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      The outbreak and spread of the new coronavirus is not only a health crisis. Governments and international organizations are today taking rapid steps to mitigate against the economic and social impact of COVID-19. Building on the experiences of the financial crisis from 2007, social security is a key part of this response.

      It forms part of ISSA’s programme for the 2023–2025 triennium. The programme offers members an opportunity to strengthen human resources and competences through different types of training: webinars, workshops and seminars, as well as diploma training courses, culminating with the above-mentioned master’s degree.

      The Technical Commission on Old-Age, Invalidity and Survivors’ Insurance draws together many age- and disability-related issues, dealing with the macroeconomic, technical and operational aspects that arise from these issues.

      ISSA Database on international social security agreements The International Social Security Association (ISSA) is in the process of establishing a database on international social security agreements. A first stage will include information on existing social security agreements, including the contracting countries, date of entry into force, posted workers’ period of coverage, self-employed workers’ period of coverage, types of social security branches that are covered, as well as further references and links.

      The impact of the virus woke social security to a massive surge in demand for benefits and services. As the pandemic spread and took hold of the world, the sheer urgency of citizen needs compelled tight turnaround times and imposed volumes of work that established new peaks on a daily basis.  All countries responded at record-setting speed, clearly proving the value of staff teamwork and real-time access to reliable information and digital connectivity.

      Objectives  Occupational risks in the health services sector differ widely from those in other fields of work. These risks are quite similar in different countries, but the measures taken to cope with them vary from country to country. 

      Acting as a channel of communication between the region and the ISSA General Secretariat, the Liaison Office for South Asia gathers information on the interests and needs specific to the region and collaborates in the design of a tailored capacity-building programme for these countries.

      Acting as a channel of communication between the region and the ISSA General Secretariat, the Liaison Office for North and Central America gathers information on the interests and needs specific to the countries of the region and collaborates in the design of a tailored capacity-building programme for these countries.