Introduction: The paper analyses – basing itself on reports and other documents created by different parts of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) – the process which led to the adoption of Social Protection Floor Recommendation No. 202 and the shift in focus of social policy advice towards basic protection and to the Global South countries. We look at the actions of different actors which shape the standard setting and policy stand of the organisation.Objective: To provide a comprehensive analysis of the historical trajectory of ILO social security standards, examining the evolution of principles, conventions, and the global dynamics that have shaped the organization's approach to social protection over time.Materials and methods: The methods include examining ILO documents, relevant subject literature, and the author's participant observations from over twenty-years of service in the ILO's Social Security Department, aiming to provide insights into the decision-making processes within the organization.Conclusion: We conclude that change was brought by: 1) shift in the membership of the ILO and of its decision-making bodies towards the increased presence and powers of representatives from countries of the Global South, 2) the shift in the global development community policy priorities towards poverty reduction, 3) emergence of experimental social assistance schemes in Global South countries, with designs often ignoring principles embedded in the ILO standards.The Social Protection Floor Recommendation complements previous standards in response to the challenges of widespread poverty and informality and spreading atypical forms of employment. It provides two directions of policy responses: 1) formalizing informal employment relationships and 2) expanding universal or targeted rights-based social assistance schemes.Assistance provided by ILO to member states focuses now more on building the non-contributory schemes and on identifying the fiscal space necessary to close the coverage gaps. Nowadays, the ILO must collaborate more than before with other development partners and the main challenge is to build among them awareness and acceptance of the principles of the ILO social security standards.

Introduction: As historically verified, countries with comprehensive, well designed social protection systems in place are better prepared to cope with large scale catastrophes of all kinds, always in such situation there is still a need for government interventions other than social protection and larger scale discretionary social protection or related interventions.Objective: The article presents the actions of countries to minimize the negative social effects of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The text is an attempt to answer how social security systems should be adapted to aforementioned crisis?Materials and methods: The text uses research methods such as: literature criticism and statistical analysis of data and revision of implemented state intervention policies based on reports of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Labour Organizaton, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions and International Monetary Fund.Results: 1) For social security institutions of key importance to ensure continuity of operations of all services of contributory social insurance as well of social assistance - was to ensure continuous payment of all benefits due and quick response to the new entitlement emerging. It is also necessary to ensure that all citizens are fully insured, regardless of the form of contract under which they perform work.2) In many countries, special emergency measures that extended coverage and increased benefits were taken by governments without clearly identifying the sources of funding and very often burdening social security funds with non-statutory expenses and affecting their long-term financial sustainability.3) In the longer run, there is a need to ensure universal health care coverage of the adequate quality, there is a need to develop policies which will secure at least minimum income security to all independently of their labour market status, forms of employment, sex, ethnicity or nationality.

Complexity of social protection systems, societal importance of their objectives and significance of fiscal resources involved calls for careful coordinated planning and budgeting. Social budgeting involves: (1) a methodologically consistent compilation of the revenues and expenditures of a country's social protection system, combined with (2) projections of income and expenditure under alternative economic, demographic and policy scenarios. It is a tool for monitoring past, current and future social protection finances and coordinated planning. Social budgeting helps to ensure the necessary fiscal space for social protection, and fiscal sustainability. However, the review of experiences of different countries shows that there still exist many obstacles to the successful implementation of social budgeting, in particular in lower income countries of the Global South. One of the main obstacles is the lack of information and statistical data necessary to allow building comprehensive national social protection statistical accounts as well as projecting them into the future. To overcome this obstacle intensive international cooperative effort is needed which would develop standardised approach to generation, compilation and publication of social protection statistics and at the same time will help to build capacity in all the countries to implement such statistical standards.

Social protection measures require sustainable financing – creating and maintaining adequate fiscal space at the national level. Good governance of social protection at all stages – planning policies, policy reforms, and implementation – requires continuous monitoring of its performance and finances, including long-term projections and simulations of cost and benefits of different social protection programs and overall social protection systems. These projections and simulations should take into account demographic trends, including demographic ageing. However, one has also to include – and it is much more challenging methodologically – economic impacts of social protection in the longer term on human capital, productivity, and growth. There is need go beyond pure static accounting when assessing financial sustainability of public expenditure; the chapter discusses various challenges associated with incorporating projection results into inter-temporal government accounts.

