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Young children attending class at a primary school in Kenya

Topic portal

Social protection

Children attending a school in Kenya © Marcel Crozet / ILO

Social protection, or social security, provides benefits to individuals on the basis of risks faced across the life cycle (e.g., unemployment, disability, maternity, etc.) and to those suffering general poverty and social exclusion. Social protection schemes can be financed through contributions from wages (social insurance) or through general taxation (social assistance). 

Since the turn of the last century, social protection programmes have continued to grow in every region of the world, and their function in stabilizing the economy and protecting vulnerable groups has been repeatedly demonstrated, including during recent global crises. While their benefits are widely accepted, additional investments are still needed to increase coverage of social protection schemes globally, in particular in lower-income countries.

The 9 branches of social security

Key figures

Only 46.9% of people

have access to some form of social protection benefit.

More than US$1.50

is created for every US$1 invested in social protection.

Just 3.3% of annual GDP

is needed to establish national social protection floors in developing countries.

Emerging issues

Migrants and the forcibly displaced
Afghanistan workers

Target groups

Migrants and the forcibly displaced

Social protection and climate change
Agriculture project in Tunisia

Climate crisis

Social protection and climate change

Featured publications

World Social Protection Report 2020-22
A woman holding up a baby

Flagship publication

World Social Protection Report 2020-22

Zambia: Actuarial analysis of the National Health Insurance Scheme and costing of coverage extension to cash transfer beneficiaries

Actuarial review

Zambia: Actuarial analysis of the National Health Insurance Scheme and costing of coverage extension to cash transfer beneficiaries

Fiscal Space for Social Protection in Timor-Leste

Policy paper

Fiscal Space for Social Protection in Timor-Leste

Extending social protection during times of crisis: The data revolution

Working paper

Extending social protection during times of crisis: The data revolution

International labour standards on social security

Image
Statistical analysis by Asian young workers
Social protection statistics

Social protection statistics

The latest data from the ILO's Social Protection Platform

Partnerships

News and articles

ILO and partners promote social protection for a just transition in China
International Seminar “Social protection responsive to climate change in China”

ILO and partners promote social protection for a just transition in China

ILO, DICT, and Japan launch first Digital Transformation Centre in Luzon
training at the digital hub

Enterprise digitalization

ILO, DICT, and Japan launch first Digital Transformation Centre in Luzon