One in Two People Have No Social Protection

Nearly half of the world's population has no social protection. Specifically, 48 percent of the population in the 187 member states of the International Labour Organisation do not receive social benefits and do not contribute to systems that guarantee the right to such benefits. This is according to a new ILO report on social justice. Between 2015 and 2023, however, the proportion of people with social protection increased by nine percentage points to 52 percent.

When these figures are broken down by population group, it is mainly the unemployed and children who are most likely to have no social protection, with only 17 percent of the unemployed and 28 percent of children receiving or being entitled to social benefits in 2023. The level of coverage is highest among older people, at 80 percent.