Economic Inequality, Social Determinants of Health, and the Right to Social Security
This paper discusses economic inequality as a key social determinant of health. It highlights the potentially transformative role of social protection systems in addressing economic inequality and health inequalities. How to finance social protection and how to distribute benefits among people are k...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Health and Human Rights |
| Online Access: | http://www.hhrjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2469/2023/12/lee.pdf |
| _version_ | 1827577854348492800 |
|---|---|
| author | Joo-Young Lee |
| author_facet | Joo-Young Lee |
| author_sort | Joo-Young Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper discusses economic inequality as a key social determinant of health. It highlights the potentially transformative role of social protection systems in addressing economic inequality and health inequalities. How to finance social protection and how to distribute benefits among people are key questions in the pursuit of a transformative social protection system that can adequately tackle economic inequalities. This paper argues that a human rights approach can provide a normative orientation in the political process that decides the distribution of burdens and benefits in relation to social protection, calling for an assessment of its impact on socioeconomic inequalities and on disadvantaged groups of people. While the right to social security is at the center of a human rights approach to social protection, the rights to health, education, housing, and work also provide important normative elements for social protection. A human rights-based social protection system requires comprehensive protection for major social risks and challenges throughout the life cycle; universal access to quality services such as health, education, child care, and services for older people or people with disabilities; and a progressive financing mechanism. In this regard, the International Labour Organization’s Social Protection Floors Recommendation No. 202 provides strong guidance on the implementation of the right to social security for all. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:33:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-00ba57dc3d694cdea2fa995a5e70b42b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-4113 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:33:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health and Human Rights |
| spelling | doaj.art-00ba57dc3d694cdea2fa995a5e70b42b2023-12-21T03:46:33ZengHarvard FXB Center for Health and Human RightsHealth and Human Rights2150-41132023-12-01252155169Economic Inequality, Social Determinants of Health, and the Right to Social SecurityJoo-Young Lee0Associate research professor at Seoul National University Human Rights Center, South Korea, and a member of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.This paper discusses economic inequality as a key social determinant of health. It highlights the potentially transformative role of social protection systems in addressing economic inequality and health inequalities. How to finance social protection and how to distribute benefits among people are key questions in the pursuit of a transformative social protection system that can adequately tackle economic inequalities. This paper argues that a human rights approach can provide a normative orientation in the political process that decides the distribution of burdens and benefits in relation to social protection, calling for an assessment of its impact on socioeconomic inequalities and on disadvantaged groups of people. While the right to social security is at the center of a human rights approach to social protection, the rights to health, education, housing, and work also provide important normative elements for social protection. A human rights-based social protection system requires comprehensive protection for major social risks and challenges throughout the life cycle; universal access to quality services such as health, education, child care, and services for older people or people with disabilities; and a progressive financing mechanism. In this regard, the International Labour Organization’s Social Protection Floors Recommendation No. 202 provides strong guidance on the implementation of the right to social security for all.http://www.hhrjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2469/2023/12/lee.pdf |
| spellingShingle | Joo-Young Lee Economic Inequality, Social Determinants of Health, and the Right to Social Security Health and Human Rights |
| title | Economic Inequality, Social Determinants of Health, and the Right to Social Security |
| title_full | Economic Inequality, Social Determinants of Health, and the Right to Social Security |
| title_fullStr | Economic Inequality, Social Determinants of Health, and the Right to Social Security |
| title_full_unstemmed | Economic Inequality, Social Determinants of Health, and the Right to Social Security |
| title_short | Economic Inequality, Social Determinants of Health, and the Right to Social Security |
| title_sort | economic inequality social determinants of health and the right to social security |
| url | http://www.hhrjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2469/2023/12/lee.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jooyounglee economicinequalitysocialdeterminantsofhealthandtherighttosocialsecurity |