Honduras

Honduran contributory social security is fragmented, provided by numerous schemes for formal private and public sector workers. In 2004, approximately 34 percent of the salaried workers were affiliated to social security. Those not covered by these schemes rely on cash transfer schemes and other social assistance programmes. The main institutions providing social security in the country are detailed below.

The largest social security scheme is administered by the Honduran Institute of Social Security (Instituto Hondureño de Seguridad Social) founded in 1959. In 2010, IHSS covered approximately 600 000 workers, and close to 900 000 of their family members were also entitled to IHSS benefits. This group includes children under 11 years of age and pregnant spouses of affiliated workers. Thus, the IHSS covers around 20 percent of the Honduran population.

Government workers with permanent contracts have their own scheme, Instituto Nacional de Jubilaciones y Pensiones de los Empleados y Funcionarios del Poder Ejecutivo (INJUPEMP) established in 1971. In 2010, this  scheme had 48 000 active contributors, and the total affiliated population, including families of these contributing workers, numbered over 100 000.

The National Social Security Institute of Teachers (Instituto Nacional de Previsión del Magisterio, INPREMA) was founded in 1980 to cater for teachers in public and private primary and secondary schools. In 2010, INPREMA covered approximately 71 000 teachers, and 13 000 retired teachers received its pensions.

The social security scheme for the employees of the National Autonomous University (Instituto de Previsión de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, IMPREUNAH) provides social security for professional and administration staff since 1989. In 2010, it covered approximately 6300 people.

The Military also has its own scheme, Instituto de Previsión Militar, established in 1972. In 2010, it offered social security for the approximately 28 000 affiliated military personnel, police officers and fire-fighters, and provided pensions for 1300 retired workers.

Honduras also has a long tradition of non-contributory social assistance programmes aimed at poverty reduction. These programmes are currently being streamlined and their coordination improved in order to provide better social protection for the poorest.