Ensuring social protection for older people is a fundamental responsibility of societies and a measure of their progress. For the World Association for Development, increased life expectancy must be accompanied by effective guarantees of income, care and independence. When people who have worked all their lives lack the resources needed to meet their basic needs, the ability of social security systems to protect people throughout their lives is called into question.

Economic security in old age involves far more than simply the payment of a benefit. It determines one’s ability to find accommodation, put food on the table, maintain one’s health and retain freedom of choice. In an ageing world, these safeguards play a central role in the fight against poverty and the reduction of inequalities.

What should social protection for the very elderly guarantee?

Social protection for older people combines income security, access to healthcare and the necessary support as needs change. Its scope depends on the coherence between these components: a pension loses some of its protective function when essential expenses absorb the bulk of available resources.

International Labour Organisation Recommendation No. 202 on the pillars of social protection specifically highlights access to essential healthcare and a basic level of income security for older people. These guarantees, defined at national level, provide a framework for preventing poverty, vulnerability and exclusion.

The challenge is to ensure these rights are effectively upheld. It must be possible to apply for, obtain and receive a benefit on a regular basis. The accessibility of procedures, the proximity of services and the clarity of information therefore play a key role in the quality of protection.

The AMD enshrines this requirement within an approach based on the continuity of rights. A person’s security should not become uncertain at a time when their opportunities to generate new income are diminishing.

Why does a section of the population remain without a pension?

According to the ILO’s World Social Protection Report 2024–2026, 79.6 per cent of people who have reached the statutory retirement age receive a pension, based on data from 2023 or the latest available data. However, more than 165 million people over this age receive no pension at all. As the statutory retirement age varies from country to country, this indicator does not correspond to a uniform global category of people aged over 60.

This lack of coverage highlights the limitations of systems that fail to protect all career paths. In economies where informal employment plays a significant role, many workers reach old age without having been able to build up sufficient pension entitlements. Discontinuous careers and low-paid jobs also undermine future protection.

Women are particularly vulnerable to these factors. Wage gaps and career breaks due to family responsibilities can limit their pension entitlements. Inequalities in old age thus perpetuate those that characterised their working lives.

Social protection must take this diversity into account. A long contribution to family, economic or community life does not always translate into a career that entitles a person to a pension.

Does a pension necessarily protect against poverty?

The mere existence of a pension is not enough to ensure the economic security of its recipient. Its amount, regularity and how it keeps pace with the cost of living are crucial.

This issue also applies to countries with long-established and well-developed pension schemes. In *Pension Panorama 2025*, the OECD highlights that income poverty in old age remains a reality, that it affects women more, and that it tends to increase at the most advanced ages.

Any assessment of a system must therefore take into account the standard of living it actually enables. After expenditure on housing, food, energy and healthcare, what resources remain available? Can the individual cope with an unexpected event without falling into debt or having to rely systematically on relatives?

These questions give concrete meaning to the concept of pension adequacy. They encourage institutions to assess both the scope of coverage and the quality of the protection provided.

How can we build a more inclusive and sustainable system of protection?

Expanding protection relies on the interplay of several mechanisms. Contributory schemes allow people to build up entitlements throughout their working lives. Non-contributory pensions, funded by public resources, can provide security for those who are inadequately covered.

HelpAge International ’s research highlights the role of social pensions for previously excluded groups. It also emphasises that their effectiveness depends on the coverage of eligible individuals and the level of benefits.

The long-term viability of these schemes requires predictable funding, rigorous management and accessible rules. It also calls for an assessment of the impact of reforms on people in arduous, interrupted or low-paid jobs. Financial sustainability and social purpose must be considered together.

For the AMD, this social purpose encompasses a fundamental freedom: the freedom to continue working by choice and to be able to retire without falling into precarious circumstances. Remaining in employment must not become the default response to inadequate protection.

What responsibility do societies and generations bear?

Family solidarity contributes to the security of many older people. However, it cannot be the sole guarantee of their living conditions. Sustainable protection must safeguard their economic independence whilst ensuring that support does not rely entirely on the resources of their relatives.

This collective responsibility calls for a long-term vision. Today’s employment conditions, the recognition of time spent caring for others, and the organisation of social funding will determine part of tomorrow’s security.

The World Association for Development believes that the later years of life should be years of opportunity and dignity. Guaranteeing a predictable income, accessible care and protection tailored to individual life courses is the practical expression of this ambition. The value of a system based on solidarity is measured by its ability to uphold these guarantees when people need them most.

 

 

SAMYATH A. AMOUSSA