New Directions for Social Policy towards socially sustainable development Key Messages By the Helsinki Global Social Policy Forum

Transcription

1 New Directions for Social Policy towards socially sustainable development Key Messages By the Helsinki Global Social Policy Forum Comprehensive, socially oriented public policies are necessary for the securing the realization of human rights for all, and promoting universal social values in the current context of rapid social, economic and environmental transformations. Appropriate Social Policy principles and instruments need to be integrated systematically in the forthcoming new development agenda as a central instrument for achieving ethically, socially, ecologically and economically sustainable development. An international Global Social Policy Forum (GSP-Forum) on global challenges and new directions for social policy was organized in Helsinki 4-5 th November The GSP-Forum discussed the impacts of global transformations on the need and options for social policies. 1 This paper derives key messages from the presentations and discussions. The purpose is to point out issues that need further attention and analysis in the development dialogue. Summary of Key Messages by the Helsinki Global Social Policy Forum 1. Prevent and reduce unfair inequalities to secure social sustainability of development; 2. Design and implement systemic responses to systemic challenges and avoid narrowing and fragmenting the concept of social development into group- specific programmes only; 3. Put people of all ages and abilities at the center of sustainable development and place good governance and an enabling environment at the core of its social dimension; 4. Strike a better balance between social, environmental and economic goals and indicators for development; 5. Strive at the vision of An inclusive society for All but complement it with targeted, empowering support to easily disempowered groups, such as children, women, older people, and people with disabilities in all policies; 6. Support the Global Social Protection Floor initiative as a global tool for facilitating the context-specific extension of basic social security and access to essential services for all; 7. Empower women across the life course as agents of change for reaching socially, environmentally and economically sustainable development; 8. Adapt social policies to new development contexts without compromising the universality of fundamental social rights of all; 9. Build on multi-stakeholder partnerships towards a new functional orientation and functioning division of labor in social policies. The event was hosted by the Ministry for Social Affairs and Health, Finland (MSAH), Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MSAH), the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the UN Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) and the International Council for Social Welfare (ICSW) represented in Finland by Finnish Society for Social and Health (SOSTE). The presentations are available on the website This summary of Key Messages was prepared by Development Manager Ronald Wiman (THL). 1 See the End Note 1 on the concept of social policy in the end of the paper and the End Note 2 abouot the GSP-Forum Key Messages by the Helsinki Global Social Policy Forum ( ) Page 1

2 The challenging new global context A number of rapid systemic transitions are under way globally and locally. Transitions refer to fundamental qualitative changes in the systems. Such current transitions that tend to have a global reach and give rise to major social impacts include e.g. the following: Demographic transitions including rapid ageing, urbanization and migration Climate change has fundamental consequences for changing living conditions Political instabilities and fragile states have become a growing development challenge Technological transitions, such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) advances, ICT gaps, green technology etc. Economic transitions e.g. jobless growth, growing inequality, poverty in growing economies etc. create new uncertainties Social transitions, such as increasing diversity in ways of life, family structures, multi-dimensional inequalities and exclusion challenge social cohesion The current epidemiological transition has led to the increasing preponderance of non-communicable diseases over communicable (infectious) diseases in all regions of the world There is also great regional and country-specific diversity in the speed of these developments. This creates strong context- specificity in ways and means on how to manage such transitions in people-centered manner. A wave of new types of social policies in emerging countries diversifies our understanding about socially cohesive societies and may challenge our traditional thinking about social policy. Key Messages derived from presentations and discussions 1. Prevent and reduce unfair inequalities to secure social sustainability of development Widening inequalities within and between countries are threatening long- term social and economic development. Global inequalities also reduce the chances for sustainable joint management of global environmental challenges. The degree of both equality of opportunities and fairness of outcomes within and between generations are political choices. Fairness can be achieved through democratic processes involving equally and meaningfully all relevant stakeholders. Sustainable development is an agenda for equity within and between generations. It calls for the simultaneous, balanced consideration of the ethical, the social, the environmental and the economic sustainability in all policies, plans and decisions in the long run. Comprehensive social policies promote human rights and equality of all people across their life course through implementing socially fair, ecologically sustainable and economically responsible policies in all sectors. An important test of policies and decisions from sustainable development perspective is, first what are their impacts on the living conditions and life course opportunities of future generations, that is first: today s children. Key Messages by the Helsinki Global Social Policy Forum ( ) Page 2

