Social security

Social security plays an important role in providing income and ensuring effective access to health care and other basic services. It constitutes an investment to the extent that it enables people to engage in productive employment, promotes socially sustainable growth and fosters social cohesion. This research programme addresses four broad topics.

The first topic includes an analysis of global, regional and national trends in social security expenditure and financing, as well as in social security coverage and benefit levels.

The second topic examines the short- and long-term returns on investments in social security/social protection systems. It explores the impacts of these systems on poverty, inequality, labour markets dynamics, child labour, health status, education, productivity and economic growth.

The third topic focuses on the development of models to i) assess fiscal space, and ii) simulate impacts of different social policy options on social and economic development.

Finally, the project includes an analysis of policy linkages between wage setting mechanisms and other labour protection policies aimed at providing income security and reducing inequality.