Social Security

Social security is protection that helps people meet essential needs when illness, unemployment, old age or other circumstances threaten their livelihood. It encompasses healthcare and income security, provided through public measures and legally organised arrangements for workers and their families. Its scope extends beyond pensions to preventive, supportive and compensatory protection across the life cycle.

Protection for health, maternity and family needs

Social security protects people against both the cost of obtaining care and the loss of earnings associated with illness or childbirth.

• Medical care includes access to preventive and curative healthcare, rather than only reimbursement of hospital expenses.
• Sickness benefits replace part of the earnings lost when illness temporarily prevents a person from working.
• Maternity protection includes maternity benefits and support that enables women to recover from childbirth without being forced immediately back into employment.
• Protection for dependent children and other family members helps households meet essential needs when their own earning capacity is limited.

Protection against loss or interruption of income

Income protection addresses both temporary interruptions in work and longer-term inability to earn. Different risks require different benefits.

• Unemployment protection provides support when a person loses employment and earnings.
• Old-age protection includes pensions and other retirement benefits that support people after their working lives.
• Disability protection supports people whose impairment limits their ability to earn a livelihood.
• Employment-injury protection covers occupational accidents and diseases through medical care and benefits for resulting incapacity.
• Survivors' benefits support eligible dependants following the death of a breadwinner.

Forms through which protection is delivered

Social security is not a single scheme. Protection may combine cash payments, services and benefits financed through different arrangements.

• Social insurance pools risks through contributions, commonly involving workers and employers, with public support where provided.
• Social assistance uses public revenues to support eligible people without requiring prior insurance contributions, particularly those unable to secure adequate protection themselves.
• Employer obligations, such as gratuity and maternity benefits, also form part of social security arrangements.
• The Code on Social Security, 2020 recognises protection for organised, unorganised, gig and platform workers, although eligibility and benefits depend on the relevant provisions and schemes.
• Article 41 directs the State, within its economic capacity and development, to provide public assistance in cases including unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement.