The UN member states have a unique opportunity at their hands to ensure that social protection, and with it a realistic objective and social governance tool with clear inputs and measurable outcomes in terms of poverty alleviation, reduction of inequalities, improvement of health status and social and labour market inclusion is kept on the global agenda until at least 2030. However, we are at a “make or break” point. The ongoing process of formulating the post 2015 development goals is opaque and multifarious, and the global community, consisting of governments, civil society, trade unions and other interest groups is engaged in heavy on-stage negotiations and back stage lobbying.
Michael Cichon is the President of the International Council on Social Welfare, Professor of Social Protection at the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, UNU Maastricht, former Director of the ILO Social Security Department.