5th Periodic Report under the International Covenant for Economic Social and Cultural Rights Feedback
Article 9: Right to social security
Read the text in the report here.
The Covenant guarantees the right to social security, including social insurance. The right to social security is of central importance in guaranteeing human dignity for people when circumstances deprive them of the capacity to fully realise their economic, social and cultural rights.
The report outlines developments in areas that include persons in need of social assistance, benefit obligations and sanctions, social security and the best interests of the child, and social service providers.
Committee recommendations
The paragraph numbers below are taken from the Committee's concluding observations that you can access here.
The information in the report also relates to the United Nations Special Rapporteur's visit in 2020 and the Committee's assessment of our subsequent follow-up report. You can access these here.
35. The Committee recommends that the State party pursue its intention to reform the social security system, including the Social Security Act (1964), in wide consultation with social partners, the National Human Rights Commission and civil society, in order to ensure the realization of the right to social security. In doing so, the State party should ensure that social security legislation and policy are based on the pursuance of the realization of the right to social security. In particular, the Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Ensure that persons in need of social assistance effectively receive social security benefits that are adequate and allow the beneficiaries and their families to enjoy an adequate standard of living;
(b) Assess the effectiveness of the sanctions regime, bearing in mind the core content of the right to social security and the best interests of the child;
(c) Ensure equal work conditions, including concerning contract renewal, of all social services providers and address any indirect disparity in that regard.
36. The Committee draws the State party’s attention to its general comment No. 19 (2007) on the right to social security and its statement, adopted in 2015, on social protection floors: an essential element of the right to social security and of the sustainable development goals.