Migrant Social Protection in a ‘human rights based’ experience. Overview and the Emergency Family Income during the Covid-19 pandemic in Argentina

GARCÍA, LILA

IBEROAMERICANA. Nordic Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Stokholm University

Año: 2024

The human right to migrate, paired with the equal access to rights (which include social security) are both central for migrants and refugees in the current Argentine legal framework; moreover, domestic social policies are adopted from the so-called ‘human rights-based approach’. However, migrants and refugees still come across barriers when accessing social protections by means of direct or indirect measures (Roemer et al. 2021). Thus, this contribution (based on documentary research and interviews made during 2020 and 2021) aims, in firstly, to show the way such measures are executed in the main non-contributory social security programs still in force in Argentina, so identifying different residence requirements imposed on foreigners and even naturalized individuals that challenge said (legal) equal access. Secondly, it systematizes requisites and identifies obstacles in accessing the most significant program provided by the Argentine government during the COVID 19 pandemic: the Emergency Family Income (IFE). To what extent migrants and refugees were included in the program? Did the IFE follow a pattern of exclusion similar to other social security programs or an exceptional situation such as the pandemic allowed a universal access? Only legal permanent migrants were included, but the Judiciary ruled in favor of women with no legal or permanent residence.