Since the early 1990s, ECLAC has been advocating a new development paradigm that is better suited to a globalized world of open economies. While retaining the Commission’s longstanding focus on seeking out positive synergies between economic growth and social equity as part of a productive modernization process, this paradigm also  underscores the importance of enhancing competitiveness, preserving macroeconomic balances and strengthening a participatory and inclusive democratic political system. The idea at the core of this proposal is that the Latin American and Caribbean economies will have to transform their production structures, as well asembarking upon an intensive process of human capital formation, in order to move their development process forward. The proposals put forward in this document are designed to build bridges between social rights and policy guidelines aimed at making them more enforceable through improved access, better financing and greater solidarity. To this end, the study devotes particular attention to some of the main issues relating to social protection, suchas the reform and design of health and pension systems, taking into consideration both labour market dynamics and the countries’ fiscal capacities. Programmes aimed at providing support to society’s poorest groups are also examined. The analyses offered here are thus intended to delineate some of the issues that should be encompassed by a new social covenant founded upon the right to social protection.