At some point in life everyone will be exposed to risks that can drastically alter their social and economic standards of living. More than half of all people worldwide are uninsured against risks of this nature.

Insufficient social security can have a disastrous effect, especially on the poor. Yet a lack of social insurance can cause even those that are in a largely stable financial situation to fall into poverty. Moreover, social security systems are often coupled with formal employment situations. Most people in developing countries, however, are not in formal employment and thus do not have access to social insurance systems.

Besides the development and reform of existing systems, therefore, we also promote innovative approaches that enable previously excluded population groups to gain access to health services and social security.