Result achieved
Linked projects
- - Palestinian territories, occupied - A comprehensive social security strategy to enhance coverage to Palestinian women and men is developed in line with international labour standards (country programme 2016-17)
- PSE/16/02/RBS - A comprehensive social security strategy to enhance coverage to Palestinians women and men is developed in line with International labour standards-Phase I and II
- PSE/14/01/RBS - Support new social security schemes and the preparation of related regulations
- PAL/13/53/KUW - Establishing a Social Security System for Private Sector Workers
Outcome summary
A revised social security law in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) for private sector workers and their family members - based on ILOs Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102) and international best practice - was adopted by the Government on 29 September 2016.Outcome achieved
A revised social security law in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) for private sector workers and their family members – based on ILO’s Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102) and international best practice – was adopted by the Government on 29 September 2016. The social security system which is codified in the new revised law aims to extend social security coverage to all private sector workers in the formal economy as a means for providing income security, and combating poverty and social exclusion. It will provide coverage to 82,646 private sector workers in 2018, with the aim of reaching 336,440 private sector workers in the OPT by 2030. The new system will be a significant step toward a comprehensive social security system in the OPT.ILO's contribution to the outcome
The President of the OPT adopted on 7 March 2016 the first ever Social Security Law. However, the President and the Council of Ministers introduced amendments to this version, which was drafted by the Tripartite National Social Security Committee together with the ILO. These amendments were not fully supported by Palestinian civil society or aligned with the ILO recommendations. Subsequently, a Ministerial Committee was established in April 2016 to study the effects of the amendments introduced, hold wider consultations and propose alternative provisions for the Social Security Law that were built through national consensus and with the technical support of the ILO.The ILO, with RBSA support [PSE/16/02/RBS] and a financial contribution from the Government of Kuwait [PSE/17/50/KWT], worked closely with and provided technical assistance to the Ministerial Committee throughout the process of reviewing the amendments, drafting alternative provisions, and adopting the social security law. In order to ensure that the revised law was developed in line with ILO standards, international best practices, and supported by Palestinian civil society, the ILO provided, inter alia, the following knowledge products and services:
(a) an ILO Actuarial and Legal Note on the Social Security Law adopted on 2 March 2016, which assessed the existing provisions and suggested new provisions;
(b) revision of the law to align it with international labour standards and best practices;
(c) capacity building of the Ministerial Committee and tripartite constituents on social security principles, standards, and financing;
(d) actuarial projections and financial assessments of different contribution rates and benefits replacement ratios;
(e) a feasibility assessment of the demands of the civil society; and
(f) facilitation of national dialogue on the new Social Security Law through tripartite workshops and meetings with different stakeholders.