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Burundi progresses towards the extension of social security to workers in the informal economy

The ILO supported the Government of Burundi, through the Executive Permanent Secretariat for the National Social Protection Commission, to conduct a feasibility study on extending social security to workers in the informal economy. The study was coordinated by a technical tripartite steering committee and validated during a workshop that took place in Bujumbura on 27 September 2023.

The study identifies recommendations to address legal, administrative and financial barriers to extending social protection coverage to workers in the informal economy, ensuring alignment with ILO standards. The recommendations will benefit the national social security institution in its efforts to extend social security coverage to this category of workers. The policy recommendations focus on better aligning the proposed benefits with the priorities of the workers in the informal economy, which requires adjustments to existing schemes and the creation of effective incentives to register for social security. As a follow-up action, a capacity-building workshop is planned from 20 to 21 February to support ILO constituents in developing a specific roadmap for the extension of social protection coverage to workers in the informal economy in line with the recommendations of the study.