The global financial and economic crisis has forcefully underlined the importance of social security as ahuman right, and as an economic and social necessity, as set out in the ILO Social Protection Floors Recommendation(2012), No. 202.

While the need for social protection is widely recognized, the fundamental human right to social security remains unfulfilled for the large majority of the world’s population. Only 27 per cent of the global population enjoy access to comprehensive social security systems, whereas 73 per cent are covered partially or not at all. The lack of access to social protection constitutes a major obstacle to economic and social development.

Read more: http://www.ilo.org/global/research/global-reports/world-social-security-report/2014/WCMS_245201/lang–en/index.htm