Under Convention No. 183, all employed women, including those in atypical forms of dependent work, should be covered for pregnancy, child birth and their consequences. In particular, persons protected should be entitled to maternity benefits for a minimum period of 14 weeks (including six weeks of compulsory leave after...

The main aim of Convention No. 168 is twofold: the protection of unemployed persons through the provision of benefits in the form of periodical payments and through the promotion of employment. Convention No. 168 therefore recognises the value of linking social security to broader social and economic policies directed...

Convention No. 130 covers both the contingency of medical care benefits and cash sickness benefit reflecting the trend to establish comprehensive health insurance systems. All employees, including apprentices, or at least 75 per cent of the whole economically active population, or all residents whose means do not exceed certain...

Reflecting the trend to find all three long-term benefits (i.e. invalidity, old-age and survivors’ benefits) in a single national pension system, Convention No. 128 regroups these three branches into one instrument and extends coverage to all employees, including apprentices, or not less than 75 per cent of the whole...

Recommendation No. 167 proposes model provisions for the conclusion of bilateral or multilateral social security agreements regarding all contingencies and provides rules on maintaining social security rights and exporting benefits. It also proposes a model agreement for the coordination of bilateral or multilateral social security instruments. Link to...

The contingency covered by Convention No. 121 includes: a morbid condition, incapacity for work, invalidity or a loss of faculty due to an industrial accident or a prescribed occupational disease, and the loss of support as a result of the death of the breadwinner following employment injury. It belongs...

A reference for the development of social security systems, Convention No. 102 is the flagship of the up-to-date social security Conventions since it is deemed to embody the internationally accepted definition of the very principle of social security.  Convention No. 102 is unique for both its conceptual formulation of social security,...

Recommendation No. 202 is the first international instrument to offer guidance to countries to close social security gaps and progressively achieve universal protection through the establishment and maintenance of comprehensive social security systems. To this aim, the Recommendation calls for (1) the implementation, as a priority, of social protection...

Convention No. 157 and its accompanying Recommendation No. 167 specifically address the issue of the maintenance of social security rights of migrant workers and complement Convention No. 118, focusing on equality of treatment and exportability. Unlike Convention No. 118 however, which allows State Parties to choose one or more...

Convention No. 118 addresses the issue of the social security of migrant workers in a global manner. It covers the nine branches of social security and provides that, for each branch accepted under the Convention, a ratifying State undertake to grant equality of treatment to nationals of other ratifying...

Africa The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, 1981 The Charter has no express provision recognizing the right to social security. Certain aspects of the right may, however, be derived from Article 16, the right to health, and Article 18(4), the right of the aged and disabled to...

The ILO has played a major role in developing an international defined normative framework guiding the establishment, development and maintenance of social security systems across the world and has become the world’s leading point of reference for efforts to this end. Following its establishment in 1919 and being the...

Relevant articles Article 13: 3. For the purpose of creating the necessary conditions for the full development of the family, which is the fundamental unit of society, the Contracting Parties shall contribute to the economic, legal and social protection of family life by such means as social and family...

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union Article 34 provides that the European Union recognizes and respects the entitlement to social security benefits and social services providing protection in cases such as maternity, illness, industrial accidents, dependency or old age, and in the case of loss of employment,...

Article 12 requires contracting parties to establish or maintain a system of social security at a satisfactory level at least equal to that required for ratification of the Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102). In addition, they must endeavour to raise progressively the system of social security...

Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Article 9 of the Right to Social Security, reads as follows: “(1) Everyone shall have the right to social security protecting him from the consequences of old age and of disability...

The Arab Charter on Human Rights Article 36 provides that the States parties shall ensure the right of every citizen to social security, including social...

The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights The Charter has no express provision recognizing the right to social security. Certain aspects of the right may, however, be derived from Article 16, the right to health, and Article 18(4), the right of the aged and disabled to special measures...

Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, 1951 and Convention relating to the Status of stateless Persons Article 24 of both instruments stipulates: The Contracting States shall accord to refugees [stateless persons] lawfully staying in their territory the same treatment as is accorded to nationals in respect of the...

The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and their Families Article 27 provides that with respect to social security, all migrant workers and members of their families shall enjoy in the State of employment the same treatment granted to nationals in so far...

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Article 5(e) (iv) recognizes the duty of States parties to prohibit and eliminate racial discrimination in the enjoyment, among others, of the right to social security and social...

Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 26 recognizes for every child the right to benefit from social security, including social insurance. In addition, Article 27(1) recognizes the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development....

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women Article 11(1)(e) obligates States parties to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of employment, and to ensure equal rights between men and women, in particular … the right to social security, particularly in cases of retirement, unemployment,...

Article 9 recognizes the right of everyone to social security. Article 10(2) recognizes the right of working mothers “to adequate social security benefits”. Article 10(3) requires States parties to undertake special measures of protection and assistance for children and young persons.   Link to...

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948 Article 22 guarantees the right to social security. Article 25 recognizes the right of everyone to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and of his family, including … medical care and necessary social services, and the...