PHM-Exch> Global social protection scheme moving from charity to solidarity

[Claudio Schuftan]

> Global social protection scheme moving from charity to solidarity
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> International seminar on Financing For health and social protection
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> Edited by Jens holst
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> Published by medico international Frankfurt, Germany
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> and hélène de beir Foundation, With financial support of deutsche
> Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GiZ)
> Germany December 2012
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> Available online PDF [146p.] at: http://bit.ly/12PmhUj
> <http://bit.ly/12PmhUj>
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> "......The idea of charity is still omnipresent in thinking about
> international assistance. The word 'donor' is a witness of that: some
> countries 'donate' or give; they do not see themselves as owing something to
> other countries or their inhabitants; nor do they see themselves as partners
> in a shared effort.
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>
> Charity once was a driving force of what became social protection. It no
> longer is. Social protection is not about charity. When we pay our taxes or
> social insurance fees, we are not donors of aid, we are paying our dues;
> when we receive support in the form of subsidised health care or teachers
> for our children whose salaries have been paid, we are not recipients of
> aid.
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> We pay our dues and we use our entitlements, and we consider it a collective
> effort to build a fair and equitable society. That is solidarity, not
> charity.
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> There is a growing consensus that effective public social protection schemes
> are essential to reduce health and other social inequalities.
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> Since many years and with increasing support from the wider United Nations
> family, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) promotes a Social
> Protection Floor: a minimum level of social protection, including basic
> income and access to essential social services, to be provided by all
> countries...."
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> "...... We know we must move from global charity to global solidarity. The
> question is: how?...."
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