Social security for the excluded majority : case studies of developing countries

Abstract

This volume examines the problem of exclusion from social security for the majority of workers in developing countries, and explores ways in which governments and organizations at national and local levels can work together to create social security policies that protect everyone. A series of case studies looks closely at the workings of self-financed schemes for informal workers, and from these the best are highlighted. The authors then evaluate various approaches to the extension of formal sector social insurance to informal sector workers, including the self-employed, and also explore how social assistance programmes, although often needing sophisticated administration, can help ensure that benefits reach the population most in need.