Advocating for universal social security: how to win hearts and minds

The purpose of the paper is to strengthen the arguments and strategies by all those who advocate for universal social security (or protection) whether it be in civil society, governmental, political or international organisations or other spaces.

In three chapters, the authors – Stephen Kidd, Holly Seglah and Gunnel Axelsson Nycander – discuss how advocacy for universal social security can be carried out in the most effective way: the words and arguments to use and who to approach.

One key point of the guidance is the benefit of using inclusive words to create a narrative based on rights rather than on charity. If for example, we emphasise the fact that we are all vulnerable and avoid ‘othering’ recipients of social security, the case for universality may be received more easily.

The paper is a collaboration between Development Pathways and Act Church of Sweden. Our last collaboration ‘Can a Leopard Change its Spots?’ can be accessed here.