Overview

The inclusion challenges that many Arab countries face point to the importance of social protection. SDG targets 1.3 and 10.4 call on governments and other stakeholders to “[i]mplement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable”, and to “[a]dopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality”. 

The fact that social protection systems and measures, are to be implemented for all means that persons with disabilities are inherently entitled to be included in the undertaking. This is further underlined by the fact that substantial coverage is to be achieved for the poor and the vulnerable, among whom persons with disabilities tend to be overrepresented. Moreover, including persons with disabilities in the establishment and expansion of social protection systems will ensure compliance with the CRPD, whose Article 28.2 reads: “States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to social protection and to the enjoyment of that right without discrimination on the basis of disability”.

ILO's Recommendation 202 of 2012 stipulates that Social Protection Floors (SPFs) should comprize, at minimum, the guarantees of access to essential health care and basic income security. Those components could thus be considered the “core” of social protection. The two main forms of social protection serving to uphold the right to income security are social insurance and social assistance. Whereas social insurance is contribution-based and limited to workers in the public and formal private sectors, social assistance is funded by general government revenue and provided on a targeted or universal basis. Health care, meanwhile, can be paid for at the point of use or provided on the basis of contributory or non-contributory health insurance. It can also be offered for free to selected groups or to everyone.