Social Sustainability PDF

Social Sustainability Outline Participatory Development Human Rights Based Approach Social Protection and Risk Management Failed Promise of Development Development through capitalism did not lead into better well-being for all For whom is development for? There is a need to lea...

Social Sustainability Outline Participatory Development Human Rights Based Approach Social Protection and Risk Management Failed Promise of Development Development through capitalism did not lead into better well-being for all For whom is development for? There is a need to learn about the cries, needs, and aspirations of the poor and the vulnerable Participatory Development Necessity of the people’s participation in the development process and in defining development goals Significantly important factors for success: Empowerment Devolution What are Human Rights? Amartya Sen’s perspective on human rights: Primarily ethical demands Underlying principles of freedoms Often discussed in a legal context, but constitutively ethical Some rights are best protected by “mere” social acceptance and legal protections may come after Significance of Human Rights Enables freedoms that demonstrate social importance and social influenceability Realization of rights have a sense of accountability by persons Rights holders: those who have the ability to claim and exercise those rights Duty bearers: those responsible in realizing the rights Human rights are our obligation to everyone Respect, protect, and fulfill Empowerment as critical to combat poverty Five Major Categories right to life, liberty and personal security; the right to equality before the law; the right to protection Civil Rights from arbitrary arrest; the right to the due process of law; the right to a fair trial; and the right to religious freedom and worship; right of every child to be registered and to have a name and a nationality Political Rights right to speech and expression; the right to assembly and association; and the right to vote and political participation Economic Rights right to work and fair remuneration; the right to form trade unions and free associations; and right to social security, including social insurance Social Rights right to a family; the right to education; the right to health and well-being; the right to leisure time; and the right to the widest possible protection and assistance for the family Cultural Rights right to the benefits of culture; the right to indigenous land, rituals, and shared cultural practices; and the right to speak one’s own language and to ‘mother tongue’ education How do we protect people’s exclusion from their rights? Exclusion to Protection to Risk Management Historically, the world has prioritized: Hardware interventions (infrastructure, equipment) Software interventions (education, training, institutions) Social Protection was a third pillar Never at the center of development discussions Broadly understood as public measures to provide income security to the population Exclusion to Protection to Risk Management However, the last few decades of poverty has shown that: Poverty is not a static state (chronic, persistent) Poverty has long-term consequences Social security and other safety nets are difficult to establish during deep crises or when experiencing chronic or persistent poverty Various risks and complexities are now more transnational and global or universally-affecting Exclusion to Protection to Risk Management Development programs are challenged to sustain: What needs to be done now What needs to be sustained in the future Developing countries pose more grave challenges Cost and cost-effectiveness concerns – we cannot guarantee for all Data have consistently showed that poorer countries are disproportionately affected by all forms of risks, compounding on one another Risk management is necessary to accelerate and sustain development Risk Management Mechanisms Risk Management Mechanisms Risk Reduction (Prevention) – reducing the probability and severity of shocks Pursuing education, getting vaccinated, investing in irrigation, adopting climate-adaptive plant varieties Risk Management (Mitigation) – reducing the impact of shocks Self – choosing low risk activities, savings, income diversification Mutual – investing in relationships and social capital Formal – acquiring crop insurance, fire insurance, life insurance Risk Coping – relieving the impact of experiencing shocks Borrowing, selling assets, migration, child labor, consumption or expenditure postponement Risk Management Arrangements Informal Social networks or personal arrangements Sidesteps information and coordination problems Market-Based Use of market-based institutions (money, banks, insurance companies, etc.) Subject to market forces Public Fewer and have limited coverage in developing countries Important for when informal and market-based strategies are non-existent, break down, or are dysfunctional  Informal Market-Based Public Multiple jobs/diversified In-service training Macroeconomic policies production Market-based labor Labor market policies Migration standards Infrastructural improvements Prevention Hygiene and disease Disease prevention prevention Conflict management Proper feeding Pre-service training Less risky production Multiple jobs/diversified Investments in multiple Pension systems production financial assets Asset transfers Investments in human, Microfinance Support for financial services Mitigation physical, and real assets Insurance to the poor Investments in social capital Mandatory insurance Share tenancy Public infrastructure Transfers Sale of financial assets Transfers (food, health, Child labor Bank loans shelter, cash, goods, Dissaving in human capital education) Coping Sale of assets Subsidies Migration Borrowing from networks Mechanisms x Arrangements IDEAL ACTUAL (based on Risk Profiles) (Based on survey of interventions) Market- Market- Informal Public Informal Public Based Based Prevention Prevention Mitigation Mitigation Coping Coping Synthesis Social sustainability involves: Participation Inclusion Protection Management Synthesis Elements of the Right to Development (Universal Rights Group Geneva, 2020) People-centred development Centers people as the subject, participant and beneficiary Universality of Human Rights Entails realizing all human rights and fundamental freedoms Participation Requires active, free, and meaningful participation from the people Equity Needs fair distribution of development benefits Non-discrimination Espouses no distinction between and among race, sex, gender, language, or religion Self-determination Integrates self-determination on sovereignty over natural wealth and resources Development is a human right (UN Commission on Human Rights)