In the World Social Protection Report 2020-2022 released on Wednesday, the International Labor Organization (ILO) showed that only 47 percent of the world’s population is currently effectively covered by at least one social protection benefit.

It added that there are considerable regional differences in that regard, with Europe and Central Asia having the highest coverage rates, with 84 percent of the population covered by at least one benefit.

The Americas also show a higher rate than the global measure, with 64.3 percent, while Asia and the Pacific (44), the Arab States (40) and Africa (17.4) show clear deficiencies in that area.

Globally, the vast majority of children still do not have effective social protection coverage: barely one in four (26.4 percent) benefits.

Other data are significant: just 45 percent of women with newborns receive a cash maternity benefit, and one in three severely disabled people (33.5 percent) benefit from disability assistance.

Unemployment benefit coverage is even lower, with only 18.6 percent of jobless people actually covered.

According to the study, although 77.5 percent of those eligible for old-age pensions receive some form of assistance, significant disparities persist among regions, between urban and rural areas, and between men and women.

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