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Social protection policy in Colombia

Author

Listed:
  • Marcela Meléndez
  • Nicolas Peña Tenjo
  • Laura Tenjo

Abstract

Colombia has a complex legal framework meant to protect the population against basic risks through a combination of contributory and non-contributory social insurance. The population is almost perfectly split between them, with eligibility to participate in the latter determined by poverty. Health insurance works relatively well under both. In contrast, protection against old age works poorly. Only 20 out of every 100 workers fulfil the requirements for a contributory pension because of a high informality rate (56 per cent) and frequent worker transitions in and out of formality.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcela Meléndez & Nicolas Peña Tenjo & Laura Tenjo, 2026. "Social protection policy in Colombia," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2026-9, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2026-9
    as

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    File URL: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/Publications/Working-paper/PDF/wp2026-9-social-protection-policy-Colombia.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marcela Eslava & John Haltiwanger & Adriana Kugler & Maurice Kugler, 2013. "Trade and Market Selection: Evidence from Manufacturing Plants in Colombia," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 16(1), pages 135-158, January.
    2. Matías Busso & Maria Victoria Fazio & Santiago Levy Algazi, 2012. "(In)Formal and (Un)Productive: The Productivity Costs of Excessive Informality in Mexico," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 75698, Inter-American Development Bank.
    3. Matias Busso & Maria Victoria Fazio & Santiago Levy Algazi, 2012. "(In)Formal and (Un)Productive: The Productivity Costs of Excessive Informality in Mexico," Research Department Publications 4789, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    4. Juan M. Villa, 2018. "The continuous treatment effect of an antipoverty program on children's educational attainment: Colombia's Familias en Accion," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(3), pages 1239-1262, August.
    5. Martha Bottia & Lina Cardona-Sosa & Carlos Medina, 2012. "El SISBEN como mecanismo de focalización individual del régimen subsidiado en salud en Colombia: ventajas y limitaciones," Revista de Economía del Rosario, Universidad del Rosario.
    6. Markus Poschke, 2018. "The Firm Size Distribution across Countries and Skill-Biased Change in Entrepreneurial Technology," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 10(3), pages 1-41, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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