ITUC Welcomes ILO World Social Protection Report 2020-22

The new International Labour Organization (ILO) report on social protection exposes the huge gaps in social protection coverage around the world, with 47% of people having no social protection at all, and a further 22% lacking full protection in line with international labour standards.

Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary, said: “While some countries brought in temporary pandemic measures, this report reveals how little progress has been made overall. It’s a global scandal that so many billions of people lack any form of protection and that only one-third of the world’s population are adequately covered.

“For the least wealthy countries in particular, a global social protection fund is more urgent than ever. All governments need to recognise that social protection is an investment that generates positive returns, socially and economically.

“It’s also a major public health issue, especially during a pandemic, when people have no option but to work in order to survive, exposing them and those near to them to infection.

“In the absence of social protection, COVID-19 will continue to thrive, claiming many more lives and potentially giving rise to new variants that could threaten everyone on the planet. That’s why universal social protection is one of the five workers’ demands under a New Social Contract.”

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