3 2. Design and implement systemic responses to systemic human development challenges One of the key messages in the analyses by the participants of this Forum was that the multidimensional and holistic nature of social, environmental and economic challenges requires system-level responses rather than being addressed through projects focusing on single problems often in isolation from their wider context. The latter approach characterized the MDG- framework. Responding to demographic challenges requires action on socio-economic inequalities, on multi-dimensional poverty and social exclusion, on insecurity, disempowerment, disintegration and lack of societal cohesion. A universal social policy perspective in all sector policies is required rather than relying on last resort safety nets targeted solely to the poorest. For instance, by 2050 older people (defined as aged 60 or over) will make up more than one-fifth of the global population with the fastest growth in the developing world. The solution is not social welfare and charity for older people. Societies as a whole must be accommodate to take into account the rights, needs and potential of the increasing number of older people. Similarly, from the health perspective it is necessary to understand that the social determinants of health and the challenge of Non-Communicable Diseases (NDCs) call for multi-sectoral, integrated responses, a wholeof-government approach, or Health in All Policies ( HIAP). The on-going challenge of climate change, mitigation measures and adaptation to its consequences, all have social policy implications in terms of human security, risk reduction, mitigation and support to constructive coping options. The social responses to climate change should be integrated in a holistic system of responses rather than creating new parallel systems to respond to human insecurities related to climate change only. 3. Put people at the center of sustainable development and place an enabling environment and good governance at the core of its social dimension The MDGs are still unfinished business. Progress on the averages can hide the reality that many groups are systematically left behind. Inequalities can increase social unrest which can lead to tensions and even to armed conflict. Gross inequalities are also economically dysfunctional. Insecurity and vulnerability to normal life cycle risks can be obstacles to meaningful participation. Illness, bad harvest or job loss are common tipping points that push whole families into extreme poverty in situations where no social protection is available. This is the reality for over five billion people. Ensuring access to decent work, basic social security and essential services for all is the central instrument for achieving human development goals and human dignity for all. 4. Strike a better balance between social, environmental and economic goals, indicators for development. Neoliberal economic policies that have put liberalization, privatization and short-term economic growth first have been socially and environmentally costly. They have also contributed to extreme financial volatility and created devastating global economic crises. The social has been treated as residual to economic growth in many national and global agendas, including in the sustainable development agendas of 1992 and The thwarting and isolation of the social dimension of development under the goal of poverty reduction has seriously narrowed development agendas and their implementation. Sustainable development remains merely a visionary concept unless accompanied by a global and local systemic transformations that strive for serving fairly current and future generations within the limits of nature. This in turn requires adequate political, institutional and regulatory arrangements to ensure the realization of human rights for all, social equity, non-discrimination, protection and equal participation. Key Messages by the Helsinki Global Social Policy Forum ( ) Page 3

4 Indicators of development need revision. Desirable results are more likely to be included in budgets when they are measurable. Thus new practices for measuring multidimensional progress are needed. Conceptual disarray is a serious obstacle for consensus on the relevant dimensions. Four basic concepts of social sustainability can help cater for most characteristics of social sustainability: Security, Empowerment, Inclusion, and Cohesion. Theoretically well- founded systematic conceptualizations are available and should be further concretized though dialogues between policy makers and academia. 5. Strive at the vision of An inclusive society for All but complement it with targeted empowering programmes Policies reflect values. Several decades ago the vision of a society that provides all people equal right to participate in, to contribute to, and to benefit from development was condensed into the phrase A Society for All Ages by people with disabilities and later also by older people. Since then the for all vision has been adopted to refer to an inclusive approach in many other arenas and sectors. Avoid the narrowing and fragmentation of social development into group-specific silos/programmes that create conceptual and institutional obstacles to comprehensive social development agendas both globally and nationally There are numerous criteria for classifying people for various purposes. Singling out one group at a time is not helpful if the intention is to bring the social dimension into an overall multidimensional dialogue on sustainable development. Therefore it is vital to specify a more general entry points that would advance the rights, equality, participation and inclusion of the diversity of population groups. 6.Support the Global Social Protection Floor initiative as a global tool for facilitating the context-specific extension of basic social security and access to essential services for all Ensuring access to decent work, to basic social security and to essential services for all are key instruments for achieving the human development goals and human dignity for all. At the same time, such equal and empowering access to better human security will support more sustainable development socially, environmentally and economically. Social protection is both a goal and an instrument. It is a profitable investment in people and in society s future. In 2012 the International labor Conference unanimously endorsed this idea of Social Protection Floors. Thus it is timely to include this dimension in the framework of the forthcoming Post Development Agenda. Design context-specific solutions and coordinated cooperation for the realization of the core principles of the Social Protection Floors. Social Protection Floor involves, at the minimum, the guaranteeing of access to essential health care and to basic income security over the life cycle which together secure effective access to essential goods and services defined as necessary at the national level. Research has shown that there have been a variety of processes regarding how the social contracts between the State and the citizens and the contract between generations have evolved into a universal, rights-based entitlement to have access to basic social security and essential services. The principle is well founded in human rights instruments. Currently there are several step-by-step processes underway towards such an end result. The practical steps must be designed at the national level - through a participatory process involving all stakeholders - rather than feeding down prescribed models from the donor community. Key Messages by the Helsinki Global Social Policy Forum ( ) Page 4

