A/HRC/17/34 legal and institutional framework regulating social protection should clearly define the role and responsibilities of all stakeholders and must guarantee the existence of accessible complaint mechanisms. 68. Social protection systems must also incorporate effective and meaningful participatory mechanisms that ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the programmes and compliance with the fundamental right to participate. 69. A rights-based approach also requires policymakers to ensure that all persons are protected in an equal and non-discriminatory manner. This principle implies a preference for social protection systems that are universal. While policies should prioritize the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in line with human rights standards, they must also form part of longer-term strategies to progressively ensure universal coverage. States must carefully screen policy choices to avoid the unfair exclusion of disadvantaged and disempowered groups and actively seek out ways to ensure that they are reached. In this regard, social protection programmes must be physically and culturally accessible to all. B. Promoting employment and supporting decent work 70. A key priority for many States in responding to the crises is the reduction of unemployment, which has increased dramatically over the past few years, especially among the poorest and most vulnerable groups. Employment creation is a vital means of providing income security, generating economic growth, restoring social cohesion, preventing social and political instability and enabling individuals to achieve a number of economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to work,41 which is essential for realizing other human rights and forms an inseparable and inherent part of human dignity.42 71. While the creation of jobs is an integral part of any economic recovery, it is vital that States direct their efforts at generating opportunities for sustainable, productive and decent work in which individuals can exercise and realize their human rights. Employment policies must respect the human rights framework. This has broad implications: from protecting workers’ rights to adopting policies to ensure equal access to employment by the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in society. 72. Human rights standards relating to working conditions require States to ensure just and favourable conditions of work, including safe and healthy working conditions, reasonably limited working hours and paid annual leave.43 The right to form and join trade union organizations and engage in collective bargaining must be ensured.44 Workers must have access to a social security system that provides for the broadest possible coverage (such as health care, sickness compensation, old age pensions and compensation for employment-related injuries).45 41 42 43 44 45 16 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, art. 6. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment No. 18, para. 1. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, art. 7. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, art. 8, and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, art. 2. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, art. 9; see also general comment No. 19, paras. 12-21.