Senior woman leaning in her walking stick
Published:
14 March 2024
Type:

Analysis

Region:
Americas
Topic:
Long-term care

In the Americas, diverse long-term care (LTC) systems reflect varying regional needs and capabilities. This article examines LTC systems in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica and Uruguay providing a detailed description of health and social care services available to their aging populations.

Conceptual symbol of multiracial human hands making a circle on white background with a copy space in the middle.
Published:
26 February 2024
Type:

Analysis

Region:
Africa
Topic:
Extension of coverage
Awareness and information
Guideline:
Administrative Solutions for Coverage Extension

While Africa is the region with the lowest formal social security coverage rates, socio-economic security also relies on African kinship and community support systems and mechanisms that play an important role in the protection of people faced with the contingencies of life.

A woman owning a flower workshop is doing an inventory of the goods.
Published:
9 February 2024
Type:

Analysis

Region:
Europe
Topic:
Extension of coverage
Difficult-to-cover groups
Digital economy
Labour protection
Guideline:
Administrative Solutions for Coverage Extension

The lack of social security coverage for the self-employed has recently attracted significant attention in Europe. Changes in the world of work, including the rising prevalence of platform work, have led to an increasing number of self-employed workers with lower incomes. These trends, together with the COVID-19 pandemic, have shed light on the historically insufficient protection for the self-employed across the region.

Pleading empty hands from above on dry parched ground
Published:
12 December 2023
Type:

Analysis

Region:
Africa
Topic:
Prevention of occupational risks
Extension of coverage
Environment and climate change

Increasingly, climate change and environmental protection are taking centre stage in the global discourse on social security. This is mainly due to the key role social security benefits and services play in mitigating the negative socio-economic impacts of climate change on individuals and families, as well as the growing strains on social security systems due to the evolving  nature of climate related risks. 

Quality Certificate assignment
Published:
16 November 2023
Type:

Analysis

Region:
Americas
Topic:
Customer-centric
Multi-channel
Quality assessment
Guideline:
Service Quality

Quality of service has been a constant commitment of social security institutions, knowing that user satisfaction shapes citizens' perception, experience and trust in public services. This article shows how institutions have implemented approaches outlined in the ISSA Guidelines on Service Quality and highlights the importance of providing quality services that are user-centred to generate greater value for members.

Published:
2 November 2023
Type:

Analysis

Region:
Europe
Topic:
Extension of coverage
Digital economy
Labour protection

In Europe, as globally, platform work remains a growing phenomenon. This article explores how recent developments in Europe affect platform workers’ rights and access to social security. In particular, it considers recent steps toward the appropriate classification of certain workers, changes in working conditions, and the extension of new rights and responsibilities.

Old woman counting coins from her wallet
Published:
19 October 2023
Type:

Analysis

Region:
Americas
Topic:
Old-age pensions
Extension of coverage
Population ageing

Ensuring adequate social security coverage for an ageing population is an important priority for governments and the global membership of the International Social Security Association (ISSA). Social pensions, also known as zero pillar or non-contributory pensions, complement contributory social insurance systems by providing a guaranteed source of income for people not adequately protected by other forms of social security. In doing so, they expand overall social protection and can be a powerful tool for combating old-age poverty, promoting social inclusion, and mitigating the impacts of labour market inequalities.

Omnichannel marketing concept
Published:
12 October 2023
Type:

Analysis

Region:
Americas
Topic:
Technological transition
Communication
Multi-channel
Continuity and resilience
Guideline:
Good Governance
Service Quality
Information and Communication Technology
Communication by Social Security Administrations

Communication plays an essential role in social security institutions so that members and beneficiaries have access to the information necessary to exercise their rights and fulfil their obligations through the services provided, as well as developing a social security culture. This article presents experiences of multi-channel communication strategies implemented by social security institutions in the Americas, which strengthened existing communication channels and developed new digital channels.

Courier delivering food with thermal backpack
Published:
25 August 2023
Type:

Analysis

Region:
Americas
Topic:
Extension of coverage
Digital economy
Labour protection

A sizeable portion of the work force in the Americas engages in the platform economy, whether as a main or supplementary source of income. This article presents reforms and developments in the region that already have had, or that may have, an impact on the employment status and social protection of platform workers.

Resilience business for sustainable and inclusive growth concept
Published:
10 August 2023
Type:

Analysis

Region:
Americas
Topic:
Health insurance
E-services
Technological transition
Service quality
Continuity and resilience
COVID-19
Guideline:
Continuity and Resilience of Social Security Services and Systems

Institutional resilience and the need to maintain operational continuity are concepts widely recognised in social security as the main indispensable characteristics for providing services to the population in the event of natural disasters or unforeseen catastrophic events. This has manifested itself over the years in efforts to strengthen processes, infrastructure and the resources that institutions have available to cope with different crises.