It’s the ambition of the global community to deliver social protection to all, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To deliver on this objective, the ISSA’s expertise and perspectives on social security management and administration is sought after more than ever before. That policy and implementation join hands at the international level is good news, and helps social security institutions in their discussions nationally.
A global voice
With 324 social security institutions from 163 countries in its membership, the ISSA is a valued voice and partner at the international level. The ISSA promotes excellence in social security administration and delivery, and highlights the role of contributory social security.
“Today, confronted with uncertainty, crises, rising inequalities and a persistent social protection coverage gap, we must redouble our efforts to ensure social security for all.”
ISSA Secretary General Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano speaking at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, 6 June 2023.
Highlights
International Labour Organization (ILO): The collaborationwith the Association’s closest and most important partner at the international level has been further pursued and enhanced. Further progress has in particular been made in the developmentof the joint ILO/ISSA actuarial services platform, in the field of data collection and exchange and as regards capacity-building activities. The ISSA also supported the ILO’s ratification campaignon social security conventions and recommendations.
The Group of Twenty – G20: ISSA is part of the G20 Employment Working Group and regularly participates in the G20 employment and labour ministers meetings. The ISSA was very active under the Indian Presidency of the G20 2023 by providing knowledge input through two reports on platform/gig workers and social security and social security financing. These reports were prepared jointly with the ILO and the OECD. Here is an overview of selected other key international and regional organizations and platforms that ISSA is involved with and where there have been important activities in the last year.
International platforms
Global Coalition for Social Justice: ISSA has signalled support for the Global Coalition for Social Justice, an initiative by the ILO to bring together key stakeholders to promote strong, sustainable and inclusive development, including promoting universal social protection.
USP2030: Universal Social Protection 2030 Global Alliance (USP2030) aims to ensure that all people have a minimum level of social protection by the beginning of the next decade, and the ISSA contributes with the administrative perspective in this alliance.
SPIAC-B: The Social Protection Inter-agency Cooperation Board (SPIAC-B) is a coordination body for agencies under the United Nations, other international organizations and bilateral partners. The ISSA is the voice of social security institutions on this boards.
BRICS: Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) are forging closer ties on social security. Together with the ILO, the ISSA host a Virtual Liaison Office on social security and contributes to the Employment Working Group and the Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting.
International organizations
ILO: The ILO is the ISSA’s closest partner at the international level, and this ever since ISSA was established under the aupices of the ILO in 1927. Together, we ensure a holistic approach to policy, implementation and delivery. ISSA supported the ILO’s ratification campaign on social security conventions and recommendations. OECD: ISSA has a close cooperation with the OECD and participates in the Working Groups on Social Policy and on Health. The OECD is also a regular contributor to ISSA webinars and events, including at the World Social Security Forum in October 2022.
WHO: The World Health Organization is a close partner and contributes to ISSA activities related to health, long-term care and rehabilitation, topics at the centre of the Association’s priorities. The ISSA is an active member of the WHO World Rehabilitation Alliance (WRA).
UNU-EGOV: In partnership with the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU‑EGOV), under the Nations University, the ISSA has put a spotlight and brought new knowledge on various aspects of digitalization in social security.
ITU: ISSA also works with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) for social security, and contributed to the World Summit on the Information Society Forum in March 2023.
Regional organizations
Africa: ISSA is forging closer ties with the African Union, which co-hosted the Summit at the Regional Social Security Forum for Africa in Côte d’Ivoire, in May 2023. The Summit brought together senior government representatives and regional organizations from the continent.
Americas: In the Americas, ISSA works closely with the Inter-American Social Security Conference (CISS), the Ibero-American Social Security Organization (OISS), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). A new collaborative partnership was also established with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Asia and the Pacific: ISSA has close contact with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the ASEAN Social Security Association (ASSA), and contributed to the ASSA High-level meeting in Bali, Indonesia, in July 2022.
Europe: A close dialogue has been established with the European Commission in recent years. In February 2023, the High-Level Group on the future of social protection and of the welfare state in the EU presented its report, and the ISSA contributed to the programme of the launch event.
Language communities: ISSA has strengthened its cooperation with the International Organisation of La Francophonie, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), which goes hand in hand with the ISSA Focal points for member institutions within these language communities.
