E/C.12/2015/1
United Nations
Economic and Social Council
Distr.: General
15 April 2015
Original: English
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Social protection floors: an essential element of the right to
social security and of the sustainable development goals
Statement by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights*
Background
1.
The protection of economic, social and cultural rights has been gaining importance
at the national and international levels, partly in response to the many economic and social
changes taking place in various regions of the world. In many developed countries, the
concern that such rights do not enjoy protection has arisen from the impact of the recent
economic recession. Many developing countries have, however, experienced relatively high
growth rates, which has given them access to the resources needed to initiate and
progressively implement social protection programmes. Against this backdrop, the
establishment of nationally defined social protection floors1 as a basic set of essential social
guarantees, in cash and in kind, is considered pivotal in promoting basic income security
and access to health care, and in facilitating the enjoyment of several economic and social
rights by the most marginalized groups of the population (see A/HRC/28/35, para. 2).
2.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, in some of its concluding
observations on reports on the realization of the right to social security by States parties to
the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, has recommended the
establishment of a social protection floors that guarantees legal entitlements to individuals
as an initial element to be progressively developed into a universal and comprehensive
social security system in full compliance with the requirements of article 9 of the Covenant.
In a letter dated May 2012, the Chairperson of the Committee called the attention of States
parties to the Covenant to the fact that any proposed policy change or adjustment made to
deal with the negative impact of the austerity measures on the enjoyment of Covenant
rights must identify the minimum core content of rights or a social protection floor, as
*
1
The present statement, which was adopted by the Committee at its fifty-fourth session, held from 23
February to 6 March 2015, was prepared pursuant to the Committee’s practice on the adoption of
statements (see Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2011, Supplement No. 2
(E/2011/22), chap. II, sect. K).
International Labour Organization (ILO) recommendation concerning National Floors of Social
Protection, Recommendation No. 202 (2012).
GE.15-07775 (E)