Social protection of vulnerability throughout the human life cycle in the context of expanding human development opportunities

This article analyses the impact on human development indicators of the implementation of a key principle of social protection – extending it across the entire human life cycle. The author assesses the level of human development (according to the UN concept) not only by income but also by opportunities for choice: to fulfil one’s potential in education, career and society, as well as to live a long and healthy life. In this context, social protection is proposed to be viewed as a social institution for creating an environment for self-fulfilment: access to healthcare, education, social services and retraining. In today’s reality, the social protection system is under significant strain, while humanitarian, economic and social crises is unfolding at the level of human development. This article examines the impact of social protection on human development, based on the principle of supporting individuals throughout their lives. The author expands upon the principles of the social economy, particularly regarding the relationship between human development and the degree of maturity of the social protection system, as well as its compliance with the principle of supporting the population throughout their lives. The study employed general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, generalisation, classification, systems analysis and analysis of scientific literature. The article presents a view on the compliance of the national social protection system with the principle of support, which extends across the entire human life cycle in terms of both its structure and the range of services, which are aimed at all age groups of the population and meet their needs throughout lives. The forms of social protection vary for different segments of the population and are aimed at protecting the rights and interests of children, young people, working-age citizens and the elderly. In light of the growing opportunities for human development, social protection is viewed as an important resource for human capabilities, and at the national level, expenditure on social protection is regarded as an investment in human capital, the quality of which, in modern conditions, determines the level of a state’s development and the quality of life of its citizens.