Comparative study on unemployment benefits to support recommendations for Angola

Angola’s National Social Security Institute (INSS) is examining the possibility of introducing three benefits that are not yet provided under its social protection system: sickness, disability, and unemployment benefits. During the course of this study, Presidential Decree No. 15/25, of 29 January 2025, was adopted, establishing the legal framework for protection in cases of total invalidity resulting from non-occupational causes within the mandatory social protection system.

The potential introduction of an unemployment benefit is the focus of this report.

To support this initiative, the ILO, through the European Union–funded project “Extending Social Security to Support the Formalization of the Angolan Economy” (ESSAFE Angola), carried out a comparative study. The purpose of the study was to examine good practices, in light of international social security standards, and to identify lessons learned in countries with comparable socio-economic contexts.

Specifically, the comparative study on unemployment benefits aimed to support policy recommendations for Angola by:

• identifying countries with social protection systems and socio-economic contexts broadly comparable to those of Angola – Brazil, Morocco, Portugal, South Africa and Thailand were selected – and analysing the design, structure and effectiveness of their unemployment protection schemes in relation to international social security standards;
• assessing the feasibility and relevance of different policy options and implementation strategies for Angola; and
• presenting recommendations on the feasibility, relevance and key design features of an unemployment protection scheme in Angola’s socio-economic context.