Les Mardis du PCNS 01/06/2021: الحماية الاجتماعية وتحديات التنمية البشرية

Social protection is not a cost, but an investment. Most countries, even the poorest, can afford social protection programs. Well-designed and implemented social protection plans not only generate multiple productive and social impacts, but can also boost local economic growth. After numerous diagnoses of the shortcomings of our country's social protection system, due to the fragmentation of programs and the diversity and multiplicity of stakeholders, what are the challenges of reforming this system to reduce various forms of social vulnerability and improve the living conditions of Moroccan citizens? Despite the systematic approach adopted by the National Social Security Fund to improve the effectiveness of employee declaration monitoring procedures, a significant number of active workers remain unregistered with the Fund or underregistered. How can social partners be encouraged to contribute to increasing employee coverage to ensure their access to social protection? Many see social protection as a set of effective tools for preventing risks and reducing poverty. However, how these tools can be used to achieve equitable and sustainable development is not always clear. Are there any indicators to track the effectiveness of this project, especially during its initial five-year phase? Public policies adopted to promote employment and provide social protection for the unemployed are characterized by their limitations, whether in terms of resources, strategic vision, or effectiveness. What governance mechanisms and support measures are in place to ensure the success of this initiative during its first five years? Social policy is almost entirely limited to safety nets and assistance tools. This situation stems from a flaw in the social contract, whereby citizens relinquish their right to participate in decision-making in the face of security imperatives. Simultaneously, we observe that the public sector's economic performance in addressing the repercussions of structural adjustment programs has been accompanied by the assumption that the gains of economic growth will automatically trickle down to the poor. Thus, the social protection approach appears detached from citizenship rights and the equitable distribution of resources, favoring a concept of aid rather than development. How will this workshop impact the improvement of the Human Development Index and the integration of social policies to strengthen the social dimension of growth and make social protection a cornerstone of national development policies? Moderator: Iman Lahrich, Program Officer at the Policy Center for the New South Speaker: Rachid Filali Meknassi, Member of the Committee of Experts at the International Labour Organization