A national social protection floor creates a solid foundation upon which effective mechanisms to reduce poverty and enhance human capital and productivity can be mobilised to promote inclusive, sustainable and resilient development. Upon this foundation, States have moved away from fragmented social protection schemes toward integrated systems that avoid overlap and address gaps in coverage. Moving beyond the social protection floor also requires the implementation of programmes that are more robust and sustainable and support intergenerational solidarity through domestic resource mobilisation.
Closing social protection gaps requires the consideration of the three dimensions of coverage: scope, extent and level. Scope of coverage is measured by the range and type of social protection programmes available to the population. In health care, for instance, this refers to what benefit packages are in place and whether they are accessible to all in need. At the national level, it is important that scope of coverage is supported by a legal framework which grants the equal right to health care benefits for all residents. Ensuring appropriate extent of coverage, or the percentage of the population and target groups covered under specific schemes, is important in building the social protection floor. For instance, universal health care schemes must reach the entire population and be designed to sensitively meet the requirements of migrants, persons with disabilities, persons living with HIV and AIDS, older persons and the unique needs of men and women. The level of coverage refers to the actual amount of benefits provided and the quality and adequacy of services and programmes available to claimants. In social health protection it may measure the amount of health care costs covered by existing financial protection mechanisms. For example, it is important that health care systems have the capacity to effectively cover the diverse health needs of a population and do so with qualified expertise.
Universal health care creates an integral part of a national social protection floor and can be complimented by additional schemes in order to move toward a staircase approach. In moving beyond the floor States may consider tailored programming, such as the provision of in-home care for older persons and persons with disabilities. Complimentary contributory schemes may also be made available to increase access to specialised services, such as dental care.
Further Reading:
International Labour Organization (2010). World Social Security Report 2010/11: Providing coverage in times of crisis and beyond. Geneva.