The International Social Security Association (ISSA) surveyed its member institutions between February and April 2009 to collect information and data on how social security schemes are affected by, and responding to, the global financial and economic crisis.

Responses to the survey were received from 47 social security institutions1, the majority of which are ISSA members. The institutions, from all regions of the world, are responsible for public social security systems covering tens of millions of people in one or more of the following branches: Old age pensions; Disability; Survivorship; Family benefits; Work injury and compensation; Unemployment; Sickness and Maternity insurance.

The questionnaire sought information about the overall impact of the crisis, the policy responses that have been adopted to reduce the social impacts of the crisis and restore confidence in public social security programmes, the management of social security funds and the impact on pension and unemployment programmes.

This document provides a summary of the preliminary findings of the survey as provided by the respondents. The results represent the responses of individual social security institutions in 43 countries. Due to the specific mandates and coverage of these institutions, the results should not be viewed as national results. The full responses of individual institutions will not be published due to the confidential nature of some data.

The overall results brush a broad picture of the impact, the challenges and the responses of diverse social security institutions in all parts of the world and point to several main conclusions. The survey also provides insight into the effects of the current situation, policy approaches and lessons learned, and invaluable knowledge for social security administrators and policy-makers.

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