Volume: Volume 8(1) - 2004

Article type: Refereed article

Author/s: Malherbe, Kitty

Investigating social security coverage in the SADC region, Kitty Malherbe finds that national systems have historically been underdeveloped and are extremely diverse. SADC measures to coordinate social security for migrants are limited.

The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Hights does not make express provision for social security. In Europe, by contrast, national social security systems and institutions have given way to coordination. Although the European system is not likely to succeed n the SADC region, the coordination structures and their underlying principles may serve as a point of reference for future developments in the SADC region. The author argues that a workable approach to the coordination of social security is to focus on one branch of social security at a time. Countries redesigning their social security systems could base their reforms on agreed fundamental values, which could form the first step towards harmonisation of social security.

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