28 April 2015: Participants addressed implementing social protection in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at a high-level conference hosted by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Belgian Federal Public Service – Social Security, and the Belgian Federal Public Service – Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. Discussion focused on the ‘why’, ‘how’ and challenges to addressing social protection.

Social protection is misperceived “as a rich-country phenomenon,” said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, noting that countries with successful social protection began developing these policies before they were considered rich. Ryder recommended addressing communications related to social protection, and including social protection policies as part of ongoing development processes.

The recognition of social protection is a human right, stressed Isabel Ortiz, ILO Director of Social Protection. She described the human development impacts of social protection, such as reducing hunger and inequality, building political stability and increasing productivity.

UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark recommended: viewing social protection as “fundamental to the process of continuing development,” rather than as a side goal; bringing people into the formal economy; overcoming fragmentation in social protection service provision; and learning from countries’ social protection experiences.

Participants also discussed: moving from rhetoric to implementation on human rights; addressing affordability concerns related to universal social protection; implementing social protection and the post-2015 development agenda within the context of European austerity; and translating the SDGs into strategies.

The conference took place in Brussels, Belgium, on 27 April 2015. [UNRIC Press Release] [ILO Webpage for Conference]