More than 4 billion people around the world still lack any social protection, the International Labor Organization said on Wednesday.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the gap between high and low-income countries.
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The organization added in the Global Social Protection Report (2020-2022) that the response to the epidemic has been uneven and insufficient.
This has widened the gap between high and low-income countries.
It noted the failure to provide the much-needed social protection that all human beings deserved.
According to the report, social protection includes access to health care and income security.
Particularly about old age, unemployment, sickness, disability, work injuries, maternity, or loss of basic income.
For his part, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said: “Countries are at a crossroads…This is a pivotal moment for harnessing the pandemic response to build a new generation of rights-based social protection systems.”
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He stated that protection systems “can protect these people from future crises, and give workers and companies the security to deal with the multiple transformations ahead with confidence and hope.”
Currently, only 47 percent of the world’s population receives at least effective coverage of social protection benefits, the report said.
In contrast, 4.1 billion people, or 53 percent, receive no income guarantees at all from their national social protection system.
Europe and Central Asia have the highest coverage rates, with 84 percent of people covered by at least one benefit.
The report indicated that the Americas is above the world average by 64.3 percent.
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While it was noted that there are noticeable gaps in the Asia-Pacific region with 44 percent, then the Arab countries 40 percent, and Africa 17.4 percent.
He reported that government spending on social protection varies widely, and on average countries spend 12.8 percent of their GDP on social protection (excluding health).
