SPARKS Network – Health and Social Protection Action Research & Knowledge Sharing

SWITZERLAND, FEBRUARY, 2019. The ‘Together to Achieve Universal Social Protection by 2030’ conference brought together ministers, policy makers and civil society to discuss the achievements and challenges of building universal social protection systems and ensuring sustainable and equitable finance for social protection.

The meeting was an opportunity to hear what countries need from development partners to join the Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (USP2030) and to encourage countries in the Global South to adopt the USP2030 Call to Action. The Call to Action refers to member State commitments to develop nationally owned social protection systems for all, including floors, as articulated in the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015.

The conference gathered over 180 participants, including high-level speakers including: Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); Marjeta Jager, Deputy Director-General, International Cooperation and Development  (EC); Gabriela Ramos, Chief of Staff and Sherpa to the G20 (OECD); Ms Sharan Burrow, General Secretary (ITUC); Mr Roberto Suárez Santos, Secretary-General (IOE); Ms Deborah Greenfield, Deputy Director General (ILO); as well as Ministers and Vice Ministers in charge of social affairs of South Africa, Timor Leste, Senegal and Egypt.

“There is a strong business case for social protection. We need to invest in it for development to occur and not wait for development to put it in place. Additional finance can be provided by the private sector, cash transfers and governments who fight tax evasion and avoidance.”, said Gabriela Ramos, Chief of Staff and G20 Sherpa, OECD.

At the closing session of the conference Indonesia, Paraguay, France and South Africa officially joined the Global Partnership for USP2030. The conference was organised by the OECD Development Centre as part of the EU-SPS Initiative, in collaboration with the USP2030 partners and the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors. Click here to watch the recording of the High-level conference.