ILO Applauds Seville Financing Pact Pledging Boost to Global Social Protection

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has hailed the outcome of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), held from 30 June to 3 July 2025 in Seville, Spain, as a landmark step toward strengthening social protection and financing social development worldwide. The conference concluded with the adoption of the Compromiso de Sevilla, a consensus document that sets a clear benchmark for countries to expand social protection coverage by at least two percentage points per year, especially in developing nations.

The Seville summit brought together global policymakers, financial institutions, multilateral organizations, and civil society actors to discuss ways to mobilize resources for sustainable development. With 3.8 billion people worldwide still lacking basic social protection, the ILO welcomed the agreement’s strong emphasis on universal coverage, fiscal transparency, and employment-driven growth.

“The Compromiso de Sevilla reaffirms the importance of multilateralism and a sustaining international framework with a clear, pragmatic benchmark,” said ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo. “The real test now lies in implementation—with national ownership, institutional capacity, and international solidarity.”

Key Social Protection Commitments

The Compromiso de Sevilla urges all nations to integrate social protection financing into country-led development strategies, in line with ILO recommendations and international standards. It commits to supporting developing countries that aim to increase social protection coverage, with a benchmark of at least two percentage points annually. This target aims to close the gap for billions of people left unprotected by current systems.

The agreement also recognizes the need for inclusive and equitable social protection systems that address the needs of youth, persons with disabilities, migrants, and informal workers, ensuring no one is left behind.

To catalyze progress, the ILO, together with the Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection (USP2030), launched the Sevilla Platform for Action. This initiative will assist countries in:

• Mobilizing domestic and international resources

• Prioritizing public investment in social protection

• Designing inclusive policies and building administrative capacity

Support for MSMEs, Cooperatives, and the Care Economy

Beyond social protection, the Compromiso de Sevilla delivers several other wins aligned with the ILO’s broader mandate. It recognizes the critical role of micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives, and the social and solidarity economy as engines of decent work and inclusive growth.

Governments and financial institutions are called on to expand targeted financing, technical assistance, and policy support to these sectors—particularly to improve resilience, productivity, and formalization.

The outcome document also promotes:

• Youth employment strategies, to address soaring joblessness among younger populations

• Investment in the care economy, to create jobs while improving care infrastructure

• Formalization of informal work, a key driver of stability and social justice in many economies

These provisions reflect the ILO’s integrated approach to social justice, which links decent work to broader sustainable development goals.

ILO’s Pivotal Role in Shaping the Seville Agenda

The ILO played an instrumental role throughout the conference. It moderated the multistakeholder roundtable on mobilizing and aligning domestic public resources, guiding discussions on tax justice, fiscal transparency, and inclusive public finance—critical components in financing long-term social protection systems.

The organization also co-hosted a high-level special event alongside Spain, Qatar, and the United Nations, reinforcing global resolve to finance social development. This session helped lay the groundwork for the Second World Summit for Social Development, scheduled to take place in Doha, Qatar, in November 2025.

“Beyond economic efficiency, what is at stake is the credibility of our promise to leave no one behind,” emphasized Houngbo.

The Road Ahead: From Commitment to Implementation

While the Compromiso de Sevilla marks a pivotal shift in international consensus, the ILO and its partners underscore that real change will depend on implementation. Governments must translate these commitments into concrete national policies, backed by fiscal reforms, capacity building, and inclusive planning.

The ILO will continue to provide technical support, policy guidance, and global advocacy to ensure these goals are realized, particularly in countries where social protection coverage remains lowest. With the launch of the Sevilla Platform for Action, the ILO is now positioned to drive coordinated global efforts toward achieving universal social protection by 2030.