0715***). Concerning the variation in LE (65+) we find that more generous basic pensions are associated with reduced variation for women -4.64e-05**. Conclusions We provide new insights in how pension policies potentially influence mortality among older persons especially by extending our analyses also to inequality in mortality. Our results points to the importance of basic pensions. The gendered division of labour is a plausible explanation for the findings and to have an adequate pension for all should be of primary concern for public health. Key messages • Adequate basic pension for all of importance for remaining life expectancy among older people. • Adequate basic pension for all of importance for reducing mortality inequality among women.

Enacting Social Protection Laws in Jigawa and Zamfara States, Nigeria

Legal frameworks are important for institutionalising and strengthening social protection systems. Two states in Nigeria, Jigawa and Zamfara, have enacted social protection laws. This article explores how the process of enacting such a law is influenced by state-level politics and local contexts, and how the activities of a project financed by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) contributed to much greater understanding and acceptance of social protection in both states. Primary data collected through in-depth interviews with state and non-state stakeholders and project staff was analysed to tease out the political, cultural, and power dynamics involved in enacting the laws. Findings show that a range of factors aimed at building the case for, and understanding of, social protection across a range of stakeholders was critical, and that a fairly standard package of tools employed in advocating for institutionalising social protection was influenced considerably by domestic political dynamics.

Social Protection is the Essence and Genesis of the Phenomenon

this article analyzes issues of anti-poverty and social protection from historical, religious and philosophical perspectives. It is also shown how other religious teachings and philosophical views also played a role in shaping attitudes towards social protection. The article also talks about how social protection systems have perfected with the development of states and the revival and development of these systems in the current period. The article, going deep into the historical and spiritual foundations of social protection issues, confirms its relevance today.

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.

Formation of the System of Social Services to the Population

The current socio-economic, moral, psychological and spiritual situation in Kyrgyzstan is extremely contradictory and multifaceted. There is instability in the economy, a budget deficit is acutely felt, the number of people with incomes below the subsistence level is practically not decreasing, differentiation of the population by income is increasing, tension in the labor market is increasing, arrears in wages, pensions and social benefits are growing, trends of distress, including social deviations, are acutely evident. The current situation requires the state and non-governmental organizations, and public associations to take adequate measures, primarily in the area of developing the social protection system of the population and ensuring social security.

Evolution of social standards and guarantees in the legal system of Ukraine: current challenges and development prospects

The study is devoted to the evolution of social standards and guarantees in the legal system of Ukraine, the analysis of modern challenges in the field of social protection and the determination of prospects for their further development. In the conditions of economic and political transformations, ensuring the appropriate level of social standards is an urgent task. The article examines the historical development of social standards from the Soviet period to the modern stage of Ukraine’s integration into the European legal space. The impact of international law, in particular the European Social Charter and ILO conventions, on the formation of social standards is analyzed. The importance of adapting national legislation to international standards for increasing the level of social protection and bringing Ukrainian policy closer to European standards is emphasized. The influence of economic and social factors, such as crises, demographic changes, social inequality and migration processes, which create serious challenges for the state, is considered. Special attention is paid to social guarantees for vulnerable population groups, such as pensioners, people with disabilities, internally displaced persons and combatants. The main problems of these groups in the realization of the rights to social protection were identified and recommendations were given for improving the mechanisms of social support. The author emphasizes the need to reform social policy to create a more effective and fair system of social protection. Contemporary challenges in the implementation of social standards are explored, including economic instability, demographic changes, military conflict, inefficiency of public administration, and corruption. Emphasis is placed on a comprehensive approach to overcoming them, increasing the financial stability of the social system, improving legal regulation and cooperation with international organizations. Prospects for the development of social standards depend on the state’s ability to ensure the sustainability of social policy, adapt legislation to international standards, and increase the availability of social services. The successful implementation of these measures will contribute to Ukraine’s integration into the European legal space, which is strategically important for the country’s development. The article offers a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of social standards in the legal system of Ukraine, identifies the main challenges and provides recommendations for the further development of social policy.

