Protection against social inclusion
People need protection against the risks and shocks that can drive them into poverty. They also need decent jobs as the clearest route to escape from poverty and to live in conditions of equity and dignity. In developing countries most jobs are characterized by low average earnings, a lack of adequate social protection and productivity, violations of labour rights, and unsafe or difficult working conditions. Key areas of work in response to these challenges, such as promoting employment and decent work, enhancing Vocational Education and Training (VET) and improving social protection systems or promoting social inclusion, particularly for youth and women. Social Protection enables people to acquire assets, to make investments and to face shocks and life-cycle events. It should include or be accompanied or matched by active employment policies to enable people to find decent jobs. It also provides essential support to poor and vulnerable members of society who have no capacity to participate in economic activity.
Individuals and households most often move out of poverty because of improvements related to their employment situation. However, in developing countries most jobs are characterized by low average earnings, a lack of adequate social protection and productivity, violations of labour rights, and unsafe or difficult working conditions. The big challenge is therefore, not necessarily how to create more jobs, but how to create better jobs. Vocational Education and Training is a powerful means of empowering people to develop their full capabilities, enabling them to seize social and employment opportunities, and increasing the productivity of both workers and enterprises. Better education and training is also necessary for (although it does not guarantee) decent work and socially sustainable, fair growth.
Key areas of work in response to these challenges, such as enhancing decent work, strengthening employment policies, efficient Vocational Education and Training and improving social protection systems.
CEAF work on social inclusion on behalf of the poorest and most marginalized children to assist People in understanding the patterns and drivers of child poverty and exclusion and in developing effective responses. While each CEAF sectoral area
strives to reach the poorest children and to combat discrimination, complementary interventions are needed because the origins and potential responses to poverty and social marginalization often lie beyond the scope of any single sector. Despite the growing global consensus about its negative impact, child poverty remains alarmingly high. More than one third of the extremely poor are
under age 13, and in low-income countries, half of all children live in extreme poverty. Well-designed social protection systems have a proven positive impact on child poverty and well-being, but coverage is still low. When in place, social protection systems can also be a critical lynchpin and timesaver when mounting a humanitarian response. Children are rarely prioritized when decisions are made about the use of public funds, yet this is essential for tackling multidimensional child poverty. In many counties local authorities are increasingly responsible for service delivery, and yet lack capacity to consult their constituencies and plan, budget and monitor services in ways that respond to the needs of the most deprived children and women. Fighting discrimination also requires concerted efforts to translate human rights commitments into effective action, promote accountability and monitor progress — working with social movements and communities to counter and eliminate bias children may face. CEAF work on social inclusion aims to address these important barriers to children’s well-being.
