Social Security issues in English-speaking Africa

Social security issues in English-speaking African countries As the 20th century comes to an end, new issues in social security thinking have emerged. Among the current preoccupations is the need for social security reforms due to the demographic, social and economic changes which have gained greater momentum. One of the major challenges facing social security policy-makers and administrators world wide is whether some form of privatization of the schemes would be desirable. In Africa, the debate on privatization has just begun and will last a long way into the 21st century. Although privatization of the existing public social security schemes will not be a panacea, it is generally recognized that the private sector could play an important role in providing social protection and mobilizing domestic savings especially when it is given the scope to run occupational and personal savings schemes to supplement the basic social security protection provided provided by public schemes. This volume contains the reports presented at the ISSA Meeting of Directors of Social Security Organizations in English-speaking Africa which has held in Kampala, Uganda from 19 to 21 August 1997. The Meeting focused on issues related to privatization of social security schemes and examined current practices in the investment of social security funds. Widening the scope of social protection through the introduction of employment injury schemes based on social insurance principles and the use of actuarial valuations in order to ensure the financial equilibrium of social security schemes were reviewed.