International Social Security Association

The International Social Security Association (ISSA) is an international organization bringing together national social security administrations and agencies. Founded in 1927, the ISSA has more than 330 member organizations in 160 countries. It has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, in the International Labour Office (ILO). The ISSA President, elected in 2016, is Joachim Breuer (Germany) and the Secretary General since 2005 is Hans-Horst Konkolewsky (Denmark).

The recognition of social security as a basic human right is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). The development of social security programmes is considered to be one of the most significant social achievements of the international community, but its enhancement and extension remain one of the main challenges of the 21st century.

As per the ISSA Constitution, the term "social security" means any scheme or programme established by legislation, or any other mandatory arrangement, which provides protection, whether in cash or in kind, in the event of employment accidents, occupational diseases, unemployment, maternity, sickness, invalidity, old age, retirement, survivorship, or death, and encompasses, among others, benefits for children and other family members, health care benefits, prevention, rehabilitation, and long-term care. It can include social insurance, social assistance, mutual benefit schemes, provident funds, and other arrangements which, in accordance with national law or practice, form part of a country's social security system.

At the World Social Security Forum held in 2016 in Panama the ISSA Secretary General Hans-Horst Konkolewsky underscored that global trends, including demographic changes and the impact of the digital economy are transforming the context in which social security operates. While there is an unprecedented global political commitment to provide all people with access to social protection, and recognition that social security is a social and economic investment, the future sustainability and extension of social security will require significant innovation.

The constitutional mandate of the ISSA is "to co-operate, at the international level, in the promotion and development of social security throughout the world (…) in order to advance the social and economic conditions of the population on the basis of social justice."

The ISSA's aim is to promote Dynamic Social Security as the social dimension in a globalizing world through supporting excellence in social security administration. The ISSA promotes excellence in social security administration through professional guidelines, expert knowledge, services and support to enable its members to develop dynamic social security systems and policy throughout the world.

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