GENEVA (ILO News) – The Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection (USP2030) is to hold a high-level conference at the International Labour Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on 5 February from 09.00 – 18.15.

Social protection prevents poverty, reduces inequality and is the key to sustained, inclusive economic and social development. The ‘Together to Achieve Universal Social Protection by 2030’ conference will bring together ministers, policy-makers and civil society to discuss the achievements and challenges of building universal social protection systems and ensuring sustainable and equitable finance for social protection.

With 55 per cent of the global population still excluded from social protection, USP2030 calls on countries to live up to their commitment to universal social protection, as outlined in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals . In particular, the meeting will be an opportunity to encourage countries in the Global South to adopt the USP2030 Call to Action and hear what countries need from development partners to join the USP2030 Global Partnership.

Speakers include:

Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Marjeta Jager, Deputy Director-General, International Cooperation and Development, European Commission (EC)

Gabriela Ramos, Chief of Staff and Sherpa to the G20, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Armanda Berta Dos Santos, Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Timor Leste

Susan Shabangu, Minister of Social Development, South Africa

Mohamed Trabelsi, Minister of Social Affairs, Tunisia

Zephania Kameeta, Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Namibia

Pungky Sumadi, Deputy Minister for Population and Labor, Indonesia

Deborah Greenfield, Deputy Director-General, International Labour Organization

Michal Rutkowski, Senior Director, Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice, World Bank

The conference is organized by the Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection (USP2030) and the EU Social Protection Systems Initiative , in cooperation with the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors . Further information, including a full agenda, is available on the conference website .

The Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (USP2030), launched in 2016 at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and co-chaired by the World Bank and ILO, brings together the African Union, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), European Commission, Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (GCSPF), HelpAge, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Save the Children, United Nations Development Programme-International Policy Centre (UNDP-IPC), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), along with Belgian, Finnish, French and German development cooperation; others continue to join as the partnership is expanding.

The event will be livestreamed. It will be possible to watch the sessions here.

Join the conversation on Twitter: @OECD_Centre @ILO @soc_protection with #USP2030