Regional Mechanism for Coordination of Social Security Benefits
The East African Community (EAC) is committed to ensuring that workers enjoy the full spectrum of social security rights and benefits across Partner States. Under Article 14(3)(d) of the EAC Treaty, the Council is empowered to issue regulations, directives, and decisions to facilitate this objective.
Article 10(3)(f) of the EAC Common Market Protocol stipulates that the free movement of workers within the Community entitles them to the same rights and benefits of social security as those accorded to workers in the host Partner State. Furthermore, Article 10(4) mandates the Council to issue directives and regulations to facilitate the implementation of social security benefits.
In collaboration with esteemed partners such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), the African Union Joint Labour Migration Programme (AUC JLMP) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the EAC Secretariat has developed a draft set of regulations titled the EAC Common Market (Coordination of Social Security Rights and Benefits) Regulations, 2023.
Once adopted, these regulations will apply to various social security rights and benefits, including:
- Old-age or Retirement Benefit;
- Disability or Invalidity Benefit;
- Survivors' Benefit;
- Employment Injury Benefits; and
- Occupational Diseases
Once adopted, the regulations will serve as a crucial framework for ensuring the coordination and harmonization of social security rights and benefits across the region. The adoption of these regulations will contribute significantly to ensuring that workers within the EAC have equitable access to social security benefits, regardless of their location within the Community. This is set to mark a significant step forward in promoting social inclusion and protection for all workers.