International Social Security ReviewVolume 69, Issue 1 p. 115-118 Book Review Katja Hujo; UNRISD (ed.). Reforming pensions in developing and transition countries. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. ISBN 978-1-137-39610-5. Krzysztof Hagemejer, Corresponding Author Krzysztof Hagemejer Hochschule Rhein-Bonn-Sigg, GermanySearch for more papers by this author Krzysztof Hagemejer, Corresponding Author Krzysztof Hagemejer Hochschule Rhein-Bonn-Sigg, GermanySearch for more papers by this author First published: 27 May 2016 https://doi.org/10.1111/issr.12098Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume69, Issue1January/March 2016Pages 115-118 RelatedInformation

In recent decades many countries have “reformed” their contributory pension schemes, generally strengthening the links between benefit entitlements and the contributions paid over members’ working lifetimes, but primarily seeking to (re)balance them financially, in the face of strains arising from unfavourable labour market or demographic conditions. The result has been reduced benefit entitlements and levels of coverage, however assessed. The impact has been felt, particularly, by those with shorter, broken careers (due for example to longer spells of unemployment, precarious employment, or family care responsibilities) and with low levels of lifetime earnings. Countries have introduced “automatic” mechanisms which reduce benefits, but without countervailing mechanisms to prevent them from falling below poverty levels. Questions arise, therefore, as to how the adequacy of coverage and benefit levels may be secured, how the non-contributory elements of pension systems should be strengthened, and how much room is left to policy discretion when automatic balancing results in socially undesired outcomes. The issues are illustrated for the countries of the European Union, where extensive statistical data are available, but are important globally. Clearly, actuaries must play a key role in providing the relevant quantitative assessments, and some questions are raised as to the nature of their responsibilities.

Resumen En junio de 2011 la C onferencia I nternacional del T rabajo ( CIT ) adoptó una resolución y conclusiones relativas a la nueva estrategia de seguridad social de la O rganización, que busca respaldar a sus M iembros en la construcción y el mantenimiento de sistemas de seguridad social integrales sobre la base de un enfoque de dos dimensiones: a) la dimensión horizontal que establece, prioritariamente, garantías básicas de seguridad social definidas a escala nacional para ofrecer un piso de protección a todas las personas que lo necesitan lo antes posible, y b) la dimensión vertical que extiende el alcance y el nivel de cobertura de la seguridad social siguiendo las líneas de orientación del C onvenio sobre la seguridad social (norma mínima), 1952 (núm. 102), y otras normas de seguridad social para la cobertura del mayor número de personas posible en el plazo más breve posible. En junio de 2012 la CIT concluyó esta estrategia con una nueva norma de trabajo internacional, la Recomendación sobre los pisos de protección social, 2012 (núm. 202). Esta recomendación se considera un avance en materia de política social mundial. El establecimiento de pisos nacionales de protección social podría colmar las brechas presentes en la cobertura de seguridad social y ayudar a los países a luchar con eficacia contra la pobreza y la vulnerabilidad. Este número doble especial ofrece un análisis del proceso que culminó con la adopción de dicha recomendación y aborda las cuestiones prácticas fiscales, legales, políticas e institucionales que deben resolverse para implementar con éxito los objetivos de dicha recomendación.

In June 2011 the International Labour Conference (ILC) adopted a Resolution and Conclusions setting out the Organization's new social security strategy, which aims at supporting Members in building and maintaining comprehensive social security systems on the basis of a two-dimensional approach: (1) (“horizontal” dimension) establishing – as a priority – nationally-defined sets of basic social security guarantees to provide a floor of protection to all in need as soon as possible; (2) (“vertical” dimension) extending the scope and levels of social security coverage as guided by Convention No. 102 (1952) and other existing social security standards to as many people as possible and as soon as possible. In June 2012, the ILC completed this strategy with a new international labour standard: Recommendation concerning national floors of social protection, 2012 (No. 202). The Recommendation is deemed a breakthrough in global social policy, whereby the establishing of national social protection floors may close prevailing gaps in social security coverage and help countries to effectively address poverty and vulnerability. This special double issue offers analysis of the process that culminated in the Recommendation's adoption and addresses practical fiscal, legal, political and institutional challenges that must be addressed if the Recommendation's goals are to be successfully implemented.

