The UN launched the Social Protection Floor Initiative (SPF-I) in 2009 in response to the global financial crisis. Driven by a coalition of UN agencies and development partners, it is an integrated set of social policies designed to guarantee universal access to a basic floor of social protection provided by public and civic bodies. Through an approach that tailors guidance according to each nation’s circumstances and level of development, building social protection floors can provide income security and access to essential healthcare for all, contributing to the achievement of the SDGs.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has estimated that, despite significant progress achieved through working with national governments and taking into account the impact of the pandemic, as many as 4 billion people (55 percent of the global population) are not covered by any social protection benefits.