Concept of economic crimes in legal doctrine and legislation, their differentiation

Ukraine’s transition to a market economy, the development of entrepreneurship, the promotion of competition, and the expansion of foreign trade contributed to the creation of new opportunities for criminal activity in the economic sphere. At the same time, the low probability of detection and the high profits associated with economic crime make the economic sphere very attractive to criminals. In turn, the huge losses associated with economic crime undermine social protection systems and destabilize economic systems, thus clearly indicating a failure of self-regulation. The legislator, having in mind economic crimes, operates with the concept of “CRIMINAL OFFENSES IN THE SPHERE OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY” (Chapter VII of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and is limited only to their list. According to the legislative approach, an economic crime can be defined only as a socially dangerous culpable act (action or inaction) committed by the subject of the criminal offense provided for by the Criminal Code of Ukraine and provided for by the provisions of Chapter VII of the Special Part of the Criminal Code. At the same time, on the basis of the generalized data of the legislative and doctrinal approach, it is proposed to define an economic crime as a socially dangerous culpable act (action or inaction) committed by the subject of a criminal offense, which consists in the implementation of illegal economic activity (economic processes, relations, operations) or violation of requirements for legal economic activity to satisfy the selfish interests of a person or a group of persons, encroaches on the sphere of economic relations and poses a threat to the economic security of the state, leads to an imbalance of the state’s economic system. At the same time, the so-called economic crimes (Chapter VII of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - criminal offenses in the sphere of economic activity) should be separated from crimes due to which law enforcement agencies can interfere in the sphere of economic relations. Economic crimes can be differentiated according to various criteria: according to the spheres of social relations that regulate one or another type of economic activity; according to the content of the committed crime; by immediate main and additional objects; by subject characteristics; by criminal law characteristics.

The pension system of Kazakhstan: savings analysis, review of investment portfolio and prospects for profitability increase

The article considers the pension system of the Republic of Kazakhstan as the most important element of the system of social protection of the population and a major investment player in the market, which is responsible for the safety of pension savings of the population. Consequently, it is necessary to constantly monitor the quality of pension provision and financial sustainability of the pension system in order to ensure the adequacy of pension payments to maintain a decent standard of living for pensioners, taking into account the inflation rate in the country. Thus, it is necessary to carefully assess the possible consequences of investment decisions in order to prevent the depreciation of pension system participants' savings. The pension system is an important element for ensuring the stability of the country's population. It forms the foundation of social security for citizens, creating financial security for them during the period of disability or retirement. Due to demographic changes in the country, the pension system is being reformed, which in turn affects financial stability in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The article presents a number of key roles and functions within the pension system, analyzes the volume of pension savings and the number of individual pension accounts in the cities of national importance, presents the structure of the investment portfolio of the PAs of the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund (UAPF), which are under the trust management of the NBRK, in the context of financial instruments. Proposals on how to increase investment income have been developed.

After us, together with us: Quality of life in adults with disabilities in an inclusive and sustainable future

AbstractDue to economic and technological progress, life expectancy is constantly developing, thus the European senior generation is ever‐increasing. Such demographic modifications have far reached consequences on social protection systems and society. Specifically, the last 20 years have also seen a significant increase in life expectancy for people with disabilities and their elderly parents who care for them. Therefore, this contribution provides an overview of the quality of life for adults with intellectual disabilities and their elderly parents. Specifically, this paper examines the notion of quality of life, especially in its relationship with sustainability, inclusion, and social justice. Lastly, it examines the contextual factors that contribute to promoting or hindering the quality of life of individuals with intellectual disabilities and the impact on social inclusion, sustainability, and social justice.

