First published in 1948, the International Social Security Review is the principal international quarterly publication in the field of social security.

Articles by leading social security experts around the world present international comparisons and in-depth discussions of topical questions as well as studies of social security systems in different countries, and there is a regular, comprehensive round-up of all the latest publications in its field.

The International Social Security Review is also available in French, Spanish or German.

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International Social Security Review Editorial Board

Current issue: Article abstracts

Volume 63 Issue 1 (January/March 2010)

 
The redistributive effect of public and private social programmes: A cross-country empirical analysis (pp. 1 - 19)

Kees Goudswaard, Koen Caminada

A function of many national social protection systems is to substantially redistribute income. However, the size and nature of social protection programmes are changing. In a number of countries there has been a shift from public towards private social protection arrangements, with the latter substituting for, or complementing, public programmes. Developing earlier work, this present article analyses the redistributive impact on income of public versus private social protection programmes. Using recent data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, we find a strong positive relationship between public social expenditures and income redistribution across countries. For private social expenditures, we find a weak, but statistically significant, negative relationship with the level of redistribution. In countries where a larger share of total social expenditure is accorded to private arrangements there is less income redistribution. We conclude that the choice between the relative weight of public and private provision of social protection affects the redistributive impact of the welfare state.

 
The public pension system in Taiwan: Equity issues within and between systems (pp. 21 - 36)

Ai Ju Shao

This article analyses the challenges facing the New Public Service Pension Fund System in Taiwan, China. After less than two decades of operation, this young system is facing financial imbalance and is embroiled in controversy regarding the generosity of its benefits provisions. The article first introduces Taiwan's different systems for old-age security, with a focus on that for general public-sector employees. It then addresses the financial challenges facing the general public-sector pension system, including the rising cost of its benefits for all taxpayers. Finally, a number of possible reform directions are suggested, including lowering benefit levels, making qualifying criteria more stringent, or establishing a new system. With regards to the latter, any proposed new system must seek to satisfy the goal of longer-term financial soundness while realizing optimal fairness among all stakeholders including taxpayers.

 
The ratification of ILO Conventions and the provision of unemployment benefits: An empirical analysis (pp. 37 - 55)

Wonik Kim

This article tests the relationship between the ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions and the provision of unemployment benefits. Statistical tests focus on two related issues: why countries ratify ILO Conventions on unemployment benefits, and whether ratification influences government spending on unemployment benefits. The main findings are that democracy, region, income, and globalization are the main factors influencing why countries ratify ILO Conventions on unemployment benefits. In turn, the ratification of ILO Conventions is systematically associated with higher spending if countries have ratified more than two Conventions.

 
Social security coverage extension: A review of recent evidence (pp. 57 - 76)

Wouter van Ginneken

This article reports the findings of 13 studies undertaken as part of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) project on "Examining the existing knowledge on coverage extension". It reviews recent evidence that highlights how cash benefits and health-care coverage, financed on the basis of contributions or tax revenue or both, can be extended and maintained in low-, middle- and high-income countries. The article also highlights a number of priority areas and issues for coverage extension, including realizing improved protection for informal-economy and migrant workers.

 
Health care as a social security benefit: Institutional approaches to extending coverage (pp. 77 - 94)

Aviva Ron

Reaching universal health-care coverage requires an appropriate mix of compulsory contributory social insurance schemes, with mechanisms to include the informal-economy population, and tax-based social assistance for those whose incomes preclude their own contributions. This article urges a reversal of the trend that favours the separate development of social health insurance by separate health authorities and makes the case for the extension of health-care coverage using existing formal-sector social security schemes, not least because they have the necessary political backing and institutional structures. The article reviews reasons for the slow pace of coverage extension to date, and stresses the added value of incorporating health care as a social security benefit while also acknowledging the importance of retaining linkages between statutory and well-regulated community-based or micro health-insurance schemes.