Strategic orientation towards social security for the period 2021-2030

 Communist Review - The period of 2021 - 2030 is a breakthrough period in the country's socio-economic development towards creative growth and social security. Therefore, formulating social security strategies requires new approaches.

Firstly, every citizen really has the right to social security.

In terms of human rights, the right to social security is one of the basic human rights. People have the right to exist and develop as a matter of course. Therefore, the 2013 Constitution states that "Citizens have the right to social security" (Article 34) is indispensable objectively, which is both a country's development goal and in consonance with the progressive trend of the world.

Ensuring people's right to social security is a new approach in the contemporary world and has been adopted by many countries. This approach is different from the traditional method in that not only does it pay attention to the people's social security goals, but also to the selection process and method to achieve the goals and is considered according to a systematic structure of social security.

In essence, this approach takes the criteria of human rights to social security as a basis for determining expected results and takes principles as conditions and frameworks for the course of action. The goal is to promote the achievement of protecting people.

The social security rights-based approachis very different from the social security approach towards "the poor". Social security programs are built on the basis of people being "citizens" and not on the level of poverty. Empowerment programs have a broader coverage, often universalizing to entire population. In contrast, poverty alleviation programs often have a high subject omission rate. Therefore, developing countries, including Vietnam, need to shift the approach from addressing poverty to accessingto social security rights.

Secondly, the social security system adopts international standards and is in line with the general trends of countries around the world.

Access to social security is based on the rights standardized and stipulated in many international conventions of the United Nations, the International Labor Organization (ILO), especially The Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102). Article 22 of the United Nations "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" (1948) states: Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality. Article 25 of this Declaration also states: “(i) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.; (ii) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection."

According to the above approach, there are still "gaps" in the social security system in Vietnam that need to be "filled". Specifically:

- Although social security of Vietnam has been working towards those standards, based on universal rights, covering the entire population, especially in health and education sectors,the social protection coverage isprioritised forthe poor, the disadvantaged, the vulnerable, those in remote areas and ethnic minoritiesdue to limited investment in social security. As a result, the coverage of social security towards the entire population is still limited.

- Generally, the model of social security system in Vietnam is multilayer structure, including the basic pillars under Resolution No. 15-NQ / TW, dated June 1, 2012, of the 11th Party Central Committee, on "Several social policy issues during the period 2012-2020", is consistent with the general trend of the world; however,it lacks flexibility. The relationship and cohesion as well as sharing among social security pillars are not close enough to support each other in preventing, reducing and overcoming risks for people.

- The social security system with specific policies designed for each subject group has initially started with life-cycle risks associated with each age group of the population, but it is not really closely linked to supporting and sharing risks between generations, across stages of human development.

- Social security policies must ensure that all people have a minimum standard of living according to national standards. However, the reality in Vietnam is that social security policies do not ensure that people have this standard of living, and each type of policy has different standards, such as poverty line, social welfare standards, and basic social services ... Therefore, the subject omission rate is still high, a significant proportion of peoplelivingbelow the minimum living standard have not yet benefited.

Thirdly, the approach with inheritance to develop and improve the current social security system.

The awareness of the people’s social security rights through the Party congresses from Doi Moi to the present is an inheritance and development in line with the country's socio-economic development in the conditionsof socialist-oriented market economy and gradually approaches international standards in the integration process. In particular, in the Resolution No. 15-NQ / TW of the Party Central Committee, on "Several social policy issues during the period 2012-2020", for the first time, our Party has stategic awareness, views and solutionsto ensure the social securityapproach based on human rights. That is the foundation and orientation for institutionalizating them into the State’s mechanism, policies and laws in real life, with the approval of the people. Therefore, the social security system development strategy in the 2021 - 2030 period needs to inherit the current perceptions, perspectives, orientations and policieson social security to continuously improve and reach new heights in the 2021 – 2030 period.