Vulnerable groups: Notes for a legal and social concept

Abstract

The term «vulnerable groups» increasingly appears in political statements, official documents and legal texts. It is presented as a starting point for legislative action. However, a clear conceptualization of it has not been made yet. This paper analyzes the various international, European and national documents, in order to appraise the content of the concept and to determine how much it is being assimilated by law and can become an instrument of interpretation and application of legal rules. The article shows that such assimilation is actually taking place and that will become important in matters that concern the Labor and Social Security Law. Therefore, it also makes an assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of such a process and its future prospects.