The World Social Security Forum will involve up to 1400 participants from more than 120 countries, and will discuss how social security systems – which provide protection to hundreds of millions of people worldwide through schemes including pensions, health care, unemployment and sickness insurance – can secure their future sustainability and extend coverage in a context of unprecedented social change and economic upheaval.

The World Forum is organized by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and is hosted by the Department of Social Development of the Republic of South Africa.

Among other highlights, the Forum programme includes:

• Presentation of the Developments and Trends Global Report 2010: Dynamic Social Security: Securing social stability and economic development .
• Debates on good governance and management of social security institutions.
• Analysis of the impact of demographic changes on the sustainability of social security schemes.
• Strategies to extend social security coverage to unprotected populations, including informal workers, migrants and rural communities.
• The World Social Security Summit with policy-makers and representatives of international organizations, including the Organisation for Economic Development and Co-operation and the International Labour Office, to debate future priorities for social security.

During the Forum, representatives of the more than 340 member institutions of the ISSA will elect a new President, Treasurer and members of the statutory bodies of the Association.