At the beginning of the 21st century, rising inequalities led to the proposal of a social protection floor for the global economy, now fully endorsed by the United Nations and member countries. A social protection floor is necessary in any society because the benefits of growth do not automatically reach all; further, the need for adequate social protection systems has increased given the impacts of the global crisis. This presentation offered a review of selected policy issues, such as the importance of expanding social protection coverage, the debates on unconditional/conditional cash transfers and universal/targeted policies, and discuss affordability of a social protection floor as well as the high costs of keeping people excluded.

Share your thoughts on this lecture in the comments section of the corresponding blog post.