WUNRN
3 October 2013
Following a two days conference organised by the Church of Sweden in partnership with other organisations1 entitled ‘100 Years of Social Pensions in Sweden: Global poverty challenges and experiences of social protection’, Civil Society Organisations from both the global South and North met in Uppsala, Sweden on 3 October 2013, and state the following:
1. The right to social security/social protection2 is a universal human right, as recognized in international, regional and national conventions, treaties and laws.
2. Social security/social protection should be universal, but not uniform, and must take into consideration the specific and multiple vulnerabilities and rights of politically, socially, economically and culturally excluded groups.
3. National development can only be achieved if people’s basic rights are met. Lessons must be learned from the achievements in Nordic countries which, through comprehensive social welfare states, eradicated deep and structural poverty and underdevelopment. Poverty reduction through social protection did not come after economic growth but was an integral part of it.
4. There are also crucial and more
recent lessons to be learnt from countries in Latin America, Africa and
5. Universal and comprehensive social
security/social protection should address structural inequalities and be transformative
and empowering. Universality promotes solidarity and social cohesion whereas
means-testing is difficult, often costly and risk excluding and divides
people.
.....................................................................................................................................
1 Including the LO-TCO Secretariat of
International Trade Union Development Co-operation, the Nordic Africa
Institute, HelpAge International, PRO Global/Pensioners without borders,
theSwedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI) at the
2Social Security is understood by us
as an outcome, that social protection is a means for. The right to social
security is ensured through contributory as well as non-contributory schemes
and programs.
.................................................................................................................................
6. States have the obligation to fulfill the right to social security/social protection and therefore should ensure the inclusion of diverse people in the conceptualization, design, implementation and monitoring of social security mechanisms to ensure that the specific needs of all these groups are respected and met.
7. The right to universal social security/social protection should be part of development and economic policies and transformative social agendas including international co-operation, of all countries and must specifically be included in the post-2015 sustainable development agenda.
8. States should ensure the right to social security/social protection as a legal, enforceable entitlement to all and should provide adequate budgetary allocations.
9. States should realize that the right to social security/social protection is essential for the realization of all other rights and for a life with dignity.
10. It is crucial for civil society
to build inclusive and strategic alliances at all levels—national, regional and
international, to achieve these rights.
By November 11th the Statement has been institutionally endorsed by the following organisations, a few of which were only present at Conference on October 1-2.
Afya
The Africa Platform for Social
Protection ,
Bread for the World,
Capuchin Friars Minor Social Service
Citizens Coalition for Economic
Community Development
Fellowship of Christian Councils and
Churches in
Global Seniors,
HelpAge International,
Jeevandhara Social Service Trust
Kwa Wazee
LO-TCO Secretariat
of International Trade Union Development Co-operation,
National Council of Churches in
India, the Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation, Christopher Rajkumar,
Executive Secretary,
Network for Transformative Social
Protection in Asia, the
PRO Global /Pensioners without
borders,
PWESCR (The Programme on Women's
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights),
RDRS
SPII (Studies in Poverty and
Inequality Institute),
In addition, the statement is also
endorsed by two individual social protection advocates who participated in the
NGO meeting on October 3, Alex Wiafe,