Toolkit on ILO Social Security Standards
Learn, Ratify and Apply
This Toolkit was developed with the aim of raising awareness about ILO social security standards and promoting their ratification as well as increasing their impact and application in national contexts. The toolkit provides very practical and useful insights as to the ratification procedure, model instruments of ratification as well as interactive information on the relevance and key provisions of these standards.
Discover ILO Social Security Standards & why ratifying them is important?
As a standard-setting organization, the ILO has developed a comprehensive set of international social security Conventions and Recommendations. These instruments establish the core principles on which comprehensive social security systems should be based, as well as the key parameters ensuring their sustainability and adequacy.
ILO Social Security Standards
C183
Maternity Protection
R191
C168
Employment Promotion and Protection against Unemployment
R176
C130
Medical Care and Sickness Benefits
R134
C128
Invalidity, Old-Age and Survivors’ Benefits
R131
C121
Employment Injury Benefits
R121
C102
Social Security (Minimum Standards) & Social Protection Floors
R202
Click on the documents below to find out more about what makes ILO social security standards unique and why ratifying them is important for ILO member States.
Global Ratification Campaign on Convention No. 102
Based on a decision of the International Labour Conference, the ILO has launched a Global campaign to promote the ratification of Convention No.102 – the international landmark Convention establishing the minimum standard of social security.
The Campaign will take place until 2026 and has two main objectives:
- Promote the ratification and effective implementation of Convention No. 102 and other up-to-date ILO social security standards by way of comparative assessments between national social security legislation and practice and the minimum criteria and key good governance and financing principles established by the Convention; and
- Raise awareness and build capacities of national stakeholders to design and implement sound national social protection policies and rights-based social protection systems that are sustainable, comprehensive and adequate for all, anchored in ILO social security standards
For more information about the Campaign, please contact socpro@ilo.org.
How to ratify ILO Social Security Conventions?
ILO Conventions are international treaties open to ratification by ILO member States. The ratification process of international treaties is determined by every country’s Constitution. Nonetheless, there are steps that are common to most ratification processes as well as good practices identified over the years by the ILO that can guide and assist ILO constituents willing to embark on the process of ratifying an ILO Convention.
Main steps common to ratification processes
Assessment of national law and practice against requirement of Convention (if necessary with ILO Support) and validation of conclusions with ILO
Tripartite endorsement of compatibility assessment, and establishment of roadmap towards ratification
Ratification process according to national constitutional requirements
Transmission of instrument of ratification to ILO Director General; registration of ratification as of the date of deposit or receipt
Entry into force of Convention 12 months after the date of ratification
First report on application of the Convention in the year following the entry into force.
Periodic reporting every 6 years
Click on the documents below for more information on how to ratify ILO social security Conventions as well as specific country examples on the process leading to the ratification of ILO social security Conventions.
Reference documents
Comparative assessments between ILO social security standards and national law and practice
Ratification briefs documenting national ratification processes
Take the quiz on Convention No. 102 Social Security (Minimum Standards)
Learning objectives
ILO’s landmark Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102) is globally recognized as a key reference for the design of rights-based, sound and sustainable social protection systems. It sets out the minimum standards for the following 9 social security contingencies:
- General questions
- Medical Care
- Sickness benefit
- Unemployment benefit
- Old-age benefit
- Employment injury benefit
- Family benefit
- Maternity benefit
- Invalidity benefit
- Survivors benefit
To date, Convention No. 102 is the only international legal instrument with a systemic vision of social security.
How well do you know Convention No. 102?
Status of ratification of up-to-date Social Security Conventions
Boundaries shown do not imply endorsement or acceptance by the ILO. Please click here for more details.
Explore other useful resources
Multimedia
Tripartite validation workshop in Colombia
Convention No. 102: Your access Code to Social Security
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