The role of social protection in combating the financial crisis - Working for Equity in Health report

"The Pan-European macro-drivers: Work, worklessness, social protection and health inequalities" report shows that governments should promote and invest in social protection measures (eg Active Lavour Market programmes or active inclusion). These would support both healthy people and a healthy labour market.

The overall objective of the report is to help decision makers to think differently about the role of social protection systems in a period of crisis.

The report clearly shows that:

• People living in poverty and low skilled workers have been most affected in terms of health and their economic situation by the financial crisis and government policy responses.

• Austerity policies have had severe health effects in a variety of countries. However, monitoring is too low across Europe for the moment (Briefing notes - The economic crisis & EPHA fact & figures on the impact of the financial crisis on health)

• Member States and regions experience the crisis very differently, which puts EU social cohesion at risk (EPHA briefing: the future EU Cohesion policy and health)

• There is strong evidence that participating in Active Labour Market Programmes (ALMPs) helps mitigates risks by improving resilience and the likelihood of job reintegration

• In the context of austerity, ALMPs offers strong public-investment value both for protecting public health and readying the economy for recovery.

 The Pan-European macro-drivers: Work, worklessness, social protection and health inequalities" report