Summary

The right to social security is a central piece of the human rights architecture. Where it is implemented, it enables the realization of many other human rights, guaranteeing human dignity when people are faced with risks which affect them along their life course. The right to social security also lies at the core of a social contract within societies and has contributed to achieving sustainable economic and social development and social justice. Its realization requires all members of society to be adequately protected on a basis of social solidarity and collective financing in the event of major social contingencies throughout their life cycle. By ensuring access to health care and income security, it prevents, or at least alleviates poverty and reduces vulnerability, social exclusion and inequality, while supporting economic development and prosperity.

This Fact Sheet, co-published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) provides user-friendly guidance on the normative and human rights framework on social protection, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the general comments of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and ILO conventions and recommendations. It highlights challenges and opportunities to realizing the right to social security, strategies to dismantling structural inequalities, and processes and policy options involved in financing social protection. In so doing, the Fact Sheet provides useful guidance for States, United Nations Country Teams and other parties to develop and implement measures to shift from temporary and ad hoc emergency measures to comprehensive and inclusive social security/social protection systems. It also equips civil society organizations with a useful advocacy tool to this end.

The Fact Sheet aims to: 

• Unpack the content and key elements of the right to social security
• Clarify the obligations of States and other actors and provide examples of policy options for their implementation
• Provide guidance for social security systems, in line with the norms and principles set out in international human rights instruments and international social security standards, to achieve universal social protections
• Address the challenges confronting social security/social protection systems.