oa Sociale zekerheid en de levenslopen van mannen en vrouwen

Social security and the life course op men and woman

The system of social security is under pressure. Social structures have not yet adequately adapted to men and women’s altered personal life course, reflected in changes in family formation and labour market behaviour. As a result, a care shortage and/or a labour market shortage may occur, because the increased need to combine work and family, is not yet facilitated by an accurate institutional structure. In this article it is stated that the system of social security needs to be adapted in two ways. First, the coverage of traditional risks like sickness and unemployment should allow for diversity and non-standard labour-market behaviour. Secondly, care responsibilities – or rather socially beneficial matters – should also be covered by the system of social security. Both changes could take shape in a three-pillar model; risks are basically covered by combination of rights from three sources (‘pillars’). The first pillar consists of generic and compulsory schemes for all citizens, which provides (basic) cover also in the case of care responsibilities. This first pillar arrangements could be supplemented by life course arrangements in the second pillar, generating flexibility and freedom of choice. Then there is the third pillar, which consists of personal forms of savings and insurance for citizens who wish to insure for a further supplement.