Workers’ rights · Social protection

Social Protection
A right, not charity

Explore the ILO’s concept of social protection, its branches, workers’ rights, the state of social security in Palestine, and the main gaps and priorities for a fairer, more inclusive system.

Social protection should not wait until workers fall into poverty. It should protect them and their families against income loss due to illness, unemployment, injury, disability or old age.
Explore the branches of protection ↓The Palestinian context
🛡️

What should social protection cover?

It protects people and their families throughout life against risks that may cause income loss or a decline in living standards.

9 Core branches of protection
102 Minimum Standards Convention
202 Social Protection Floors Recommendation
4 Basic floor guarantees
The core concept

What is social protection?

An integrated framework to protect people and their families from economic and social risks throughout life.

According to the International Labour Organization

Social protection comprises policies and programmes to prevent and reduce poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion by protecting people against loss or inadequacy of income due to illness, unemployment, maternity, occupational injury, disability, old age or a breadwinner’s death.

Social protection is a human right, not a grant or an act of charity.

It rests on two main components

💰 Income security Protecting workers and their families from interrupted or sharply reduced income.
🏥 Health protection Access to healthcare without financial hardship.

Social protection should therefore not be reduced to cash assistance. Social security, insurance, services and public policies are all tools for building an integrated protection system.

ILO Convention No. 102

The nine branches of social protection

The Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), identifies nine main branches of social security.

🏥 01

Medical care

Ensure access to preventive and curative medical care and essential health services.

🤒 02

Sickness benefits

Provide replacement income when illness temporarily prevents a worker from working.

💼 03

Unemployment protection

Protect income following involuntary job loss and support a return to work.

⛑️ 04

Employment injury

Treatment, compensation, rehabilitation and protection following occupational injury or disease.

🤱 05

Maternity protection

Protect the health of women and children and secure women workers’ income during pregnancy, childbirth and maternity leave.

👨‍👩‍👧 06

Families and children

Support families and children’s income security to meet basic food, education and care needs.

👴 07

Old age

Ensure an adequate income or pension upon reaching old age and leaving work.

♿ 08

Disability

Protect people who partly or fully lose their ability to work and earn an income.

🫂 09

Death of the breadwinner

Provide benefits or pensions to families and eligible dependants when the person they rely on financially dies.

Protection instruments

How is social protection provided?

The type of protection differs from the instrument used to finance and deliver it.

🔄

Social insurance

Schemes primarily financed by contributions from workers and employers, with possible state funding.

Example: social security schemes.
🤝

Social assistance

Non-contributory programmes protecting families and individuals who need support.

Example: cash transfers and assistance.
🏛️

Public programmes and benefits

State-provided services and benefits for all residents or specific groups, alongside employment, training and rehabilitation policies.

Protection is a system, not a single programme.
ILO Recommendation No. 202

The social protection floor

A set of basic guarantees that should be available as a minimum to prevent or reduce poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion.

🏥 Healthcare Access to essential healthcare, including maternity care.
👧 Children Income security covering food, education, care and basic needs.
👷 Working age Income protection during illness, unemployment, maternity and disability.
👴 Older people A basic level of income security in old age.
From a worker’s perspective

What social protection rights should workers have?

Social and economic risks should not deprive workers and their families of a minimum decent standard of living.

✓ Protection against unemployment and income loss.
✓ Protection during illness and temporary inability to work.
✓ Insurance against occupational injuries and diseases.
✓ Maternity protection and income security during maternity leave.
✓ Access to appropriate healthcare.
✓ Protection in the event of disability.
✓ Old-age and retirement pensions.
✓ Family protection following the breadwinner’s death.
National context

Social protection in Palestine

A diverse but incomplete system

Palestinian social protection consists of assistance and social transfer programmes, schemes for public sector employees, and private sector employers’ obligations under the Labour Law.

However, these arrangements have not yet resulted in a comprehensive, effective social security system for private sector workers.

Source: International Labour Organization ↗

Employer-related entitlements

● End-of-service benefit
● Paid sick leave
● Compensation for occupational injuries
● Paid maternity leave
Still at the drafting and dialogue stage

Social security and the zero draft

The absence of comprehensive social security for private sector workers is one of Palestine’s largest social protection gaps.

Following the experience of Social Security Law No. 19 of 2016, the Palestinian Ministry of Labour reopened the issue in dialogue with the social partners. A new draft was prepared and publicly discussed, known during its development as the zero or preliminary draft.

