The International Labour Organization (ILO) has released a new report calling for a strong global expansion of social protection systems, warning that significant gaps in coverage, adequacy, and financing are leaving millions of workers exposed in an increasingly unstable global economy. The report, Universal social protection in changing labour markets: Protecting workers in all types of employment, stresses that universal and effective social protection is essential to ensure workers are safeguarded against social and economic risks amid rapid labour market changes.
A key focus of the report is the need to close persistent coverage gaps by extending social protection to all categories of workers, including temporary, part-time, self-employed, and those in informal or non-standard employment. It highlights the importance of including workers in sectors such as agriculture, domestic work, micro and small enterprises, and complex employment arrangements, noting that broader coverage supports both social equity and the transition from informal to formal employment.
The report also emphasizes improving the adequacy and comprehensiveness of benefits, arguing that social protection systems must go beyond minimal or reactive support. Instead, they should provide reliable and continuous protection across all stages of life, including education, employment transitions, illness, unemployment, disability, parenthood, and old age, ensuring that individuals are supported throughout changing life and work conditions.
Another central message is the need for sustainable and fair financing of social protection systems. The ILO highlights domestic resource mobilization through social security contributions and progressive taxation as key funding sources, supported where necessary by public subsidies to include workers with limited ability to contribute. For countries with constrained fiscal space, the report also underscores the importance of international solidarity in building and maintaining effective systems.
In the context of climate change, technological disruption, and demographic shifts, the report concludes that strong social protection systems are essential for resilience and social stability. It stresses that such systems enable workers and businesses to adapt to change, support just transitions, and strengthen social cohesion, making universal and adequately financed social protection a fundamental requirement for a fair and sustainable future of work.
