Freedom of Association, Decent Work and Social Protection for All: SOLIDAR Network at 104th Sessions of the ILO Conference
FOCUS ON ASMADE’s CAMPAIGN FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH INSURANCE IN BURKINA FASO
On July 2012, the members of the International Labour Organization (ILO) unanimously voted for the adoption of the Recommendation 202 on National Floors of Social Protection (R202). The Recommendation engages Governments to ensure that all people residing on their territories have access to (at least) four basic social protections guarantees: access to essential health care, income security for children, for persons in active age who are unable to earn sufficient income, and for older people.
Trade Unions and representative NGOs have a key role in ensuring that R 202 is
- submitted to the competent State’s authorities
- properly implemented in consultation and with the participation of “all relevant and representative organizations of people concerned” (ILO R202, art. 3 (r))
- the first step towards the development of universal and comprehensive social protection systems
In the framework of its advocacy and campaign work to promote Decent Work and Social Protection for All and to highlight the European Year for Development month dedicated to Decent Jobs, from the 1 until 4th of June, SOLIDAR together with its Members – SOLIDAR Suisse, FOS-Solidaristische Solidariteit and Solidarité Socialiste - will attend the 104th Session of the International Labour Organization’s Conference in Geneva to support the demands of its partners – Asmade (Burkina Faso), the Egyptian Center for Economic Social and Cultural Rights (Egypt), and the Coordinadora Sindical de trabajadores azucareros (El Salvador)- for Freedom of Association, Decent Work and Universal Access to Health. A Roundtable debate – with the presence of ILO ACTRAV- will take place on Tuesday 2 June to present their demands and their work.
From today on, a special focus will be dedicated each of them.
Focus on Asmade’s Campaign for Universal Health Insurance in Burkina Faso
In a country where social protection covers only 10% of the population and 40% of households’ revenues used to pay for health care, Civil Society Organizations such as ASMADE are campaigning for the Government to put in place a Universal Health Insurance (AMU). Together with the development of mutual health organizations, this system should, gradually, allow all segments of the population, both in the formal and informal sector, to benefit of quality health care.
Juliette Campaore is the Director of the NGO ASMADE and long standing partner of the Belgian NGO Solidarité Socialiste. ASMADE works for the development and the support of mutual organizations which are based on solidarity among all their members.
According to Pauline Rouamba, farmer in Saaba
"before, when we had health problems, we had to sell our goats to have some money and cover the costs. In the absence of goats, one had to seek a loan from neighbors. But with the health mutuals, we understood the importance of paying contributions in order to help each other during difficult times... "
In Burkina Faso, mutual health organizations cooperated with the Burkinabe government on the elaboration of the AMU Act on Universal Health Insurance which was supposed to be voted on 30 November 2014. However, the transitory executive power has temporarily halted the legislative process.
During its presence in Geneva, ASMADE will keep putting pressure on the Burkinabe Government to walk the talk and commit to submit the AMU Act to the Burkinabe National Transition Council for discussion and voting.
This would be an indispensable step towards the implementation of ILO Recommendation 202 on National Floors of Social Protection and save the lives of thousands of people who currently lack access to health care.