The Human Rights Approach to Social Protection

This publication summarizes and analyzes the UN Special Rapporteur’s report in 2011 on the need for a human rights approach to social protection on both national and international levels. Strong evidence supports that social protection programs assist countries in fulfilling their human rights obligations and improve their economic wellbeing.

This report is intended to assist civil society as well as governmental agencies and practitioners in implementing a human rights approach to social protection programs. It provides evidence that a human rights approach assists with the realization of the right to an adequate standard of living, the right to social security, the right to education, and the right to the highest attainable standard of health. Furthermore, social programs that are designed from a human rights perspective are found to be more sustainable and effective at poverty reduction, empowering those living in poverty.