Social security coverage extension in the BRICS: a comparative study on the extension of coverage in Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa

The five countries of the BRICS, Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa, are facing some common challenges with regard to ageing of their populations, urbanisation, vulnerability to environmental shocks, increasing labour market fragmentation, growing income disparity, and the need to more fully exploit and leverage information and communications technologies.

In view of these significant trends, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) Secretariat has launched a project on social security developments in the BRICS countries, with special emphasis on the extension of coverage. The overall objective of this project is to promote the implementation of the ISSA strategy for the extension of social security coverage launched at the 2010 World Social Security Forum in Cape Town, and thereby assist ISSA member institutions in the BRICS and other countries in their efforts to extend coverage in both qualitative and quantitative terms.

The findings of this comparative study are intended to provide an important input into an ISSA series of handbooks on extension of coverage to difficult-to-cover groups. It highlights common barriers to increasing coverage and offers pragmatic and innovative policies and administrative responses to address those barriers.