The new draft has not yet been adopted as a new social security law in force.The draft under discussion must therefore be distinguished from legislation currently in force.

✊

Position of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions

The Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions regards social security as a cornerstone of social protection and social justice, protecting workers and their families from economic and social risks.

As workers’ representative and a social partner, the Federation has participated in social security dialogue alongside the government and employers’ representatives.

The Federation believes that the goal is not merely to pass a law, but to establisha fair, sustainable social security system that protects workers and their families and earns their trust.

Protecting acquired rights No reduction in workers’ rights Independent social security funds Transparency and governance Trade union participation Financial sustainability
Understanding the current situation

Key social protection gaps for workers in Palestine

Select a heading to read more

Private sector workers still lack a comprehensive system covering the main social risks throughout life.
End-of-service benefits, sick leave, maternity leave and occupational injury entitlements depend on employers. Non-compliance, business closure or financial difficulties may put workers’ access to these rights at risk.
There is no comprehensive national unemployment insurance system providing adequate protection to workers and families after job loss, despite the importance of this risk in Palestine.
Protection is spread across multiple programmes, institutions and laws, highlighting the need for a more integrated, coordinated national framework.
Daily-paid, seasonal, self-employed and irregular workers face greater barriers to accessing social protection.
Having a benefit does not necessarily mean adequate protection. Its value must meet living costs and provide an appropriate level of income security.
Parts of protection and assistance programmes rely on external funding, making their continuity vulnerable to funding fluctuations and political and economic conditions.
Unemployment protection should be linked to employment, training and rehabilitation services to help workers return to the labour market.
Palestine needs a system that can expand rapidly during war, economic crises and mass job losses, rather than relying only on emergency assistance.
Any social security system requires independent, transparent institutions, professional fund management, oversight, accountability and regular publication of information and data.
International standards

What does the ILO emphasise?

The right to protection

Social protection is a legal entitlement, not discretionary assistance.

Universal coverage

Progressively extend protection to everyone.

Social solidarity

Share risks instead of leaving individuals to face them alone.

Adequacy of benefits

Benefits must effectively protect income and dignity.

Equality and non-discrimination

Ensure equitable access for women, men and all groups.

Sustainability

Design and finance the system so it can meet future commitments.

Transparency and accountability

Sound financial management and effective oversight of funds.

Freedom of association

Respect trade union organisation and collective bargaining.

Tripartite participation

Involve workers, employers and government in developing the system.

The Observatory’s vision

The Observatory’s priorities for social protection in Palestine

The Palestinian Labour Rights Observatory calls for a transition from fragmented programmes and entitlements towardsa national social protection system grounded in rights, fairness and sustainability.
Continue national dialogue towards a fair, workable law with the broadest possible agreement among the social partners.
Establish a system progressively and sustainably covering old age, disability, death, occupational injury, maternity, sickness and unemployment.
Ensure the transition does not reduce acquired rights, and address existing end-of-service entitlements fairly and clearly.
Develop unemployment insurance or benefits providing temporary income, linked to employment, training and return-to-work services.
Create an insurance system guaranteeing treatment, compensation, rehabilitation and income protection for workers and their families.
Develop a system ensuring women’s income during maternity leave and sharing the cost of maternity protection across society.
Design flexible mechanisms for daily-paid, seasonal, self-employed and digital platform workers.
Review benefits regularly in light of inflation, living costs, wages and basic needs.
Manage contributors’ funds independently, professionally and transparently, using them exclusively for social security objectives.
Ensure effective worker representation in management, governance, oversight and decisions affecting contributors’ funds.
Regularly publish financial and administrative reports, actuarial studies and data on contributors, benefits and investments.
Establish independent, accessible and effective mechanisms for objections, complaints and appeals concerning contributions and benefits.
Develop tools to expand protection rapidly during war, disasters, economic crises and mass job losses.
Coordinate social insurance, social assistance, healthcare and employment policies within an integrated national framework.
Take account of women, young people, persons with disabilities, low-income workers and informal economy workers.
Base contribution rates, benefits and financial commitments on professional, transparent actuarial studies and review them regularly.
Develop integrated data to identify coverage gaps and improve planning and response, while respecting privacy and protecting personal data.

Key references and sources

ILO — Social Security Convention No. 102ILO — Social Protection Floors Recommendation No. 202ILO — Social protection floor assessment in PalestineILO — Social protection for Palestinian private sector workersILO — Assessment of social protection adequacy in PalestinePalestinian Ministry of Labour — draft social security law

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