The right of access to social security as an element of the right to an adequate standard of living in South Africa

Abstract

Social security has been in practice globally for years. The human rights movement which was created after the end of the Second World War, created consensus in the international community that basic social amenities are indispensable for human development. The United Nations recognises that all rights are interrelated, and that the realisation of one of these rights could contribute towards the full realisation of other rights. Therefore, social security contributes directly to the full realisation of the right to an adequate standard of living. The concept of social protection is an international practice used to address national socio-economic issues. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has defined the concept of universal social protection to include adequate cash transfers for all who need it. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) recognises the right to social security and the right to an adequate standard of living as fundamental human rights.