Every person has the right to live in dignity. For this reason, ensuring access to social protection for all people is essential. This week, the EU went one step further in this process. On the 13th of March, the European Commission released its Social Fairness Package. The Package includes, among other measures, an initiative to increase access to social protection, especially among groups who are insufficiently covered such as EU mobile citizens, or people employed under non-standard contracts.
Social protection is a crucial pathway towards more inclusion into society. However, when it comes to the most vulnerable ones such as homeless people, unemployed persons or migrants, their inability to claim and enjoy social rights often results in lack of access to social protection and brings exclusion and deprivation as result.
The announcement of the Social Fairness Package is welcomed and fulfills a basic right. However, how will it reach the people who can benefit most from it? How can we break the wall between the EU level and the people who are not aware of their rights, do not have the tools to claim them or do not know what is going on at the European level?
Wondering that, I thought about our members. I thought about the amazing work they are doing on the ground every day to promote through implementation, social rights, helping people access to social protection, and empowering the most excluded ones towards their full inclusion in our societies. Seeing their work gives me hope that a strong connection between the EU and reality on the ground is possible. Let’s ensure that such social channels can continue translating EU initiatives into positive social change in a meaningful way.
Have a nice weekend,
Celimene