Summary (English)

In the Ministerial Declaration produced during the High Level Segment of the substantive session of the Economic and Social Council (2-9 July 2012), the Ministers and Heads of Delegations stress the need to provide social protection to all members of society, urging Governments to develop systems of social protection and to extend or broaden their effectiveness and coverage. They also urge Governments to focus on the needs of those living in, or vulnerable to, poverty and give particular consideration to universal access to basic social security systems, recognizing that social protection floors can provide a systemic base to address poverty and vulnerability.