En juin 2011, la Conférence internationale du Travail (CIT) a adopté une résolution et des conclusions définissant la nouvelle stratégie de l'Organisation internationale du Travail en matière de sécurité sociale, qui vise à aider les Etats Membres à édifier et pérenniser des systèmes complets de sécurité sociale à partir d'une approche bidimensionnelle: 1) (dimension «horizontale») fixer comme objectif prioritaire la création d'un ensemble de garanties élémentaires de sécurité sociale définies au plan national afin de constituer un socle de protection pour toutes les personnes dans le besoin le plus rapidement possible; et 2) (dimension «verticale») élargir l'étendue et les niveaux de la couverture de sécurité sociale au plus grand nombre de personnes possible et le plus rapidement possible, tel que le préconisent la convention n o  102 (1952) et d'autres normes de sécurité sociale. En juin 2012, la CIT a complété cette stratégie avec l'adoption d'une nouvelle norme internationale du travail, la recommandation (n o  202) sur les socles de protection sociale, 2012. Cette recommandation est considérée comme une avancée majeure dans le domaine de la politique sociale mondiale, dans la mesure où l'instauration de socles nationaux de protection sociale peut combler les déficits de couverture de sécurité sociale existant actuellement et aider les pays à remédier à la pauvreté et à la vulnérabilité. Ce double numéro spécial de la Revue propose une analyse du processus qui a conduit à l'adoption de la recommandation et examine les questions budgétaires, juridiques, politiques et institutionnelles qui devront être réglées pour que les objectifs de la recommandation puissent être remplis.

Im Juni 2011 verabschiedete die Internationale Arbeitskonferenz (IAK) eine Resolution sowie Schlussfolgerungen, um die neue Strategie der Organisation zur sozialen Sicherheit auf den Weg zu bringen. Es geht darum, die Mitglieder beim Aufbau und der Erhaltung umfassender Systeme der sozialen Sicherheit auf der Basis eines zweidimensionalen Ansatzes zu unterstützen: (1) („horizontale“ Dimension) Schnellstmögliche Einführung – und diesem Punkt wird Priorität zugewiesen – eines national definierten Pakets von Garantien der sozialen Sicherheit, die eine Grundsicherung für alle bereitstellen, welche einen solchen Schutz benötigen; (2) („vertikale“ Dimension) möglichst rasche Ausweitung der Reichweite und des Niveaus der Systeme der sozialen Sicherheit gemä ß der Konvention Nr. 102 (1952) und anderer bestehender Normen für soziale Sicherheit auf so viele Menschen wie möglich. Im Juni 2012 ergänzte die IAK diese Strategie durch eine neue internationale Arbeitsnorm, die Empfehlung Nr. 202 betreffend den staatlichen sozialen Basisschutz. Die Empfehlung gilt als Durchbruch in der globalen Sozialpolitik. Die Einführung eines staatlichen sozialen Basisschutzes könnte bestehende Deckungslücken schließen und den Ländern helfen, effektiv gegen Armut und soziale Gefährdung vorzugehen. Diese Sonder-Doppelausgabe analysiert den Prozess, der in der Verabschiedung der Empfehlung seinen Höhepunkt erreichte, und befasst sich mit praktischen haushaltspolitischen, rechtlichen, politischen und institutionellen Herausforderungen, die angegangen werden müssen, damit die Ziele der Empfehlung erfolgreich umgesetzt werden können.

One Pager No. 216 ? How to Provide Basic Income Security to all Elderly People? By Krzysztof Hagemejer and Valerie Schmitt, International Labour Organization The Social Protection Floors Recommendation adopted in 2012 urges all countries to establish as quickly as possible and maintain floors of social protection through guarantees that all people in need have access to at least essential health care and to basic income security throughout their life. In particular, such guarantees should include basic income security in old age. (?) http://www.ipc-undp.org/pub/IPCOnePager216.pdf

Decent work is a key tool to overcome insecurities caused by a lack of choice and access to opportunities which lead to disempowerment. Decent work includes rights, social protection, employment and the promotion of social dialogue, applied in an integrated manner. The legal aspect of decent work lies at the heart of the empowerment process, helping to break the cycle of inequality by providing a legal basis for empowerment. Donors can be pro-active in the development and respect of international laws and norms. They can support implementation of national laws through are public awareness, technical upgrading and expansion of labour inspection, promotion of social dialogue and linking technical co-operation projects with the respect of labour rights. Encouraging co-operation within and between different groups is key in preventing inequalities of power.