Social security for the unorganised sector
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
THE ruling Awami League promised in its 'Charter of Change' during the last election said that it would enact a National Employment Scheme under which one from each of the totally unemployed families would find employment. The incumbent government should also give a fresh look at another commitment made in the National Common Minimum Programme which was to provide social security for the unorganised sector.
Workers in the unorganised sector have low earnings and poor working conditions, and lack social security protection. There is a need for social security programmes, particularly for neutralising some of the negative consequences of economic liberalisation. Meanwhile, the present government has increased the retirement age of the poor working class people to 60 year from 57. Still, the state has a role in helping the poor in times of insecurity and in ensuring minimum security for those unable to gain from the post-liberalisation economic growth process. The term social security in the developing countries is used in a much broader sense than in the developed countries.
Dr. Amartya Sen and Jean Dreze distinguish between two different aspects of social security -- protection and promotion. The protective-type programmes such as old age pension, widow pension, and survivor benefits provide a certain degree of support to persons facing specified adverse contingencies. Bangladesh has so far relied on promotional measures such as self-employment and wage employment programmes, general health, and education.
There is, however, overlapping between the two measures. For example, the National Employment Scheme, which is one of the biggest social security programmes for unorganised workers, can come under promotional as well as protective measures.
The Employment Scheme is considered to be one of the important components of social security for unskilled workers. Apart from this, we. need protective-type social security such as old-age pension, maternity benefits, and health benefits. Also, the conditions of workers in terms of number of hours and provision of minimum wages need attention. It should be an important concern of public policy to ensure that a certain minimum measure of social security in the unorganised sector is ensured.
Gopal Sengupta
McGill University, Canada
gopal.sengupta@mail.mcgill.ca
Workers in the unorganised sector have low earnings and poor working conditions, and lack social security protection. There is a need for social security programmes, particularly for neutralising some of the negative consequences of economic liberalisation. Meanwhile, the present government has increased the retirement age of the poor working class people to 60 year from 57. Still, the state has a role in helping the poor in times of insecurity and in ensuring minimum security for those unable to gain from the post-liberalisation economic growth process. The term social security in the developing countries is used in a much broader sense than in the developed countries.
Dr. Amartya Sen and Jean Dreze distinguish between two different aspects of social security -- protection and promotion. The protective-type programmes such as old age pension, widow pension, and survivor benefits provide a certain degree of support to persons facing specified adverse contingencies. Bangladesh has so far relied on promotional measures such as self-employment and wage employment programmes, general health, and education.
There is, however, overlapping between the two measures. For example, the National Employment Scheme, which is one of the biggest social security programmes for unorganised workers, can come under promotional as well as protective measures.
The Employment Scheme is considered to be one of the important components of social security for unskilled workers. Apart from this, we. need protective-type social security such as old-age pension, maternity benefits, and health benefits. Also, the conditions of workers in terms of number of hours and provision of minimum wages need attention. It should be an important concern of public policy to ensure that a certain minimum measure of social security in the unorganised sector is ensured.
Gopal Sengupta
McGill University, Canada
gopal.sengupta@mail.mcgill.ca