Languages: English and French

The ISSA European Network (IEN) is organizing a Technical Seminar: Social security and human rights – Ensuring access and combatting the non-take-up of social benefits, from 8 to 9 June 2023 in Luxembourg, in collaboration with the Luxembourg Association of Social Security Institutions (Association luxembourgeoise des organismes de sécurité sociale – ALOSS), the Ministry of Social Security and the Permanent Mission of Luxembourg to the United Nations Office, the World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva.

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security. It is on the basis of this article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and taking advantage of the work of the United Nations Human Rights Council that the IEN is organising its first Technical Seminar of the triennium.

Despite a comprehensive social security coverage in most European countries, access barriers and the non-take-up of social benefits remain important challenges. Ensuring full and universal access to protection is therefore a major concern for social security institutions in all countries and across all branches.

The Technical Seminar will be structured around three pillars: Human rights, ensuring access and combatting the non-take-up of social benefits. After an overview of the fundamental importance of social security as a human right and of the main challenges regarding access and non-take-up, good practices and lessons learnt in different European countries will be presented.

Starting with a focus on transformation and automation of processes, the agenda will then turn to the aspects of service provision and digital inclusion, and finally to the issues of communication and awareness raising, including measures against stigmatisation. Special attention will also be paid to ensuring access for people with special needs. Based on the presentations, participants will have the opportunity to further reflect together on the way forward as part of discussions.

The IEN Technical Seminar will be held in English and French with simultaneous interpretation. It is open to ISSA member organizations from the European region without registration fee and invited participants.