100 years of International Labour Organization. Rights-based social protection in Poland

Abstract

Referring to the centenary of the International Labour Organization, and beginning with the assessment of the current state of social security in the world, the article analyses rights-based social protection on the example of Poland.  Although social security is a basic human right, half of the world population still has no access to any social protection. ILO is working a lot to improve this. International standards of ILO, Council of Europe and European Union (EU) play important role in the development of comprehensive and rights-based social protection around the world. However, mechanisms to enforce these rights need to be strengthened. After the political  transformation in 1990s, Poland joined international organisations, including the Council of Europe, the EU, and adopted their considerable acquis. Poland is developing rights-based social protection, including the introduction of non-contributory schemes that provide protection where contributory schemes left a gap. Further challenges are to provide adequate protection  for atypical forms of work and to ensure a minimum level of old-age security in the future.