Consultation process leading towards the Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012
At its 100th Session, the International Labour Conference (ILC) in 2011 adopted a Resolution and Conclusions on social protection (social security) which reconfirm the role of social security as a human right and a social and economic necessity for all countries, independently of their level of development. This Resolution expresses the commitment of governments, employers and workers in 185 Member States of the ILO to step up their efforts to build social protection floors as part of their national strategies to develop comprehensive social security systems. The Resolution reflects the outcome of the Recurrent Discussion on the ILO's strategic objectives in the context of the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization (2008). The Conference also noted the need for a new Recommendation complementing existing ILO international social security standards.
Accordingly, and following a broad consultation process, the International Labour Conference, at its 101st session in 2012, adopted a Recommendation on national floors of social protection (Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202)). The Recommendation was adopted on 14 June 2012 with 453 votes in favour and one abstention. Reflecting the ILO's two-dimensional strategy for the extension of social security adopted in 2011, the Recommendation provides guidance to Member States to establish and maintain social protection floors as a fundamental element of their national social security systems, and to implement these floors within strategies for the extension of social security that progressively ensure higher levels of social security to as many people as possible, guided by ILO social security standards. Social protection floors are nationally-defined sets of basic social security guarantees which secure protection aimed at preventing or alleviating poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion, in particular with regard to access to essential health care and basic income security throughout the life course.
This section presents all the relevant documents relating to the 100th and the 101st Sessions of the ILC in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
100th Session of the ILC, June 2011
ILC Recurrent Discussion on social protection (social security)
- Report VI. Social security for social justice and a fair globalization
- Social security and the rule of law
- Resolution and conclusions concerning the recurrent discussion on social protection
- Decision on standard-setting item (single discussion at ILC 2012
August 2011
Law and practice report (Report IV(1) - White report)
- Summary of law and practice in member States
- Questionnaire on possible Recommendation on social protection floors
March 2012
Final report (Report IV(2A and 2B)
- Summary of Member's responses to the questionnaire and office commentary (Report IV(2A))
- Office draft of proposed Recommendation (Report IV(2B))
101st Session of the ILC, June 2012
ILC standard-setting item (single discussion)
- Summary of Member's responses to the questionnaire and office commentary (Report IV(2A))
- Office draft of proposed Recommendation (Report IV(2B))
- Office Presentation
- Comments received from other UN agencies
- Discussion of amendments
- Report of the Committee on the Social Protection Floor
- Adoption of Social Protection Floors Recommendation