In Spain, people working in the informal economy were largely excluded from pandemic-related furlough support, and because of administrative requirements faced obstacles in applying for the Minimum Vital Income social assistance program introducedin 2020.
In the US, gig and informal workers are not eligible for unemployment insurance and lack access to earnings-relatedpensions, as these programs are contributory and exclusive to workers classified as employees.
In Jordan, 78 percent of self-employed workers lack social security coverage; 54 percent of employees lack de facto coverage. Many employees without social security work informally in the service sector, construction, and manufacturing.
Recommendations
States and international organisations, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, should:
- Ensure everyone enjoys their right to social security by establishing or strengthening rights-aligned universal systems inaccordance with international labour standards, beginning with social protection floors.
- In countries without universal coverage of life course benefits, avoid relying on, or promoting in other countries, poverty targeting and "social registries" as the main strategy. Instead, build towards universal rights-based systems, where means-testing plays a secondary, residual role.
- Guarantee that social security benefits are adequate, regularly assessing their level through a transparent legal process tracking inflation.
- Review and reduce legal barriers to workers' access to social security, simplify administrative procedures, and enhancing enrolment and compliance.
- Establish a benchmark for national social security investment.
- Avoid pension privatisation that undermines rights and, instead, strengthen public social security systems.
- Avoid actions reinforcing stigma linked to government assistance.
- Conduct independent human rights impact assessments of social security systems, including potential digital technologies, before and after implementation, ensuring equality and non-discrimination.
- Ensure transparency and accountability through accessible grievance redress and appeals processes; data protection through secure systems; and adherence to human rights standards on privacy.
- Mobilise the maximum available resources including through adequate employer contributions, effective and fair taxation, and debt relief to fulfil the right to social security. Support other states through international cooperation andassistance, including financial and technical support and the establishment of a global fund for social protection.
- Cease austerity policies that jeopardize rights or privatise social security and refrain from promoting social spending trade-offs.
- Raise awareness among workers in the informal economy about their right to social security.
List of organizations:
1. Act Church of Sweden
2. Action contre la Faim
3. Arab Reform Initiative (ARI)
4. Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD)
5. Development Pathways
6. Global Social Justice
7. Human Rights Watch
8. Initiative for Social and Economic Rights
9. Institute for Economic Justice
10. Oxfam International
11. We Social Movements (WSM)