Introduction of a guaranteed basic income as a probable consequence of intellctual automation of labor

Objective: to form a holistic view of the unconditional basic income as a tool of social protection, taking into account the changes in the labor sphere and allowing to solve a number of growing problems associated with the consequences of the economy digitalization, as well as to assess the prospects of creating legal regulation on this issue. Methods: the study was conducted using both general and specific scientific methods, including analysis and synthesis, formal-legal method, systemic and comparative approaches, methods of legal forecasting and legal modeling. Results: unconditional basic income can become one of the elements of a new model of social security based on the unstable nature of labor relations, which begins to prevail over the model of sustainable employment traditional for industrial society. If established, this institution will be cross-sectoral within the labor law and social security law, providing social protection simultaneously to all members of society, most of whom in the near future will face an increased risk of being absorbed by technological unemployment. Unconditional basic income as an element of the social protection system will have to comply with the principle of the universal nature of protection based on social solidarity, on the one hand, and to take into account the need to balance the interests of the parties, on the other hand. As experimental models of basic income, which can be put into practice in the coming years, we can name the model of basic income as a measure of social support for persons involved in atypical forms of employment. This model will affect a number of existing provisions of labor legislation and will allow over time, in case of technological unemployment, to expand the circle of unconditional basic income recipients to all people. Scientific novelty: it consists in the fact that the unconditional basic income is analyzed from the viewpoint of its compliance with the fundamental principles of labor, employment, and social security. Practical significance: it consists in revealing the significance of basic income for the implementation of social policy and in forming recommendations for modeling experiments to introduce the unconditional basic income in the Russian Federation.

Exploring the relationship between climate change events and migration decisions: Evidence from a choice experiment in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a low-lying deltaic nation with high vulnerability to climate-related hazards. Hatiya Island is located in Southern Bangladesh, and residents rely significantly on fishing and agriculture for their livelihoods. However, the island's primary production systems face a threat from intense and frequent sudden onset environmental hazards such as river erosion, cyclones, and flooding, as well as slow onset environmental hazards like saline intrusion, tidal inundation, and rising temperatures. Little is known about the effect sudden onset and slow onset hazards have on the migration patterns of Hatiya's residents. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between climatic events and the migration decisions of residents on Hatiya Island. To explore this link, we collected empirical data from 337 respondents on Hatiya Island using a choice experiment survey. The five attributes were used to construct migration scenarios, including climate events at Hatiya Island, the distance of migration, the migration type, the social network at the potential destination, and the difference in income between Hatiya Island and the potential destination. The findings from the mixed logit model indicated that climate events at Hatiya, migration distance, and income gap affected residents' migration decisions. Extreme slow onset change and extreme sudden onset change were less likely to induce migration compared to the moderate level of slow and sudden onset change. However, residents were more likely to migrate as the income difference between Hatiya and the prospective destination increased. Residents were willing to migrate at a 9.4 % increase in income for extreme sudden onset change, while residents required a 14.19 % increase in income to migrate in response to extreme slow onset change. As such, policies are needed to support migrants in receiving areas through improved social protection systems, to support migrant-sending households' transformative adaptation in origin areas, and to bolster community-driven adaptation initiatives in Hatiya. The findings from this study can contribute to the existing literature on the relationship between environmental hazards and mobility and inform policymakers on how to design policies that support vulnerable populations.

THE MAIN CHALLENGES OF THE SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEM IN POST-PANDEMIC GEORGIA

In the post-pandemic period in Georgia, despite the high rate of economic growth, poverty and social exclusion remain an acute challenge. The social protection mechanisms operating in the country, such as one-time cash assistance, targeted social assistance, and other support services, such as housing and shelter, services for disabled persons, etc., still cannot provide the desired living conditions for citizens. Establishing and further improving a sustainable, fair, and effective social protection system is one of the country's priorities. Ensuring the effectiveness of the targeted social assistance system is a significant task of both the central and municipal governments. The targeted social assistance program operating in Georgia, which assesses the socio-economic status of families according to the updated methodology, tries to realistically evaluate the needs of the socially vulnerable part of the population, children and families with children, and accordingly determine the main directions of social policy. It is also significant to promote the integration of individuals with disabilities, to improve the socio-economic status and living conditions of internally displaced individuals and eco-migrants, and others. The paper analyzes the primary mechanisms, achievements, and challenges of the social protection system in Georgia. Recommendations are presented in the direction of overcoming poverty and raising the population's standard of living.