Strengthening social protection in the EU development cooperation
The Commission presented the first ever Commission Communication on social protection in international development. It outlines how future EU aid should work to help putting in place social protection policies and systems.
Despite the recent growth in the world's economy, social protection still remains an unachieved goal for billions of people. Too often, the most vulnerable members of society (women, children, the disabled, the elderly, etc.) are left behind the creation of wealth. The lack of social protection represents a strong obstacle to the long-term and sustainable development of middle and low income countries. The Communication explains how EU development cooperation can support the strengthening of social protection policies and systems. It includes proposals such as supporting nationally-owned policies, introducing measures to support job creation and employment, bringing in the civil society and the private sector, and tackling the underlying causes of vulnerability – particularly those that affect women – to readdress the balance, but also sharing EU experience in the matter. These proposals have been made after a broad consultation process which over 250 stakeholders and 17 Member states took part in. They will be discussed by EU Development ministers and the European Parliament in the coming months.
Link to the Communication: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/social-protection/documents/com_2012_446_en.pdf 
