Despite worsening economic conditions in North Africa, governments in the region have failed to develop comprehensive social protection systems that fulfill all people’s right to social security.
Development Diaries reports that only 40 percent of people in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region have effective coverage in at least one area of social protection, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
In fact, it is understood that governments in this region rely instead on narrow and often error-prone programmes that seek to target the ‘poorest’ and ‘most vulnerable’, as argued by Human Rights Watch (HRW).
In a recent report by World Bank, the lending body noted that Covid-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have had, and are continuing to have, a devasting impact on living standards in the MENA region.
Social security is a fundamental human right that attempts to guarantee that everyone is able to live in health and dignity.
It is also important to note that social security is key to poverty reduction, fighting inequality, promoting gender equality and overall socioeconomic development.
To this end, a joint Declaration on Building Universal Social Protection in the Arab Region was recently signed by a group of human rights organisations to urge governments to develop new universal social security systems for the region.
Articles 22 and 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) state that everyone has a right to social security and a decent standard of living.
Many governments of the region have acknowledged the need to strengthen social protection programmes, however, many have rejected universal programmes that provide support to everyone in particular categories, such as children and people with disabilities.
They have instead adopted systems that benefit just workers in the formal economy, excluding workers in the informal economy.
Development Diaries calls on governments of countries in the region to develop and fund inclusive social protection systems in order to allow access to social security for all people in the area.
Photo source: United Nations
