Study of the Current Level of Social Protection of the Population in Ukraine

Currently, the Ukrainian economy is in a crisis state, which leads to an increase in the importance and role of social security and protection in ensuring the welfare of the population of Ukraine. Social protection of the population is aimed at supporting the state character of certain categories of the population, which can be negatively affected by the state of market processes. That is, it involves primarily ensuring an appropriate level of the population, needs support by providing the state with financial assistance, creating social guarantees for the economically active population and creating acceptable working and living conditions by establishing social standards. The article explores theoretical approaches to the interpretation of the concept of "social protection", identifies the features of social protection of the population of Ukraine. The main directions of the social protection system and the financial mechanism for its implementation are considered. The dynamics of the consumer price index, the dynamics of changes in the cost of living, the dynamics of changes in the minimum wage, the dynamics of changes in the minimum old-age pension are analyzed. The study identified the main problems in the field of social protection of the population of Ukraine that require immediate solution: too high a level of state participation in the field of social protection and poor participation of the population in its functioning; inconsistency in the quality of services provided by healthcare, education, and culture institutions to the rapid increase in their cost; budget management of available financial resources by both the main managers and individual social institutions is inefficient; insufficient financing of measures in the field of social protection of the population. The solution of certain problems in the field of social protection of the population of Ukraine requires the implementation of a range of measures: the introduction of timely identification of persons in difficult life circumstances; improving the system of social services; the provision of benefits in the amount that is sufficient to ensure normal human life; assistance to retraining and advanced training of youth, prevention of negative manifestations in the youth environment; creation of legal and socio-economic conditions for the functioning and strengthening of the family, improving the demographic situation, ensuring equal rights and opportunities for men and women in Ukrainian society.