TRANSFORMATIVE SOCIAL TRANSFORMATIVE SOCIAL PROTECTION and RIGHTS PROTECTION and RIGHTS

FOR CHILDENFOR CHILDEN

Rachel Sabates–Wheeler IDS SussexIDS Sussex

Critique of Mainstream Critique of Mainstream ApproachApproach

• rooted in a “safety nets” approach – it focuses on economic shocks rather than social vulnerability.

• reflects a limited conceptualisation of vulnerability;

• concerns itself mainly with public (state, donor or NGO) and market–based social protection strategies;

• In practice, SRM encourages only a limited role for government in social protection provision;

• analysis and policies do not recognise power and rights

A new definition of social A new definition of social protectionprotection

Social protection describes all initiatives, both public and private, that:

1)provide income or consumption transfers to the poor;

2)protect the vulnerable against livelihood risks; and

3) enhance the social status and rights of the excluded and marginalised.

Multiple functions of social Multiple functions of social protectionprotection

•Protection ~ social assistance (food aid); social services (orphanages)

•Prevention ~ social insurance (pensions, unemployment benefits)

•Promotion ~ livelihood enhancing transfers (microfinance)

•Transformation ~ social empowerment (anti-stigma campaigns)

Protective

Social assistance and coping strategies

Preventive

Insurance and diversification mechanisms

Promotive

Economic opportunities

Transformative

Transformative action

Springboards

Safety nets

A Conceptual Framework for Social Protection

Overlapping functions of social Overlapping functions of social protection interventionsprotection interventions

• School feedingSchool feeding is …

protective (transfers food to hungry children), and

promotive (encourages investment in education);

Transformative (targeted to poor and vulnerable)

• Anti-discrimination campaignsAnti-discrimination campaigns are both …

transformative (addresses social risk, social exclusion, discrimination and violation of rights), and

promotive (has economic/growth spin-offs)

Who needs Who needs social social protection?protection?

•Economically at risk(coffee farmers, IDPs)

•Chronically poor(PWD, PLWA, elderly)

•Socially vulnerable(PWD, PLWA, street kids, minority tribes & castes).

What protection What protection do they need?do they need?

•Social assistance(food aid, social pension)

•Social insurance(unemployment benefit)

•Social services(orphanages)

•Transformative action(regulation, sensitisation)

Social protection instruments Social protection instruments for social transformationfor social transformation

• Legislation on economic, social and cultural rights;

• Anti–corruption measures;

• Sensitisation / anti–discrimination campaigns(“HIV/AIDS Anti–stigma campaign” in Uganda);

• Minimum wage legislation;

• Workers’ rights (e.g. maternity leave);

• Psycho–social counselling (for trauma);

• Conflict resolution.

Conclusion: Why do we need Conclusion: Why do we need “transformative social “transformative social

protection”?protection”?• Transformative social protection is affordable:

not just “cash transfers to vulnerable groups” (22 million Ugandans, 150,000 tax-payers);

• Transformative social protection is sustainable: addresses underlying causes, not just triggers;

• Transformative social protection tackles social exclusion as well as economic vulnerability;

• Safety nets can create dependency: but social protection promotes empowerment and rights.

Transformative Social Protection

IDS Working Paper 232

www.ids.ac.uk/ids/bookshop/wp/wp232