The International Labour Organization (ILO), working with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, the National Social Security Institution, and the International Training Centre of the ILO, has launched a specialized technical programme of dialogue and capacity building in Damascus to support ongoing reforms of Syria’s social security system, according to a press release issued on 21 May 2026. The programme convened members of the technical committee tasked with drafting amendments to Social Insurance Law No. 92 of 1959. Participants included representatives from several relevant ministries along with workers’ and employers’ organizations. The initiative seeks to advance legal and institutional reform of the social insurance system. It aims to expand coverage, strengthen governance, and reinforce links between social protection, decent work, and economic recovery.
The programme forms part of broader efforts to strengthen social protection and economic inclusion in Syria during the 2026–2027 period. The ILO’s support is guided by relevant International Labour Standards. These include the Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), the Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202), and the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy Recommendation, 2015 (No. 204). The activities were implemented in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the ILO. They fall under the Netherlands-funded PROSPECTS partnership and the EU-funded Durable Solutions programme.
The programme focused on two main areas: strengthening technical capacities and promoting a shared understanding of social protection principles and international standards, and conducting a detailed technical review of the proposed amendments to Social Insurance Law No. 92. Sessions covered social security governance, financing, financial sustainability, and actuarial assessments. Discussions also addressed the development of a rights-based social insurance system capable of supporting recovery and reconstruction. Additional topics included benefits and pensions, old-age, disability and survivors’ insurance, and contributions. Unemployment insurance mechanisms were also examined.
Director General of the National Social Security Institution Hassan Khatib emphasized the importance of strengthening social protection institutions during Syria’s transitional phase.
“In cooperation with the International Labour Organization, we are working to modernize the social insurance system in line with international standards to ensure a rights-based, equitable, inclusive, and resilient system,” he said.
ILO Regional Chief Technical Adviser for the PROSPECTS and Durable Solutions Programme for Arab States Maha Kattaa highlighted the role of social insurance reform in promoting decent work in Syria. She noted the ILO continues to provide technical support to national partners through capacity building, advisory services, and support for legislative and institutional reforms. She also referenced the current phase, which is witnessing the return of large numbers of refugees from neighbouring and other countries.
The next phase of support will include additional capacity-building activities in the governance and administration of social insurance systems. It will also feature training of national trainers. Efforts will further strengthen labour and social insurance inspection capacities to improve compliance and protect workers’ rights. The initiative seeks to reinforce trust in labour administration and social protection institutions. The dialogue and capacity-building programme underscored the ILO’s commitment to supporting Syria in building a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable social protection system.
