A delegation of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation led by PFR Board Chairman A.V. Drozdov took part in the ISSA World Social Security Forum.
The World Social Security Forum is a global event for social security experts attended by over 1,000 delegates from 127 countries, including ministers, heads of national organizations and representatives of international organizations. The forum comprised 52 sessions, including three plenary meetings, featuring 152 speakers, a moderator and panel debate participants and a variety of issues, from broadening of the social security system to introduction of ISSA guidelines in key areas of social security management. The center for best practices was launched, and the ISSA award was presented for outstanding social security achievements to Brazil.
Three significant events were held on the Forum sidelines, among them:
- The 31st meeting of the ISSA General Assembly
- The World Social Security Forum
- Meetings of the ISSA Council and the ISSA Bureau.
The main themes of the WSSF were:
- Pro-active and preventive social security
- Best practices of social security management
- Broadening of the social security system
The main ideas of the Forum:
- Social security for people
- Change in classic social security provisions
- Social security as investment rather than expenditure
- Growing political support to social security
- Shift to social solidarity and social justice is imperative and not only in the period of crisis
- Social security bodies playing a more significant role as ever before
The plenary session “Broader coverage as a main element of growth strategies in BRICS countries”
Forum delegates showed a keen interest in the plenary session “Broadening social security in BRICS member countries”.
BRICS Executive Committee Chairman, PFR Board Chairman A.V. Drozdov was the main speaker; he presented a review of BRICS social security development and the ISSA project for BRICS member countries. The Executive Committee’s performance was lauded. In addition, A.V. Drozdov participated in the panel discussion and presented current information about the development and modernization of the social security system in Russia and the fulfillment of the long-term development strategy of the Russian pension system.
The 31st meeting of the ISSA General Assembly
ISSA Secretary General Hans-Horst Konkolewsky presented the ISSA report for 2011-2013 and noted the significance of the ISSA-ILO memorandum of mutual understanding.
Two innovative changes in the new ISSA program for 2014-2016 were presented: the development of eight new ISSA guidelines (efficient management, quality of services, information and communication technologies, collection of contributions and contribution payment discipline, investment of social security funds, resumption of employment and reintegration, promotion of a healthy lifestyle at a work place, prevention of occupational risks) and the launch of a center of best practices in social security to expand and strengthen international social security standards.
Thirteen ISSA technical commissions will operate in the period of 2014-2016.
The 2013 membership is 340 ISSA member organizations in 157 countries.
The ISSA secretary general informed Assembly members about the launch of a new ISSA portal in December 2013 – January 2014.
The 108th – 109th meetings of the ISSA Bureau
ISSA Secretary General Hans-Horst Konkolewsky presented results of the election of full members of the ISSA Council to relevant positions in 2014-2016: ISSA President Mr. Errol Frank Stoové (the Netherlands), ISSA Treasurer Mr. Philippe Conus (Switzerland), Titular Auditors are Ms. Hortense Asim Asibone (Cameroon), Mr. Obadiah Kipkoech Keitany (Kenya) and Mr. Zbigniew Dzerdiuk (Poland). Control Commission members elected Mr. Dzerdiuk as their chairman.
Also, full members of the ISSA Bureau in 2014-2016 were elected, among them PFR Board Chairman A.V. Drozdov as a representative of the Russian Federation. In addition, PFR Board Chairman A.V. Drozdov was elected a member of the Steering Committee of the ISSA European Network, which unites five sub-regional groups consistent with five geographic regions of Europe and aims at efficient representation of the diversity and potential of European states with due account of different needs of the region, promotes their significance and provides additional advantages to its members in international cooperation in the field of pension and social security.
ISSA Secretary General Hans-Horst Konkolewsky informed members of the Bureau that ISSA member countries united 2 billion payers of contributions, their pension and benefit expenditures amounted to 9% of the world GDP, their information and communication technology expenditures stood at $70 billion, and the number of world social security workers exceeded one million people.
World Social Security Summit
The main event of the forum, the summit, was attended by political leaders, representatives of international organizations and public communities who discussed the important role of the social security system in the protection of the population in this complex world amid the appearing and changing social risks. Summit participants looked into ways the social security system can optimize its role of the main instrument of investment in human capital and a positive factor of employment and growth. ISSA members confirmed their aspiration for improving administering standards and stressed the importance of the political will for building a dynamic social security system of the future.
A participant in the panel debate, Russian Labor and Social Protection Minister M.A. Topilin presented detailed information about the fulfillment of new national strategies and projects in the labor and social affairs area, including an extensive reform of the pension system in the Russian Federation.
Business meetings
Within the forum, the PFR Board chairman and members of the PFR delegation held business meetings with the ISSA secretary general and president, representatives of the ILO (Social Security Department Director Ms. Isabel Ortiz) and the International Association of Pension and Social Funds, representatives of Association member organizations (Canada, Poland, the United States, CIS member countries, Germany and Sweden) to discuss challenges and trends in social security development, the search for new dimensions in the social affairs sector aimed to optimize domestic and external resources both on the national and global levels for promoting social solidarity and social justice as an imperative.
They expressed satisfaction with the positive atmosphere and the high level of bilateral and multilateral dialogue and stressed the readiness of the sides to continue bolstering their relations in various areas.