Concluding Observations It is widely recognized that social protection interventions do not work in isolation; they must be developed within a broader policy framework, integrating different protective initiatives and ensuring access to essential social services and a favourable economic environment. Social protection programmes are not a panacea to address and ameliorate the variety of difficulties faced by minorities. The reality that social protection programmes benefit minorities should not be approached as a positive collateral effect, for it is merely a reflection of the overrepresentation of minorities among those living in poverty. Rather, social protection programmes should be specifically aimed at benefiting minorities from the earliest stage, by incorporating human rights principles in to the design, implementation and monitoring of the programmes. This presentation provides concrete recommendations on the core elements of a rights-based social protection system. The adoption of a human rights approach to social protection not only responds to international obligations and commitments but also improves the effectiveness of these strategies and aligns them with the holistic perspective required to tackle the various dimensions of poverty. Human rights standards do not only add legitimacy to social protection programmes - as they refer to a universally accepted set of norms and values - but they also provide several other advantages to the implementation the programmes. While a rights-based approach to social protection may sometime increase the cost of programs, they also provide advantages in regard to the effectiveness and sustainability of the programmes. Human rights standards may also assist in building social consensus and mobilizing durable political commitments at the national, regional and international levels. It may also assist in pressuring governments to mobilize domestic and international resources for the social protection programs.