Dili, June 17 (AseanAll) — Timor-Leste formalised the accession of the National Social Security Institute (INSS) as a permanent member of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) on June 13th, 2025, through the official signing of the certificate of accession by the Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Verónica das Dores, at the headquarters of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland. The President of the INSS, Arlindo Pinto, and the Ambassador of Timor-Leste to the United Nations in Geneva, António da Conceição Kalohan, attended the ceremony.
The INSS's membership of the ISSA is part of the Government's strategy to strengthen the quality and institutional capacity of the social security system, promoting a more inclusive, efficient, and effective administration. Through this integration into the international network of social security institutions, the INSS will benefit from the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and specialised technical support, thereby contributing to the enhancement of governance and management of the Social Security Reserve Fund.
During the session, the Minister emphasised that “the universal right to social security and social assistance is clearly enshrined in Article 56 of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste” and recalled that "today, our system is integrated and includes a non-contributory scheme and a contributory scheme. Together, this system already guarantees three levels of pensions, associated with the first two levels of social protection recommended by the ILO.“ Justifying the relevance of accession, she stated that ”the integration of the INSS into the ISSA will give us access to an important set of international guidelines and specialised technical knowledge in several areas that are fundamental for the development and improvement of our social security system." She concluded her speech by saying that it was “a great honour to be here to formally celebrate the connection of the INSS of Timor-Leste to the international association that will link us to social security around the world.”
The International Social Security Association (ISSA) promotes excellence in social security administration by establishing professional guidelines, producing specialised technical knowledge, and providing services and support to its members. The ISSA offers a distinctive community that encourages cooperation and exchange between institutions, organises events and networks of experts, develops professional standards, conducts studies and analyses, identifies good practices, and provides data on social security systems in 177 countries. Founded in 1927 under the auspices of the International Labour Organisation, the ISSA currently has over 320 member institutions from more than 160 countries.
The INSS's involvement in this international platform reinforces Timor-Leste's commitment to establishing a robust and sustainable social protection system, within the framework of the general contributory scheme established by law in 2016 and in effect since 2017. This system ensures old-age, disability, and survivors' pensions, along with maternity, paternity, adoption, and death benefits, and is financed by contributions from workers and employers.
