Everyone has a Right to a Social Minimum Package yet 80% of the Global Population Lives in Social Insecurity
The importance of social protection as an integral part of social policy has long been recognised, so much so that the right to social security is inscribed in both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) articles 22-26, and the International Covenant on Economic and Social Rights (1966). This reflects recognition of the need for institutionalised support mechanisms for poor and vulnerable people, and of the inadequacy of other policy approaches in fully achieving this. Yet some 80% of the world’s population still does not have access to a “minimum level of social security” (ILO, 2009)
All members of the coalition are rights-based organisations, and many are children’s organisations, basing all their work on the UNCRC. The Grow Up Free From Poverty coalition believes that governments across the world can support the global rights to social protection. The coalition also believes that by supporting the poorest people to demand their rights through democratic processes, ways can and must be found to realise these basic rights in our time for citizens in all countries
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Article 22
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for this dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 25
1. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
2. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Article 26
1. States Parties shall recognize for every child the right to benefit from social security, including social insurance, and shall take the necessary measures to achieve the full realization of this right in accordance with their national law.
Article 27
1. States Parties recognize the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development.
2. The parent(s) or others responsible for the child have the primary responsibility to secure, within their abilities and financial capacities, the conditions of living necessary for the child's development.
