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Crises like the COVID-19 crisis often highlight the gaps in social protection systems but at the same time they are an opportunity to build back better. This panel will provide a platform for representatives of governments, employers, and workers to share examples of how their countries responded to a crisis by strengthening their social protection systems. The panel will highlight the role of unemployment protection in preparing countries for future crises and labour market transformations. It will also reflect on the importance of digitisation for reaching universal coverage and enhancing the responsiveness of social protection systems.

The International Symposium, convened by the ILO, UNICEF, the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (GCSPF) and the European Union, brings together policymakers, social partners, civil society, and development partners to discuss the innovative practices and strategies for building sustainable and rights-based social protection systems resulting from the Social Protection &amp; Public Finance Management Programme (SP&amp;PFM).

This first panel will showcase results and approaches adopted by partner countries in extending social protection coverage to all workers, including self-employed workers, migrant workers, women workers and workers in micro and small enterprises. This includes harnessing the potential of employers’ and workers’ representative organisations in enhancing compliance by raising awareness and informing their members on their rights and responsibilities, and in facilitating their access to social security and their transition to the formal economy. The presentations will also demonstrate how social protection can enhance gender equality and the inclusion of persons living with disabilities. Finally, the different country experiences will also highlight different financing strategies for supporting the extension of social protection in a sustainable and equitable manner, through a combination of contributory and non-contributory benefits.

Geneva

Opening and Panel 1: Extending social protection to all 

International Symposium on Improving Synergies between Social Protection and Public Finance Management

Social protection is a human right, and in certain circles, it is considered an expenditure, a cost. Evidence is mounting for it to be referred to as an investment, given its economic and social returns. The session will present new evidence on the positive returns of investing in social protection and will highlight experiences which successfully mobilise resources and create fiscal space to fund this investment even in the post-COVID-19 context characterised by multiple food, energy and economic crisis, growing debt burdens and calls for austerity.

Panel 2: Advocating for investing more and better in social protection

The panel will focus on how to improve rules and practices in the management of social protection resources. Programme budgeting will be highlighted as a key tool, but countries will also reflect about the importance of collecting and tracking consistent social protection spending data, as well as other indicators. Some pilot initiatives funded by the SP&amp;PFM programme, especially a tool to assess the performance of the social protection system from the perspective of public finance management, will be presented. Finally, workers’ and employers’ organisations will discuss how to push for more transparency and accountability in the management of social protection systems, and what role they could play.

Panel 3: Improving public finance management for social protection

Panel 4: Strengthening social protection systems to prepare for future crisis and just transitions

This panel will allow partner countries and development partners to commit to continue joining forces for achieving universal social protection as a key instrument for reducing inequalities and facilitating just transitions, including through the Global Gateway of the EU, the Digital Convergence Initiative, and other EU programmes, and the Global Accelerator for Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions.&nbsp;

Panel 5: Joining forces for universal and sustainable social protection and closing remarks

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Panel 4: Strengthening social protection systems to prepare for future crisis and just transitions

Panelists

Moderator