Rome Wasn’t Built in a DayThe accessibility of social protection for informal workers: a mapping of

5 West African countries

André Leliveld & Zjos Vlaminck

African Studies Centre (Leiden)

Roundtable II: Exploring the Multiple Roles of Trade Unions in Africa,

Leiden, 10 September 2014

Outline

• Defining social protection• Social protection & informal workers• The state of social protection in

– Guinea– Niger– Togo– Benin– Senegal

• Crosscutting issues

Outline

• Background of the study• Defining social protection• Social protection & informal workers• The state of social protection in five

francophone West African countries• Crosscutting issues

Background of the study

• Commissioned by CNV Internationaal• Consultations of CNV partners put social protection for

informal workers on the agenda• Inventory of existing schemes in 5 countries: Togo, Benin,

Niger, Senegal and Guinea• Desk study plus fieldwork with semi-structured interviews• Objective: CNV Internationaal wishes to assist their

partners in “reinforcing the national social protection systems by strengthening the role of trade unions as a watchdog and a partner in social dialogue in matters regarding the accessibility of social protection for informal workers”,

What’s in a name?

• Plurality of meanings– Adjustment with a human face (1980s/1990s)– Social Risk Management (2000s)– Social security for all (2000s)– Economic security (2004)

Today: DWA and Social Protection Floor

Today: Transformative Social Protection

• More emphasis on empowerment and policies that relate to power imbalances in society that encourage, create and sustain vulnerabilities

• Both formal and informal, • Safety net, social services, social insurance

and social equity

Today: Social Protection and Inclusive Development

• High economic growth rates go hand in hand with high inequalities and income insecurity

• Social protection as a means “to protect household incomes and stabilize aggregate demand” (Coleman, 2011: 7).

• Social protection can foster inclusive growth and development, investment rather than cost

Social protection expenditure in Africa

Informal Workers and Social Protection

• Colonial legacy (Code du travail, 1952)• Reality of African Labour Markets• Social protection as means to an end• Social protection as moral obligation• Difficulties• Who’s responsibility?

The State of Social Protection in Guinea

• Government social expenditure = 2.47% (2011)• Social protection coverage = 3%

• Challenges:– History of political instability– Unrealistic goals (neglect of socio-economic and

political reality)

• Opportunies– Wealth of natural resources?– Paper commitments (National Social Protection Policy,

PRSP III, new labour code)

Social Protection Schemes in Guinea

Informal workers mostly resort to traditional safety nets and Mutuelles de Santé (e.g. Mutuelle Hadja Rabiatou Sérah Diallo)

Areas for Trade Union Activity in Guinea

• Advocating for inclusive labour code• Advocating for redistribution • Advocating for a system’s approach• Delineating SP priorities• Working with existing mutuelles • Monitoring quality of services• Supporting informal initiatives and local

ownership

The State of Social Protection in Niger

• Government social expenditure = 3,29% (2010)• Social protection coverage = 3%

• Challenges and opportunities: – 11,1% GDP growth in 2012 but also lowest HDI-

ranking– Participatory development of SP framework (2008-

2011) but no implementation– Lack of coherence between SP regimes

Social Protection Schemes in Niger

Informal workers mostly resort to traditional safety nets and Mutuelles de Santé (in general less institutionalised, smaller scale)

Areas for Trade Union Activity in Niger

• Advocating for inclusive labour code• Advocating for redistribution • Advocating for a system’s approach• Delineating SP priorities• Working with existing mutuelles • Monitoring quality of services• Supporting informal initiatives and local

ownership• Monitoring WB programmes• Joining forces with HR organisations

The State of Social Protection in Togo

• Government social sxpenditure = 5,73% (2010)• Social Protection Coverage = 5%

• Challenges and oppportunities:– Stable growth rates but increase of extreme poverty

(extractive industries and social spending)– Amalgam of laws, regimes and responsible ministries– New Social Security Code (2011): extension of CNSS

and CRT to informal workers

Social Protection Schemes in Togo

Informal workers mostly resort to traditional safety nets and Mutuelles de Santé (e.e. CSTT’s own mutuelle MUSA)

Areas for Trade Union Activity in Togo

• Advocating for implementation 2011 social security code and ratification of C102

• Advocating for redistribution • Advocating for clear divisions of labour & coherence• Monitoring Gov’t commitments• Delineating SP priorities• Working with existing mutuelles • Monitoring quality of services• Supporting informal initiatives and local ownership• Joining forces

The State of Social Protection in Benin

• Government social expenditure = 4,31% (2009) • Social protection coverage = less then 10%

• Challenges and opportunities:– Gov’t obsession with a sound business climate but

strong unions– Since 1990 many paper commitments (e.g. Régime de

l’Assurance Maladie Universal (2011))– 2003 Social Security Code reference to informal

workers– No coherent framework

Social Protection Schemes in Benin

Informal workers can access MSSB but mostly resort to traditional safety nets and Mutuelles de Santé

Areas for Trade Union Activity in Benin

• Advocating for ratification of C102• Advocating for implementation of RAMU• Advocating for redistribution• Advocating for clear divisions of labour & coherence• Delineating SP priorities• Working with existing mutuelles • Monitoring quality of services and MSSB• Raising awareness• Joining forces

The State of Social Security in Senegal

• Government social expenditure = 5,34% (2010)• Social protection coverage = 7,5-20%

• Challenges: – Multiplicity of schemes

• Opportunities: – Transition phase – Plan Sénégal Emergent (2015-2035) (no consultation

with SP stakeholders)

Social Protection Schemes in Senegal

Informal workers resort to traditional safety nets or Mutuelles de Santé (e.g.UNACOIS)

Areas for Trade Union Activity in Senegal

• Advocating for inclusive labour code• Advocating for redistribution• Advocating for implementation of CMU• Advocating for clear divisions of labour & coherence• Delineating SP priorities• Working with existing mutuelles • Supporting informal initiatives• Monitoring quality of services• Joining forces

Crosscutting Issues

• Lack of Coherence• Lack of Holistic Point of View• Lack of Local Ownership• Lack of Effective Implementation• Lack of Political Commitment• Lack of thinking outside the box

Crosscutting Issue 1• Lack of Coherence: The politics of social protection

Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock

and Fishing

Ministry of Education Ministry of

HealthMinistry of

Social Protection

and National Solidarity

Ministry of Work,

employment and Social Security Social

Protection

Ministry of Community

Development, Handicraft, Youth and

Youth Employment

Ministry of Planning

Ministry of Finance

ILO

UNICEF

WorldbankUNDP

DAC-Donors

Non-DAC-

Donors

Crosscutting Issue 2• Lack of Holistic Point of View: The tunnel-vision

of policy development

Crosscutting Issue 2

• Lack of Holistic Point of View: The tunnel-vision of policy development

Crosscutting Issue 3

• Lack of Local Ownership: The impact of the Development Machinery

Crosscutting Issue 4• Lack of Effective Implementation: Trapped

in the policy writing phase

Trade Unions

Crosscutting Issue 5• Lack of Political Commitment

Crosscutting Issue 6• Lack of thinking outside the box

Inspiring Initiatives

z.vlaminck@ascleiden.nl

Leliveld @ascleiden.nl