Meeting of the Ministers of Labour and Employment of BRICS countries

1. Social security incentives for labour participation. The ISSA BRICS projectAnton DrozdovChairman of the ISSA BRICS Project Steering Committee Chairman of the Board of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation Meeting of the Ministers of Labour and Employment of BRICS countries 25-26 January 2016, Ufa, Russian Federation

2. ISSA project on social security in the BRICS

3. Importance of social security for BRICS • A fundamental societal right to which every human being is entitled • A safety net and shock absorber reducing poverty and promoting social cohesion • Enhances productivity and economic growth by • providing health care, income security and social services • A cornerstone to ensure the social dimension of globalization • Countries withwell-developed social securitysystemsalongwith proactive labour polices faredbetterduring the crises

4. Why was the project launched? • Similartrajectory and common challenges • Growing economic and political influence • Substantial political commitment to and huge strides in social security coverage extension • Largest member organizations in the ISSA

5. BRICS project objectives • To enhance international visibility and facilitate knowledge sharing on social security reforms in the BRICS countries • To highlight major challenges and innovative responses to extending social security coverage in the BRICS countries • To facilitate the promotion and implementation of the international social security standards for social security administration in the BRICS countries.

6. Social security in the BRICS: Project outputs • Social security coverage extension in the BRICS • Comparative study on coverage extension • Social security in the BRICS • Social security programme overviews • Sub-projects (ICT, frontline service and extension to hard-to-cover groups) (in progress) • BRICS webpage (www.issa.int/BRICS) • Platform for professional exchange (seminars) • ISSA Centre for Excellence for BRICS (discussion phase) Project management • BRICS Project Steering Committee (Bureau members and CEOs) established in June 2011 to guide the project

7. Key findings of the project: Common challenges • Difficulty in reaching informal and rural sectors • Increasing mobility of workers • Fragmentation of administration and delivery • Coping with increasing inequalities • Improving benefit adequacy under financial constraints

8. Key findings of the project: Administrative solutions (1/2) • Innovative approaches to covering rural populations (benefit and contribution structures, simplifying adhesion and contribution requirements, improving accessibility) • Management and administrative improvements (delivery and improving frontline services) • Exploiting the possibilities offered by ICT (social security cards, mobile offices and e-services) • Development of proactive and preventive measures + increased cooperation with stakeholders (National disease prevention and control, minimum income guarantee, education, employment promotion and reintegration strategies)

9. Key findings of the project: Administrative solutions (2/2) • Brazil: universal coverage and services, and equal treatment for urban and rural population, social pension, Bolsa Familia • Russian Federation: Easier access for self-employed and agricultural workers, extended coverage to migrant workers • India: Extension in health insurance coverage and innovative application of ICT (e.g. SmartCard); recentinitiatives on universal banking coverage and extension of coverage for old age, disability and accidental deaths, • China: Health insurance for +97% of population, pension schemes covering >852 million people through national unified personal social security ID system; equal treatment for urban and rural population and enhanced mobility for people under different schemes • South Africa: Improved access for rural population via 40 mobile offices; extended coverage of old-age benefits, family benefits and disability grants through broader eligibility criteria and free social security debit cards; gradual implementation of universal health insurance programmes.

10. Future challenges • Rapid demographic changes in the BRICS • Increasing migration • Family structure changes and other social developments • Increasing fragmentation of the labour market • Social security responses to external shocks - economic, health-related and environmental • Population expectations and pressure to provide adequate benefits under financial constraints

11. Conclusions and next steps • Social security needed more than ever as the cornerstone to ensure social dimension in an increasingly globalized world • Significant achievements but challenges remain • Identified good practices + administration solutions may inspire extension within and beyond BRICS • Regular meeting of BRICS social security administrators and policy-makers heightens coverage extension and improvements in adequacy • ISSA is pleased to offer its support to the BRICS, particularly as regards the implementation of the international professionalstandards in the administration of social security

12. www.issa.int/BRICS