A/HRC/50/38
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
19 April 2022
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Fiftieth session
13 June–8 July 2022
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Non-take-up of rights in the context of social protection
Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human
rights, Olivier De Schutter
Summary
Social protection is an investment that societies make to enhance resilience against
shocks, create an inclusive economy and achieve multiplier effects for the realization of
human rights. Despite its potential, however, social protection benefits often go unused even
though they are designed to protect individuals throughout their lives, a phenomenon known
as “non-take-up”. The phenomenon of non-take-up affects millions around the world. It
results in a waste of public resources and it significantly undermines the effectiveness of
social protection in reducing poverty and inequalities. Non-take-up and its intolerable
consequences can and must be addressed.
The Special Rapporteur urges all States to address non-take-up as an urgent policy
priority. Reducing non-take-up is within reach: it requires recasting social protection as a
human right rather than charity, coordinating actions to provide targeted information about
social protection measures, simplifying application procedures and involving those who
experience poverty in the design, monitoring and evaluation of social protection schemes.
GE.22-05757(E)