The UN's International Labor Organization (ILO) advocates the creation of a system of basic social protection, incorporating access to health care and income security, across the globe, Director of the Sectoral Policies Department, Alette van Leur, said at a press briefing on Tuesday
GENEVA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st April, 2020) The UN's International Labor Organization (ILO) advocates the creation of a system of basic social protection, incorporating access to health care and income security, across the globe, Director of the Sectoral Policies Department, Alette van Leur, said at a press briefing on Tuesday.
"Well, the ILO doesn't have a position on the basic income as such, the ILO does have a very strong position on a basic social protection floor. It's slightly different of course, it's a much more comprehensive system I would say. If the world would have, as we have called for, basic social protection floors covering income protection, health insurance and health coverage for everyone, I think the world would have been in a better place than what we have seen now. This is an ambition, and this is an ambition that the ILO will continue to strive for," van Leur said during the briefing in response to a reporter's question on the ILO's position towards the issue of a universal basic income.
According to the ILO, only 27 percent of the global population has adequate social security coverage.
Calls for introducing or expanding social protection programs have recently been voiced across the globe amid the coronavirus pandemic, which resulted in thousands losing their jobs due to lockdown measures and suspension of various international activities.
This past week, the Spanish government published proposals to establish a universal basic income to help millions of low-income families that have been economically impacted by the pandemic.
