ILO Standards on Social Security

Social security is a basic human right enshrined in major international instruments such as: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948); The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966); The Declaration of Philadelphia (1944) and Conclusions concerning social security (adopted by the International Labour Conference, 89th session, 2001).

Up-to date ILO social security standards are comprised of:
  • The Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102);
  • The Equality of Treatment (Social Security) Convention, 1962 (No. 118);
  • The Employment Injury Benefits Convention, 1964 (No. 121) and the Employment Injury Benefits Recommendation, 1964 (No. 121);
  • The Invalidity, Old-Age and Survivors' Benefits Convention, 1967 (No. 128) and the Invalidity, Old-Age and Survivors' Benefits Recommendation, 1967 (No. 131);
  • The Medical Care and Sickness Benefits Convention, 1969 (No. 130) and the Medical Care and Sickness Benefits Recommendation, 1969 (No. 134);
  • The Maintenance of Social Security Rights Convention, 1982 (No. 157) and the Maintenance of Social Security Rights Recommendation, 1983 (No. 167);
  • The Employment Promotion and Protection against Unemployment Convention, 1988 (No. 168) and the Employment Promotion and Protection against Unemployment Recommendation, 1988 (No. 176); and
  • The Maternity Protection Convention, 2000, (No. 183) and the Maternity Protection Recommendation, 2000 (No. 191).
Drawn up on the model of Convention No. 102, the other seven conventions mentioned-above offer a higher level of protection, both in terms of the population covered and of the level of benefits.