Social Protection

Building social protection floors
and comprehensive social security systems

Background

Context and justification

 

Guaranteeing a social protection floor for all

The social protection floor is the basic level of social protection that should be guaranteed to all residents in all countries world wide. The social protection floor is achieved when:

  • All residents have access to a nationally/provincially defined set of affordable essential health care services;
  • All children enjoy income security through transfers in kind or in cash ensuring access to nutrition, education and care;
  • All those in active age groups who cannot (or should not, in case of pregnancy) earn a sufficient income enjoy a minimum income security through social transfers in cash or in kind or employment guaranteed schemes; and
  • All residents in old age and with disabilities have income security at least at the level of the nationally defined poverty line through pensions for old age and disability or transfers in kind.

Although most Asian countries have already fairly developed social protection mechanisms in place, and are not starting from scratch, there is evidence that in many cases the basic entitlement to the social protection floor is not yet met. This situation is shared in most developing and middle-income countries in the world.

 

Social protection strategy in Indonesia

Indonesia strives towards the extension of social protection coverage to its whole population by working both on the provision of social services and infrastructures, and the development of social security programmes.

The Indonesian social security strategy (as described in Law No. 40/2004) follows a stair-case approach with non contributory schemes for the poorest, contributory schemes (with flat rate contributions) for self employed and statutory social security schemes for formal sector workers. The Tripartite Indonesian Jobs Pact which was recently signed between the Goverment, Workers and Employers' representatives, prioritizes job creation and social protection in response to the crisis and in supporting the socio-economic development.

 

ILO's social protection related activities in 2011-2012 are focusing on:

  • Support to the implementation of Law No. 40/2004 : capacity building, research, technical inputs to the debate on SS service provider, etc.
  • Providing recommendations for the further development of social protection and social security in general:
    • An Assessment Based National Dialogue (ABDN) exercise
    • A comparative analysis of social security law and practice with Convention 102
  • The provision of income security for working age population:
    • Research and consultations on Employment Injury Insurance (EII)
    • Research and consultations on HIV-Sensitive social protection
    • Feasibility study on unemployment insurance
    • Design and establishment of the Single Window Service

 

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