Policy Brief 19 - The ILO strategy to extend social security

In light of the importance of national social security systems in times of crisis and beyond, the ILO has launched a Global Campaign on the Extension of Social Security and Coverage for all which promotes extending social security along to dimensions: horizontally, to an increasing number of people and vertically, providing progressively higher level of benefits. A key message at the heart of the extension strategy is the recognition that social security systems are not simply a cost for governments on the expenditure side but rather an investment with a rate of return in terms of more productive workers and a smooth functioning of the economy throughout the business cycle.