5 Social protection system does not only refer to social security transfers in cash or in kind. At the implementation level general social protection systems need to be adapted to the needs, rights and potential of various intended beneficiaries, such as children, older people or people with disabilities. Adjusting social protection systems to be e.g. more child-sensitive usually involves the introduction of complementary, appropriate personal social services, guidance to parents and/ or peer counseling. Cas transfers alone seldom are enough for escaping from poverty and exclusion. A necessary element in the establishment or review of social protection systems is the grounding of its financing on national revenue collection. Addressing fairness of taxation, contracts with Multi -National Corporations, regulations on international transfer pricing etc., and aid, needs to be integrated with the social policy review agenda. The issue of social protection systems is, however, more an issue of political economy of distribution than a challenge of financing alone. 7. Empower women across the life course as agents of change for reaching socially sustainable development The forth - coming Post development agenda should widen and deepen the gender sensitivity of the agenda beyond the specific targets included in the MDGs. The approach should ensure the integration of the gender dimension in all goals and processes through mainstreaming and by complementing integrated goals, processes, targets and indicators by gender- specific empowering elements. 8. Adapt social policies to the new development context without compromising universality of fundamental social rights of all The previous cycle of research on social policies in the development context produced much understanding on the parallels of social policy developments in the industrialized countries that were 'late industrializers' on the one hand - and the new social policies in 'emerging' and lower income countries on the other hand. Since then, global political and economic crises, regionalization, financialization, and climatic and demographic changes (reflected in youth unemployment and a rapid growth of ageing populations) have created a dramatically new context. The new context has created also new needs for social policies, and challenges - eventually also opportunities in implementation. In this new context, a careful revisiting of conceptual and theoretical frameworks of social policy research is needed, as well as rethinking of the relevance of variables, research methods and data collection arrangements. The institutional dimension, the dynamic, multi-dimensional and inter-generational nature of sustainable development require deeper understandings. The adequate and timely review of the division of labor and collaboration potentials between the public sector, the private sector, regional and global entities, communities, families and individuals in the context of the on-going multiple transformations will call for more efficient interaction between the research and the policy- making communities. In order to improve the possibilities for evidence-informed policy-making, research on ex-ante and ex-post impact assessment is in high demand. The understanding of broader systems, of the interactions between various dimensions of sustainable development and transmission channels of global developments on people s lives call for joint efforts by multi-disciplinary research teams. Key Messages by the Helsinki Global Social Policy Forum ( ) Page 5

6 Research in the South by the South and for the south needs more attention and eventually support. A new cycle of research by the Nordic countries on their history of social development and applicability of lessons learned to global social policy challenges would also be useful. 9. Build on multi-stakeholder partnerships towards a new functional orientation and functioning division of labor in social policies All countries have encountered new social development challenges in the context of the recent rapid political, social, environmental and economic transformations. The world is different from the one where the agenda of the World Summit for Social Development was designed twenty years ago. A fresh round of broad-based dialogues on basic principles of comprehensive social policies is needed in all contexts and at all levels in order to arrive at reasonable and feasible joint social development agenda for the Post 2015 era. At the national level, situation analyses, identification of problems, mapping of feasible development options, and the achievement of broad-based consensus on new directions and priorities of social policies are now timely in both low and high income countries. This needs to be done in an inclusive and participatory manner in order to create ownership and commitment. In the development cooperation context, arrangements for multi-stakeholder collaboration between all stakeholders should be fully utilized in order to achieve coordination and resource pooling and to avoid proliferation of isolated vertical social projects. In order to facilitate systemic changes towards inclusive and sustainable social policies a fresh shared understanding of social policies as investments and as development tools is needed. Thus it is necessary to bring together Governments of lower income partner countries, donors, intergovernmental agencies and civil society organizations and the private sector. End Note 1: On the Concept of Social Policy: The terms social security, social protection and social policies have a number of definitions that differ in scope and contents. The Global Social Policy website of THL applies quite a broad characterization of the scope of social policy: Social policies comprise proactive and remedial actions that promote social equality and inclusion, decent work, and socio-economic security, full participation and empowerment, as well as equal social rights for all population groups. Global social policy refers to global goals and institutional arrangements on promoting inclusive and equitable global developments that create enabling environments for nations to exercise socially oriented policies. See e.g. the analysis by Rachel Sabates Wheeler and Lawrence Haddad. Summarized also in Wiman & Voipio & Ylonen: Comprehensive Social Policies for Development in a Globalizing World pp End Note 2: The Helsinki Global Social Policy Forum The event brought together 75 experts representing a number of national and international agencies and research institutions. One of the purposes was to provide a platform for networking and finding joint interests and perspectives that could be promoted together on relevant fora. This summary of Key Messages was prepared by Development Manager Ronald Wiman (THL) with inputs from Director Sarah Cook (UNRISD), Director Riitta Särkelä (ICSW/SOSTE), Senior Adviser Ralf Ekebom (MSAH, Finland) and Senior Adviser Timo Voipio (MFA, Finland). The presentations by the participants are available on the GSP website Key Messages by the Helsinki Global Social Policy Forum ( ) Page 6