Migrants have the right to collect their pensions in their country of residence, guaranteeing the continuity of benefits acquired after years of contributions. However, for these pensions to be properly paid, it is essential that social security institutions periodically verify that the beneficiary is still alive.
Quality-centred service delivery leveraged by digitalization now prioritises personalized, responsive services that empower individuals. This analysis article demonstrates how institutions in Europe have implemented digital service approaches aligned with the ISSA Guidelines on Service Quality to focus on providing quality and inclusive services that are user-centred and provide value to members.
A new report examines the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in social security, and the factors that can help social security institutions harness AI. The report is the result of close collaboration between the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the United Nations
Institutions support people in life transitions by “connecting the dots” of various social security and social services through systematic data exchange. The implementation of new mechanisms of data coordination has already proven instrumental for improving social security services and benefits, better reaching the population in need and, most importantly, facilitating tailored support to people during key moments of their life.
The International Social Security Association (ISSA) has recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), organized a meeting of the Focal Point for Portuguese-speaking Countries and participated in a CPLP ministerial meeting in Portugal.
Interview with Alexander Burz, Deputy Director General, Federation of Social Insurances (Dachverband der Österreichischen Sozialversicherungsträger) of Austria, after winning the ISSA Special Distinction for Innovation for Europe.
Error, Evasion and Fraud in Social Security Systems
Service Quality
Information and Communication Technology
The first ever ISSA Special Distinction for Innovation for Europe has been awarded to the Federation of Social Insurances (Dachverband der Österreichischen Sozialversicherungsträger) in Austria for going totally digital with e-prescriptions.
Social security institutions from around the world gathered in Bali, Indonesia for the 17th International Conference on Information and Communication Technology in Social Security (ICT 2024). The presentations and discussions confirmed the key role of data for innovation and development in social
The Liaison Office for North Africa and the Liaison Office for Arab Countries came together to organize a technical seminar on social security reforms, which resulted in rich discussions and exchanges of experiences between member institutions covered by these offices.
The International Social Security Association’s (ISSA) Liaison Office for West Africa has been transferred to Ghana. The opening ceremony was accompanied by a technical seminar on digitalization to extend social security coverage.
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.
The International Social Security Association (ISSA) has celebrated the opening of its Liaison Office for East Africa in Kampala, Uganda. A technical seminar on digitization and innovation to extend coverage was organized at the same time.
Continuity and Resilience of Social Security Services and Systems
The first ever Special Distinction for Innovation in the Good Practice Award for the Americas competition was awarded to the Salvadoran Social Security Institute (Instituto Salvadoreño del Seguro Social – ISSS) for the good practice “Dr ISSS online: A new telemedicine care model”.
DATAPREV – Social Security Information and Technology Enterprise from Brazil has been awarded the Good Practice Award for the Americas 2023 for its “Emergency Aid” during the COVID-19 pandemic, which reached 118 million people.
In connection with the Regional Social Security Forum for the Americas, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) has published a report on how social security is developing in the region. Digitalization, resilience and a life-course approach to social security are some key elements.
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.
Human Resource Management in Social Security Administration
There is no single strategy towards digital transformation in social security institutions. This article shows how, through different approaches, institutions in the Americas have been able to move from an initial digitization of processes and services to a broader and more agile strategy of digital transformation, breaking paradigms and operating models.
Europe as a region is characterized as having achieved comprehensive social security coverage, yet still faces challenges in ensuring access to social security and preventing the non-take-up of benefits. This article presents a synthesis of discussions held during a technical seminar organized with the ISSA European Network (IEN).
Social security systems are increasingly interconnected – across different agencies within the sector, with organizations in other sectors and with systems in other countries. Furthermore, in complex environments, even within the same institution, different organizational units are becoming progressively specialized, autonomous, or geographically focused. As a result, the strategic and operational activities in which social security institutions are engaged often require the involvement and coordination of multiple actors working at different levels to achieve effective results.
The National Social Insurance Fund for Employees (Caisse nationale des assurances sociales des travailleurs salaries – CNAS) of Algeria has won the first ever ISSA Special Distinction for Innovation, as part of the Good Practice Award for Africa competition.
Continuity and Resilience of Social Security Services and Systems
As social security institutions expand digital services, they are gearing up towards customer-centric design and agile methodologies for people-oriented service delivery. This articles introduces recent practices, highlights the importance of design-thinking and agile approaches and points to barriers and facilitating factors.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making rapid inroads into the public sector as agencies pursue greater efficiency, greater quality and more personalized services for their customers. Social security institutions are no exception. While the applications of AI are varied – each with its own far-reaching implications – “conversational AI” or “chatbots” have been leading the way in terms of AI adoption by government agencies.
Digital technologies are fundamentally transforming how public services are designed and delivered. This article zooms in on the implementation of digital inclusion strategies among European ISSA member institutions.
Human Resource Management in Social Security Administration
While social security administrations have gradually pursued digital strategies over the past decades, the COVID-19 crisis accelerated their digital transformation journey. The resilience and scalability of digital systems in responding to unprecedented needs despite operational constraints has dramatically moved the needle on organizations going “digital by default”. This article builds on the experiences of social security institutions in Europe.
The Technical Commission on Information and Communication Technology (TC ICT) has focussed on the accelerated digital transformation of social security institutions between 2020 and 2022, and the ICT 2022 Conference was a highlight during the triennium.
As social security systems and their delivery are increasingly dependent on information and communication technology (ICT), digital operational resilience is fundamental to any social security organization.
As digital services become increasingly important in social security delivery, the aspect of digital inclusion is fundamental for equitable access to services. Together with the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV), the International Social
Error, Evasion and Fraud in Social Security Systems
Information and Communication Technology
Fraud has become a major threat for health care systems globally. While social security institutions constantly aim for the optimization of processes with the help of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and monitor fraud more effectively and efficiently, adopting such emerging technologies poses important challenges.
In recent years, coordinating service delivery has emerged as an important strategic priority for social security institutions and members of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) have made impressive gains in service quality enabled through information and communication technologies (ICTs). This article builds on good practices of ISSA members from Asia and the Pacific.
From 4 to 6 May 2022, CEOs and ICT experts gathered in Tallinn, Estonia to study and discuss how digitalization can shape an adaptable and people-centric social security. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation, and this was a welcome opportunity to finally be able to meet