Honouring Michael Cichon and inspiring the next generation: Reflections from the 10 December Award Ceremony

On 10 December 2025 — International Human Rights Day — UNU-MERIT hosted the inaugural Michael Cichon Graduate Award for Theses in Social Protection and Public Policy. The award honours the life and legacy of Dr Michael Cichon (1953–2022), an international civil servant in the best sense of the word, a teacher and mentor, a visionary thinker on universal social protection, and a global champion of social justice. This award is not only a tribute to Michael’s extraordinary professional achievements, but also a call to action — especially for young scholars — to carry forward his vision.

Michael Cichon believed deeply in the power of knowledge, and even more in the responsibility that comes with it, and he walked the walk. Throughout his career at the International Labour Organisation (ILO), at the University of Maastricht and beyond, Michael combined rigorous analysis with moral clarity. He demonstrated that social protection is a human right, not a privilege, and that it is both economically feasible and politically achievable — even in countries with limited resources, as one of the building blocks of social justice.  

Michael is best known as one of the main architects of the concept of social protection floors, which guarantee at least a basic level of social security for everyone as the “ground floor” of national social security systems. The ILO Social Protection Floors Recommendation (No. 202), adopted virtually unanimously by governments, workers and employers at the International Labour Conference in 2012, marked a turning point and contributed to a significant increase in social protection coverage, yet even there is still much to do to achieve the objective of universal social protection.

While being convinced about the important normative role of international security standards, one also understands that standards alone do not change the world. What matters is how ideas are taken up, tested, adapted and implemented — often by young professionals working in ministries, social security institutions, research centres and international organisations. This is where the Michael Cichon Graduate Award plays a vital role, recognising academic excellence and real-world impact, and encouraging students to engage with real policy questions, push analytical boundaries, and keep equity and universality at the centre of their work.  

Michael Cichon’s Legacy as a Guide for Young Scholars

Michael’s professional legacy offers valuable lessons for students and early-career researchers who want their work to make a difference.

• Pursuing research with a purpose: The true measure of success of research is not the number of scholarly publications or titles, but the positive change it helps create in the world. While intellectual rigour is important in research design, randomised controlled trials should not compromise people’s rights and dignity, and sophisticated econometric models should remain rooted in common sense.  
• Making the quest for universal social protection economically and politically understandable: Michael translated moral imperatives into practical, cost-effective policy options that speak to policymakers. His work on social budget techniques and actuarial modelling demystified affordability and exposed the fallacy that low-income countries could not “afford” social protection. His work demonstrated that social protection is not a luxury but a driver of inclusive growth, social cohesion, and democracy. He also believed that social protection is not confined to any one discipline: researchers need to cross boundaries, blending actuarial science with public health, international law with fiscal analysis, labour economics with behavioural science, and social policy with big data analytics. Such interdisciplinarity is essential for designing social protection systems that are inclusive, gender-responsive, and resilient.
• Challenging myths with evidence and a clear narrative: Michael taught students and practitioners that ideas matter, but evidence communicated with clarity matters even more. Young researchers should not remain in an academic ivory tower – they should step into the public arena—writing, speaking, informing policy debates, and be ready to encounter and dismantle myths with the same rigour and endurance Michael exemplified.
• Building coalitions for change: Policy change requires alliances. As Michael demonstrated, it takes partnerships with governments, workers’ and employer organisations, civil society, and international agencies at all levels. Young scholars should learn not only to analyse systems, but also to build relationships, mobilise support, and help create political space for reform.
• Keeping empathy at the centre: Perhaps most importantly, Michael’s legacy reminds us that technical excellence is not enough. Social protection is ultimately about people—their security, dignity, and life chances. Young scholars must remain grounded in this humanity, ensuring that their work advances justice, not just efficiency.

Carrying the Legacy Forward

Those who knew Michael remember not only his brilliant mind, but also his warmth, generosity and deep commitment to human values. He inspired a sense of shared purpose — and a sense of responsibility. The Michael Cichon Graduate Award reflects that spirit. It recognises outstanding student research, but it also encourages young scholars to “walk the talk”: to combine rigorous analysis with empathy, courage and a commitment to social justice.

Michael’s vision of a world where social protection is a reality for all remains unfinished. Carrying it forward is our shared task — in research, teaching, policy and practice. And that, perhaps, is the most fitting tribute of all.

This contribution is a shortened version of the keynote speech by Christina Behrendt, Head of the Social Policy Unit of the International Labour Organisation’s Universal Social Protection Department.