The ILO develops a sound knowledge base on social protection and disseminates it through the publication of studies, working papers, guides, manuals and reports. It collects, stores and disseminates comparable statistical data on social protection. The ILO supports actors involved in the extension of social protection: policy makers, technical teams from ministries, development partners, technical cooperation experts, social security funds managers and others providing them with global interdisciplinary knowledge sharing environments for the design, extension and reform of social protection systems in the light of the challenges presented by global crisis and structural transformations, such as those related to climate and demographic changes, digitalization and globalization, as well as to the rise of precarious forms of work and persisting informality.