Migration is one of the elements that characterize the Iberoamerican region, with almost 40 million people migrating from their countries of origin, ranking first in the global arena in terms of the number of inter- and intra-regional migrants. These are people whose work contributes to the growth of the countries that host them, but who may be excluded from social security systems because they do not meet the minimum criteria for access to benefits. This can exacerbate poverty situations, especially in old age, and encourage informal gainful employment.
To alleviate this situation, and with the support of the Ibero-American Social Security Organization (OISS), the Ibero-American Multilateral Convention on Social Security has been in effect since 2011, a landmark treaty allowing contributions to social security systems in various countries added, to access benefits. This is a unique success story as it is applied in countries where there was previously no political union and without the need to change their legislation or make economic transfers between states.
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay are the twelve countries that Colombia will soon join, to which the multilateral agreement is already a reality Almost a hundred thousand migrants from the Region and their families benefited from their access to old age, disability or death benefits.
This instrument, which could be considered the first of the Ibero-American heritage, is perhaps the best example of what Ibero-American cooperation can achieve, improving the well-being of the population and producing Ibero-American citizenship. A collaboration that has its greatest expression at the Ibero-American Summits and which, to be “fair and sustainable”, as set as a goal in the Dominican Republic, must involve migrants and their exercise of human rights to social security.
Gina Magnolia Riano Baron, is Secretary General of the Iberoamerican Social Security Organization (OISS)
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