The ILO in collaboration with the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) and the Social Security Reserve Fund (FRSS), jointly launched the Social Security Portal in Timor-Leste on 22 February. The Portal is available in three languages (Tetum, Portuguese and English) at https://segurancasocial.gov.tl/

The Portal is organized in a simple, intuitive way and provides easy access to information for the user, contributing to bringing all citizens, workers and employers closer to the national social security system. The Portal provides information on the social security model and the functioning of the system, information on the social security registration process, on social benefits, on the rights and duties of employers and workers.

The platform also allows users to learn about Social Security Institutions, access information about the Social Security Budget, Social Security Accounts, and the Reserve Fund. Users can also download forms, documents, and legislation, as well as contact social security through the platform. In addition, it provides the main statistics on social security, allowing anyone to monitor the evolution of the national system and the path towards extending social security coverage to all workers.

The President of the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) and the Social Security Reserve Fund (FRSS), Arlindo Pinto, welcomed the participants and highlighted the importance of digitalization in accessing citizens' rights, reinforcing transparency, and improving the management of the social security system. He also highlighted some of the current challenges, namely human resources that are not yet sufficient for all the system's management needs, including socialization campaigns that are very important in making information available and improving access for citizens.

The Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Verónica das Dores, briefly presented the evolution of the social security system, starting by saying that social security is a fundamental human right recognized at the international level since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 and at national level in the law and the Constitution of the Republic. The Minister also highlighted the importance of the Social Security Reserve Fund as a guarantee that the social security system is sustainable and that citizens can trust the system that will guarantee their future to pay pensions to those who contributed.

“The data shows a significant growth of the system, having gone from 50 thousand to 146 thousand registered workers and from 240 to 4,700 employers between 2017 and 2023. The Reserve Fund currently has around 200 million dollars, accumulated and invested in just 5 years. Thus, the Social Security Portal aims to inform the people and employers, disseminating information in a transparent and clear way,” she stated.

The Director of the Social Protection Department of the ILO, Shahra Razavi, congratulated the government of Timor-Leste on the new Portal, which represents a notable advance in the application of digital technologies in supporting the promotion of human rights and a significant milestone in the development of social protection in Timor-Leste. The Director also reaffirmed the ILO's commitment to continuing to support the strengthening of the social protection system in Timor-Leste, particularly through the ACTION/Portugal project.

The General Director of the Strategy and Planning Office (GEP) of the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security (MTSSS) of Portugal, José Luís Albuquerque, presented greetings from the government of Portugal and congratulated the work carried out, highlighting that the Portal da Social Security is an important step in consolidating and expanding social protection. The Director General also reaffirmed the commitment to continue collaborating and supporting the development of the social protection system in Timor-Leste through the good collaboration that has existed between the ministries, the INSS and the ILO.

Before concluding the event, the Director of the INSS Information Systems Department, Verónica Borges, guided the participants through the Social Security Portal. At the launch of the Portal, several members of the government, representatives of the National Parliament, public administration managers and technicians, social partners, representatives of the private sector, development partners, donors, and representatives of civil society in Timor-Leste were present.

The development of the Social Security Portal and the launch event were prepared in close partnership with the ILO through the ACTION/Portugal project “Strengthening the Social Protection Systems of the PALOP and Timor-Leste” financed by the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security of Portugal, and the project “Reinforcement of national digital systems” financed by the German government.

In Timor-Leste, social security has been developing in phases with the first benefits being developed during the mandate of the current Prime Minister in the past, namely the provision of the then Support Allowance for the Elderly and Disabled in 2008 and, subsequently, the first contributory pension system aimed at State employees in 2012. Since then, the path has been paved and in 2016 the general contributory social security regime was born, extended to all workers, and based on a principle of solidarity between generations.